Give your self a bath boost

Taking some time out from our busy days to enjoy a hot bath has been proven to be cleansing for both the body and mind. Tanzania has plenty of options to help you create your own sanctuary for a soothing soak from spa treatments to scented candles and bath oils handmade with natural, locally sourced ingredients. Time to take the plunge.

Taking a bath has long had associations with opulence and indulgence. Ancient Egypt ruler Cleopatra and Zanzibar’s Princess Salme are believed to have bathed in milk and honey for its age-defying benefits while iconic US actress Marilyn Monroe famously felt the ‘fizz-ical’ benefits of bathing in 350 bottles’ worth of Champagne.

Still today we are learning more about the restorative effects of a long, hot soak with a recent scientific study revealing that it can even boost your mood. The soothing feel of the warm water on your skin prompts the release of endorphins, giving you a feeling of well-being. With physical interaction nowadays going no further than fist bumps and Zoom calls, taking a bath can feel like giving yourself a very welcome hug.

To get the most of the emotional reset benefits of a bath it pays to ramp up the indulgence level and really spoil yourself. If you’re lucky enough to be spending time on Zanzibar, treat yourself to a traditional Swahili spa bath treatment that is grand enough to pamper a princess or create your own time out in the tub with scented products made from the archipelago’s rich bounty of herbs, oils and spices.

Cinnamon Spa

Shangani, Stone Town +255 777 908 000 cinnamonspa.net

Just three minutes’ walk from the bustle of tourists and traders around Stone Town’s Old Fort reveals the haven of tranquillity that is Cinnamon Spa. Here you can choose from more than 30 treatments, which make use of the finest organic ingredients from the islands. The interior décor reflects the Hammam baths of Zanzibar’s Sultanate heyday and there are a trio of luxurious bath treatments for visitors to choose from.

Milk and Honey Purifying Bath Ritual

Apparently, Cleopatra and Princess Salme – daughter of the first Omani Sultan of Zanzibar and a pioneering writer and champion of education for women – believed the best way to maintain youthful looking skin was to bathe in milk and honey. Both are rich in antioxidants, which counter the ageing effects of free radicals. Cinnamon says of the treatment: “The goodness of honey as a medicinal substance helps to cleanse and soothe the antioxidants from the body as the milk hydrates and moisturises.”

30-minute Five Nectar Boosting Bath Ritual

Cinnamon Spa’s concoction is made up of coconut, milk, honey, milk and yoghurt and is said to nourish the skin and soften it, leaving it smooth and silky.

30-minute Tangy Citrus Bath Ritual

If you are feeling worn out and in need of a boost, this ginger, lime and lemon grass bath is the perfect tonic. The rejuvenating properties in the ingredients leave you feeling fresh and energised.

Melba Candles

20 Souk, Slipway, Dar es Salaam +255 755 818 301 melbacandles@gmail.com

For a truly relaxing soak, you can add to the warmth and glow of the bath with the relaxing aromas from a scented candle. The flickering flame also provides that ambient lighting that aids relaxation.

Melba Candles is a new Tanzanian start-up that makes by hand 100 % soy wax candles perfumed with locally sourced essential oils. Each of its 575-gram candles has a burning time of 45 hours and available scents include Very Vanilla, Egyptian Amber, Jamaica Me Crazy, Amber Noir, Honey Suckle Jasmine, Mango Papaya, and Cinnamon Stick. The business began as a hobby before developing into an online business and now has its own store within The Souk Hotel in the Slipway complex in Dar es Salaam. For more information, visit its Instagram page @melbacandles

Inaya Zanzibar

Mazson’s Building, Kenyatta street, Shangani Stone Town, Zanzibar +255 242 230 036 inayazanzibar.com

This all-woman production team hand makes in small batches skin and body care products using, whenever possible, organic and wild-harvested ingredients from Zanzibar and across Africa. Among its large range – that can be purchased online or at its store in Stone Town – are bath oils and salts that give your soaks a soothing scent and make your skin strokably smooth.

Clove and Neroli Bath Salts - US$ 9

An invigorating bath soak made with pure sea salt from Pemba infused with organic clove essential oil from Zanzibar and extract of Neroli, a bitter orange blossom. It will leave the skin feeling soothed and will uplift your mood.

Vanilla and Lavender Bath and Massage Oil - US$ 13

This relaxing oil gives you that relaxing spa experience at home with its combination of avocado oil from South Africa, macadamia oil from Kenya and coconut oil from Mozambique. It is scented with lavender oil from South Africa and vanilla oil from Zanzibar.