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SUMMER FEET LOOKING A LITTLE ROUGH? SOOTHE THEM WITH THIS SO-SIMPLE SOAK
Flip flops. Beach time. All-day hikes. Summer is hard on our feet (for all the best reasons). And while pedicures certainly feel great, they’re often full of chemical-laden products we’d rather not subject our skin to. Our solution? Foot soaks. They’re cheap, easy, and offer benefits beyond pretty toes: Twenty minutes of soaking just once a week can do wonders to ease tendons and soothe tired muscles.
We often just toss a cup of Epsom salts and hot water into a bucket and call it a soak, but for something a little more special, we turned to certified herbalist Max Turk of Roots and Crowns, an apothecary with a focus on plant-based products (we want everything in their spa collection). Read on for Turk’s so-soothing soak, plus a breakdown of the ingredients and the benefits they offer.
Foot Soak for Balance, Harmony + Stress Relief
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup to 1 cup Epsom salts (depends on the size of the basin. For a small basin, use ¼ cup; if you want to turn it into a full-body soak, go for the full cup)
1-3 drops of Rose Otto Oil
1-3 drops of Geranium Oil
1-3 drops Ylang Ylang
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix everything together in a glass bowl, and add to a basin of warm water. Help the salts dissolve by swishing them around with your hand.
Epsom Salts
Epsom Salts are inexpensive little wonder granules that bring some serious relief to tired feet (and the whole body). They are anti-inflammatory, flush toxins out of your body through the skin, reduce stress and anxiety, and bring relief to achy, sore muscles. Since Epsom salts are part magnesium (which most of us are deficient in), when you do a foot soak regularly, you boost the magnesium levels in your body. Healthy magnesium levels have been linked to healthy serotonin levels, so basically when you soak consistently, you’re also getting the happy pill. The best part? All this relief comes very cheap: Epsom Salts are available at practically any supermarket or drugstore.
Essential Oils
Each essential oil brings its own gifts, but you can follow your nose and trust your gut with what scents you need. Pine is great for achy feet, lavender is a wonderful relaxation oil, rose is stress-relieving and magical, rosemary is invigorating and uplifting, geranium is good for easing anxiety, and neroli and sandalwood can be aphrodisiacs. Want extra inspo? Try one of the mood-based blends in this article.
Flip flops. Beach time. All-day hikes. Summer is hard on our feet (for all the best reasons). And while pedicures certainly feel great, they’re often full of chemical-laden products we’d rather not subject our skin to. Our solution? Foot soaks. They’re cheap, easy, and offer benefits beyond pretty toes: Twenty minutes of soaking just once a week can do wonders to ease tendons and soothe tired muscles.
We often just toss a cup of Epsom salts and hot water into a bucket and call it a soak, but for something a little more special, we turned to certified herbalist Max Turk of Roots and Crowns, an apothecary with a focus on plant-based products (we want everything in their spa collection). Read on for Turk’s so-soothing soak, plus a breakdown of the ingredients and the benefits they offer.
Foot Soak for Balance, Harmony + Stress Relief
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup to 1 cup Epsom salts (depends on the size of the basin. For a small basin, use ¼ cup; if you want to turn it into a full-body soak, go for the full cup)
1-3 drops of Rose Otto Oil
1-3 drops of Geranium Oil
1-3 drops Ylang Ylang
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix everything together in a glass bowl, and add to a basin of warm water. Help the salts dissolve by swishing them around with your hand.
Epsom Salts
Epsom Salts are inexpensive little wonder granules that bring some serious relief to tired feet (and the whole body). They are anti-inflammatory, flush toxins out of your body through the skin, reduce stress and anxiety, and bring relief to achy, sore muscles. Since Epsom salts are part magnesium (which most of us are deficient in), when you do a foot soak regularly, you boost the magnesium levels in your body. Healthy magnesium levels have been linked to healthy serotonin levels, so basically when you soak consistently, you’re also getting the happy pill. The best part? All this relief comes very cheap: Epsom Salts are available at practically any supermarket or drugstore.
Essential Oils
Each essential oil brings its own gifts, but you can follow your nose and trust your gut with what scents you need. Pine is great for achy feet, lavender is a wonderful relaxation oil, rose is stress-relieving and magical, rosemary is invigorating and uplifting, geranium is good for easing anxiety, and neroli and sandalwood can be aphrodisiacs. Want extra inspo? Try one of the mood-based blends in this article.
