DIY Bath Soak for Spring Allergies

While springtime feels a little different in the time of Covid-19 something that is showing up exactly the same, virus or not, is the advent of spring allergies! I’m lucky in that my spring allergies aren’t terrible, but I have so many loved ones that are knocked on butts- most notably my mom who just had to get special permission to cut down one of her worst-offending allergies on her property! Her juniper allergy was SO bad with a flowering shrub on her property that she couldn’t go outside.

So, whether your allergies are specific to a type of a plant or you’re just sensitive to all of the pollen that spring brings and get a general hay fever, you can pop into this beautiful bath and a get a bit of relief from the discomfort allergies bring. Itching, sneezing, coughing, and overall soreness all can be helped by the different components as I’ll explain below! However, feel free to skip things that you don’t have or can’t use (my friend Bre is actually allergic to chamomile!) or swap in things you love!

DIY Bath Soak for Spring Allergies Ingredients

Salts

As in many of my baths I am using a 1-1 ratio of dead sea salt and Himalayan salt but feel free to swap in Epsom salt if that is the salt you have on hand! When allergies come into play your skin might feel bloated, swollen, itchy, and inflamed Dead Sea Salt and Himalayan sea salt help soothe skin and muscle ache with its high dose of magnesium- an anti-inflammatory mineral.

Ginger Root

Not for the faint of heart or sensitive of skin, ginger root is a rockstar in the allergy world both internally when eaten and externally when soaked in! Ginger will make your skin feel super warm, so start out with a small amount (either dried chunks or fresh slices) and gradually work your way up if your skin feels great! Ginger reduces muscle pain and inflammation and promotes circulation (thus the hot feeling skin!) So can help your body heal faster and promote the expulsion of allergens.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is amazing for a plethora of things so you’ll see it in many of my bath recipes, but one of my favorite things in spring allergy season is that it helps to relieve sinus pressure! Whole cinnamon sticks or cinnamon chips are best as they are much less likely to get stuck to your body!

Eucalyptus

I keep eucalyptus branches underneath my shower head year round for a spa-like feel and a lovely sinus opener during each shower. But for this bath I stepped it up and added a few drops of Eucalyptus oil to my bath. Eucalyptus has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties and helps open up your sinuses- yay breathing!

Peppermint

Peppermint paired with eucalyptus is a powerhouse for beating the sniffles! Peppermint is a wonderful decongestant and works perfectly in both its leaf and oil forms. Don’t have peppermint leaf on hand? Just tear open a tea bag!

OPTIONAL: Chamomile (not pictured in ingredients, but is present in my bath!)

I have chamomile in my bath, but have left it out of the recipe because it can be an allergen trigger. If you know that chamomile works well for you, definitely add it in! Chamomile has compounds that promote relaxation, reduce inflammation, and can provide relief from cold-like symptoms.

DIY Bath Soak for Spring Allergies Instructions

There is no set ‘recipe’ for bath soaks- it is pretty much ‘toss what feels good in the bath’ for me! However, a good starting point is to add one cup of salt into the bath- a combination of whichever salts you are using- and one-half cup of a combination herbs if you have them! Pour the ingredients in the hot bath water as you are letting it fill and then steep them as you are waiting for the water to cool down to a temperature that feels good to you! This bath will turn the water greener and greener as you let it steep!

Are you experiencing allergies this season or do you have a request for a healing bath? Pop over to Instagram and let me know!

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