When it isn't showcasing an armada of toy boats, your bathtub is probably the most precious five feet of real estate in the house. By simply filling it with hot water and a capful of aromatherapy brew, you can soak a day's (or a terrible two's) worth of tension.
The Chinese and Indians have known for millennia that the aromatic extracts of herbs and flowers have a calming effect on the human body, and in the past few years, these natural ingredients have permeated the mainstream. Lavender may be the perennial favorite for dialing back the agita, but the newest scents in powerful, intoxicating bath potions include Capri orange, Javanese vetiver, Moroccan chamomile, and the vaguely druggy-sounding valerian and hops.
Although the mandarins at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration haven't signed off on the benefits of aromatherapy, true believers like Toronto-based aromatherapist Suzanne Catty cite its ability to cure all manner of mom- and kid-oriented ailments, from stress and sore nipples to colic and temper tantrums: "Spray a little neroli-infused water around fidgety children," she notes, "and their behavior changes instantly."
While there are other ways to avail yourself of essential oils' goodness (for instance, to infuse clothes with a relaxing aroma, try putting a couple of drops of sandalwood oil on a tea towel, then chucking it into the dryer with the clothes), dumping them into the tub in the form of a preblended aromatherapy concoction is highly recommended. Once the oils have mixed with the hot water, the soothing properties of their aromatic vapors are easily absorbed into the bloodstream; they are also thought to send stimulating signals to the limbic system, the part of the brain involved in emotions.
"This isn't just a bunch of hocus-pocus," says Karen Flam, executive director of the Aromatherapy Alliance, an East Coast–based not-for-profit group. "Before, most of the evidence was anecdotal—people would use certain essential oils and feel better. But now there's scientific evidence that many of these oils have therapeutic value."
No wonder even large beauty companies have been jumping into the tub with the holistic healers. Johnson & Johnson, for instance, has spent the last five years developing a bath line for Mom: Its new Melt Away Stress products were the result of a 150-woman clinical trial. "If you look at our culture and society, stress has become overwhelming—yet the ways we manage it aren't always accessible or affordable," says Jean Holland, franchise research-and-development manager for Johnson's adult-skin-care division. "Aromatherapy has existed for ages, but we're excited that we've been able to take it to the next level."
For newbies (and in terms of practicality), the preblended bath products shown here have an edge on the raw essential oils aromatherapists use to ply their trade. In Aromatherapy: An A-Z, author Patricia Davis points out that undiluted essences can trigger skin irritation and are often too concentrated to be used during pregnancy. Besides, it's more fun to shop for a luxurious bottle of oil or jar of salts than to confront a wall of vials and droppers. So dry-dock the armada, draw a bath, pour in a shot, and take a deep whiff—your tub will be a sea of tranquillity.
