Blissful bath time

On a Sunday evening there's nothing I like more than a bubble bath. Since late last year I developed a problem with sleeping on a Sunday night and I don't really know why or where it came from but I think it had something to do with that 'back to school/work' anxiety thing that everyone gets.

So, in a bid to get myself to sleep of an evening, I developed a bit of a calming/relaxing routine, starting off with a lovely bath. A relaxing bath doesn't just mean tons of bubbles, oh no, I like to really use lots of lotions and potions in my bath water.

I usually start off with the bubble bath, maybe add a bath bomb or bath melt and some kind of bath oil. I recently ran out of one of my fave Noble Isle bath oils so have been using the Weleda Wild Rose Cream Bath* as a substitute and I really love it. 100ml of the good stuff will cost £12.95, which isn't too pricey as you only need a little bit for each bath, meaning you really get your money's worth here. Despite coming in something reminiscent of a medicine bottle complete with clicky lid, the cream is really yummy and nourishing on the skin. The blend of rose, jojoba and oil leaves the skin feeling really soft so there's no need for an after bath moisturiser at all.

Having a bath is also about de-stressing after a hard week and getting ready for a new one. I find Lavender scents really help with the calming process and as well as my lavender bath oil I've been loving a bit of the Argan+ white Lavender De-Stress Bath Soak*. Lavender is widely known as a scent to help you get a peaceful night sleep so I fill my bath with the stuff! Not only is this bath soak completely de-stressing but it also produces lovely skin softening bubbles thanks to its Argan Oil and Aloe Vera contents.

After stewing in a bath that's half cream/oil and half water, I like to get out and continue the relaxing pre-bedtime routine with a bit of the SenSpa Talc Free Natural Body Powder*. This stuff really takes me back to being a kid and having talcum powder literally smothered all over me after a bath. The SenSpa powder is actually talc free but contains a fusion of lavender, patchouli and geranium essential oils, which make it super indulgent and softening on the skin. The key ingredient for me in this one is the lavender...can you see a theme ocurring here?

After this I feel completely relaxed and ready for the land of nod. Developing a pre-bedtime routine has really helped me and for the past few months I've slept really well on a Sunday evening. Just writing this post has made me desperate for a bath!

What's your pre-bedtime routine? What products are your bathtime favourites? Let me know the comments.

*I've been lucky enough to be sent these products as samples to use as I see fit.