It's Mothers Day

Give the chocolates a miss this year and give Mum a herbal experience instead

March 14th is Mother’s Day so why not give the most important person in the world a treat. Warn the family in advance that she’ll be taking a few hours out and indulging in some serious ME time.

Soaking in a hot scented herbal bath is one of the best ways to unwind and forget about worries. The reason? Skin is porous so soaking in a bath containing herbal infusions is one of the gentlest ways to absorb their healing properties. 

SET THE SCENE

The first thing to do is to set the scene. Make sure the bathroom is warm and the lights are dimmed. Next light a scented candle or two to create a tranquil mood – lavender and lemongrass are good choices. Switch on some soothing music in the background. Go for something that you know will chill Mum out. And don’t forget to brew up some herbal tea, which she can sip as she lies back and relaxes.

ADDING THE HERBS

There are several ways to create a herbal soak. Either steep the herbs in hot water, strain, allow to cool and add the liquid to the bath.  Or wrap the herbs in a piece of cheesecloth or muslin bag and hang it from the tap so the water runs through it as the bath fills up.

Alternatively, lightly crush the herbs, place them in a saucepan, cover them with an inch or so of water, simmer for around 20 minutes before straining and adding to the bath. See below for herbs to suit Mum’s mood.

BATH TIME

Lead Mum to the bathroom and ask her to step quietly into the bath and to lie back and relax. Reassure her that apart from enjoying the peace and quiet there is nothing for her to do. Make sure she doesn’t fall asleep though. If she starts to feel drowsy she should get out quickly, wrap herself in a warm towel or a soft fluffy robe and relax somewhere quiet before getting back into the hurly burly of family life.

When she is ready to get going again give her some lovely aromatic body cream to apply before she gets dressed slowly and calmly.

HERBS TO SUIT MUM’S MOOD

•  For relaxation, choose camomile, rose and hops
•  For soothing aching muscles, try thyme, lavender and rosemary
•  To relieve stress and anxiety, combine rose, jasmine and sage
•  For a quick boost, opt for mint or rosemary
•  For energy, try lemon verbena, bay leaf and basil
•  To calm jangled nerves try geranium