Editor’s Picks: 16 of the Best Bath Salts and Soaks to Relax Your Body and Soften Your Skin
People have been taking baths for centuries, but now they’re far more than just a way to get clean. Modern studies have discovered that a hot soak can help promote better sleep,[1] relieve stress,[2] reduce depression[3] and even boost metabolism.[4]
And thanks to the newest bath products on the market, you can easily turn your tub into a spa-like experience.
From The Skincare Edit Archives
Forget the harsh, artificially-fragranced and sulfate-laden bubble baths of the past. They’ve been been replaced by gentle formulas with clean ingredients that are unlikely to disrupt your pH or cause irritation. Think: mineral-rich salts and skin-softening powders, infused with essential oils, algae, clay and other botanical ingredients.
Keep scrolling to discover the best bath salts and soaks (and why I chose them) for your next self-care session.
The Bath Salts and Soaks Edit
Best calming | |
Best mood-lifting | |
Best detoxifying | Goop G.Tox Detox 5 Salt Bath Soak • Pursoma Digital Detox Bath Soak |
Best energizing | |
Best for sleep | |
Best for sensitive skin | |
Best for sore muscles | Naturopathica Sweet Birch Magnesium Bath Flakes • Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath |
Best milk bath | Agent Nateur Holi (Bath) Coconut Milk Bath • Herbivore Coconut Milk Bath Soak |
Best CBD | Vertly CBD Infused Bath Salts • Lord Jones High CBD Formula Bath Salts |
Best two-in-one | |
Best budget | |
Best splurge |
What to Look for in Bath Salts and Soaks
The Best Bath Salts and Soaks of 2022
Herbivore Calm Ylang Ylang + Vanilla Soaking Salts
Odacité Mood Cleansing Ayurvedic Bath Soak
Goop G.Tox Detox 5 Salt Bath Soak
Pursoma Digital Detox Bath Soak
French Girl Mint Sea Soak Enlivening Bath Salts
This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak
Susanne Kaufmann St. John’s Wort Bath
Naturopathica Sweet Birch Magnesium Bath Flakes
Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath
Agent Nateur Holi (Bath) Coconut Milk Bath
Herbivore Coconut Milk Bath Soak
Vertly CBD Infused Bath Salts
Lord Jones High CBD Formula Bath Salts
Indie Lee I-Recover Body Soak
365 by Whole Foods Market Epsom Salt
African Botanics Kalahari Desert De-Tox Bath Salts
Further Reading
- Kanda, K., Tochihara, Y. & Ohnaka, T. (1999). Bathing before sleep in the young and in the elderly. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology. 1999 Jul;80(2):71-5.
- Goto, Yasuaki, Hayasaka, Shinya, Kurihara, Shigeo & Nakamura, Yosikazu. (2018). Physical and Mental Effects of Bathing: A Randomized Intervention Study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2018; 2018: 9521086.
- Naumann, Johannes, Grebe, Julian, Kaifel, Sonja, Weinert, Tomas, Sadaghiani, Catharina & Huber, Roman. (2017). Effects of hyperthermic baths on depression, sleep and heart rate variability in patients with depressive disorder: a randomized clinical pilot trial. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2017; 17: 172.
- Hoekstra, S. P., Bishop, N. C., Faulkner, S. H., Bailey, S. J. & Leicht, C. A. (2018). Acute and chronic effects of hot water immersion on inflammation and metabolism in sedentary, overweight adults. Journal of Applied Physiology. Vol. 125, No. 6.
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