If there is one room in our house that I am most ashamed of and is in need of a makeover it is the bathroom. Whilst it is the one room where I got to relax, it is one I hate being in. We need to paint, re-tile and have a new suite, so it is something we are constantly saving for.
Did you know that Matalan Homeware have a newly launched home improvement site? I didn't until I was challenged by them to share my ultimate bath routine and having spent a good hour or so browsing at what options I could have, I pretty could have my perfect bathroom. Anyway, I chose Coconut Vanilla as my favourite scent from the Matalanhome fragrances, I was sent a lovely package to help me share that routine. The package included a Coconut Vanilla Reed Diffuser and Candle Jar which perfectly compliment one another and a huge soft bath towel plus a £50 voucher to spend in Boots on bath time beauty goodies for my bath routine that will also compliment the Coconut Vanilla fragrance.
I spent some time online deciding what I thought would work. Having a bath for me is about total relaxation and something I look forward to doing, usually because I am usually tired, stressed or in need of an escape and this is exactly how I choose what is going to go into my water. So using my voucher I went for the following items:
- Westlab Epsom Salts - I am a huge fan of bath salts and they are so underrated. Epsom Salt is a natural solution aid for a fit and healthy body, which has been around for hundreds of years and it is ideal for muscle relaxation, sports recovery, and helping to reduce fluid retention. Westlab Epsom Salts are made of pure Magnesium Sulphate and are great for helping to remove toxins from the body, encouraging muscles to relax thereby accelerating healing and reducing soreness, as well as increasing magnesium and sulphate levels. Magnesium aids muscle control, energy production and helps regulate the activity of more than 300 enzymes in the body. Sulphate is essential for many biological processes including helping to flush toxins.
- Dead Sea Aromatherapy Bath Salts - Dead Sea Aromatherapy Bath Salts with Frankincense have therapeutic minerals along with aromatherapy oils and rose petals help you to feel your stress just float away. The Frankincense also works to calm both your breathing and your mind whilst soothing tense muscles and rejuvenating your skin
- Soap and Glory The Daily Soothe Bath Float - This product is packed with rejuvenating Phytofleur cactus, calming Passionflower fruit extract and moisturising Herbasol Mallow which work to invigorate, calm and soothe to promote a good night’s sleep.
Once in the bath I always like to ensure I have something to exfoliate with and then wash with for my body and whilst doing that, I always ensure my face has been double cleansed whilst the bath is running and then I apply a facemask just before getting into the bath. So the products I bought for this are:
- Soap and Glory Sugarcrush body scrub - This has turned out to be one of my favourite body scrubs. It uses mashed brown sugar & sweet lime, almond oil & macadamia grains to exfoliate and polish your skin to leave it soft and smooth.
- Soap and Glory Sugar Crush bodywash - This bodywash smells divine and compliments the body scrub really well. It has a really energising scent which gives you a bit of a wake up and it moisturises as well as cleans your skin, which is always helpful after a good scrub.
- Biore Self-heating One Minute Facemask - This purifying face mask warms to open pores and draw out deep down dirt, oil and impurities, then cools leaving skin tingly smooth and refreshed.
- Quick Fix Facials Facemask - This Calming Clay mask is designed for sensitive and red skin. It uses Oatmeal to help relieve skin dryness and discomfort. Aloe Vera - perfect for helping to reduce skin inflammation and provides moisture. Chamomile Extract - helps to soothe and calm sensitive skin and finally Rose Extract to help minimise redness caused by enlarged capillaries.
- Biore Deep Cleansing Nosestrips - At least once a month, I use nose strips, just to ensure I have removed dirt and grime as I possibly can. Travelling around London can leave your skin feeling clogged, dry and forever dirty. These strips are infused with natural charcoal, these innovative pore strips draw out excess oil for the deepest clean
No bath would be perfect without some final accessories. So for me, this includes a flannel to do a final wipe of the face, a headband which keeps your hair off your face when you are using face masks. I never wash my hair in the bath, ewww, so I do like to ensure that I don't have numerous products stuck to or in my hair and either wear a shower cap or use a headband like this one.
Finally, the best accessory for making a bath enjoyable is a bath pillow. I have tried 4 or 5 quite expensive bath pillows in the past and frankly, this one from boots which cost a mere £6.29 not only users suckers to stick to the bath to keep it place, it doesn't lose air, it is comfortable and it doesn't need to be machine washed.
*PR collaboration, all words my own.