Clean & Green; Eco-Friendly Bath Additives for Solarpunk Spa Days

CLEAN & GREEN

ECO-FRIENDLY BATH ADDITIVES FOR SOLARPUNK SPA DAYS

MILO RUSNAK

After a stressful day, a hot bath is a great way to unwind. If you need a special treat, adding a bath bomb, bath salts, or bubble bath can make the bath even more relaxing. However, bath additives tend to come with a lot of plastic packaging. For people trying to reduce their waste or live a zero waste lifestyle, it may seem like there are no options for such a relaxing bath. However, there are numerous bath additives that produce little to no waste. As an added bonus, many of these additives have real health benefits and can be even more relaxing than their commercial counterparts.

DIY BUBBLE BATH

There are lots of bubble bath recipes, many involving vegetable glycerin. However, glycerin difficult to find without plastic packaging. Although the bubbles from natural recipes aren’t as strong as commercial bubble baths, they come without the sulfates and waste. Here’s one recipe from the blog Live Laugh Rowe:

1 cup baby oil 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup hand soap or shampoo (preferably unscented) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

OATMEAL

Oatmeal is incredibly beneficial for sensitive skin, especially for eczema. It helps calm redness as well as soothe and soften the skin. Be careful to put it in a pouch before adding it to the bath to prevent it from clogging up the drain.

green tea

Green tea is lovely for toning, smells great, and is an antioxidant. Stick it in a strainer or pouch, add to the bath as it fills and let it steep.

HONEY

Honey helps moisturize dry skin, antibacterial, and antifungal. Simply add half a cup to your bath as it’s filling to enjoy the benefits.

ESSENTIAL OILS

Many people claim essential oils have medicinal benefit. Whether it is true or not, a pleasant scent can improve anyone’s bathing experience. Those with sensitive skin should be cautious and test oils on their skin first, but a few drops of lavender or peppermint can make for a relaxing or energizing bath, respectively. The glass oil bottles are also often recyclable.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Although ACV isn’t the best smelling additive, it can help with urinary tract infections and yeast infections while restoring the PH balance of the skin.

OTHER HERBS

There are plenty of other herbs that can be added via a pouch or strainer. Some favorites include ginger (soreness and colds, great in winter), chamomile, and roses.

It’s clear that you don’t have to give up your spa days to stay zero waste, and hopefully this inspires you to continue to enjoy relaxing baths with the addition of health benefits as opposed to chemicals added in!