IF THE SUN HAS LEFT YOU HOT AND clammy, soaking in a tepid or cool bath is the fastest way to bring down your body temperature, says Laurel Vukovic, an herbalist in Ashland, Ore., and Natural Health columnist. That’s because you’re immersing most of your body’s surface in the water. A cool bath will also soothe a sunburn.
Vukovic recommends adding herbs and other ingredients to enhance your bathtime ritual. To soften skin, use yogurt, which contains the alpha-hydroxy acid called lactic acid. To heal sun-damaged skin, add antioxidant-rich green tea and mint-family herbs, which are packed with cooling menthol. Try these recipes:
Yogurt Soother: Gently massage a cup of plain chilled yogurt into your skin for 10 minutes. Afterward soak in a tepid bath for about 20 minutes. Shower off any remaining yogurt.
Mint and Green Tea Bath: Steep 2 mint tea bags and 2 green tea bags in 1 quart of boiling water for at least 20 minutes. Pour the infusion into a tepid bath, and soak for about 20 minutes.
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