When winter feels endlessly long and spring is hard to come by, it is especially important to take care of yourself with beneficial and stimulating baths , fragrant ointments and oils , scrubbing of the whole body and tasty spicy hot drinks.
Nature is still dormant and rest can be good to reflect around and feel into yourself too 🥰, and how about feeling it while you sit with a wonderful forest foot bath OUTSIDE under lovely blankets and with a nice cup of hot drink in your hand? Or inside with a good book to get lost in 🤩
👣 Forest foot bath
As spruce, pine and juniper strengthen the immune system and stimulate circulation in the body, regular forest bathing keeps you healthy and alert. Your feet will dance forward after this treatment.
· 2 liters of water (double if there are more people on the team)
· 1 spruce twig
· 1 pine twig
· 1 juniper twig
· A few juniper berries
As spruce, pine and juniper strengthen the immune system and stimulate circulation in the body, regular forest bathing keeps you healthy and alert. Your feet will dance forward after this treatment.
· 2 liters of water (double if there are more people on the team)
· 1 spruce twig
· 1 pine twig
· 1 juniper twig
· A few juniper berries
👉 Put the twigs in a pan with water, chop them up a bit if necessary, add the juniper berries. Let it boil under a lid for 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it steep for a while, before straining and pouring the forest water into a basin. Sit with this for 15-20 minutes inside or outside, whichever suits you and appeals to you the most.
💡 A super tip when taking the time for a foot bath or a dip in the bathtub is to bring a delicious scrub! I usually scrub my feet with the magically good Citrus body scrub or Spice body scrub when I sit with a foot bath. It is extremely delicious!! Try it in the bathtub, and of course in the shower! Absolutely extremely delicious! 💚 You can also make your own foot scrub from coffee grounds , sugar , organic olive oil from the kitchen cupboard and a little honey ! Lovely and it tingles well in the legs and calves! A good way to use coffee in several ways! Feel free to finish a foot bath and scrub by lubricating and massaging your feet with Chamomile Balm at the end. Soothing, nourishing and perfect if you also have hard heels to soften.
Here's a delicious tip for an even more invigorating and nourishing foot and body bath:
🌿 Barley, herbal and honey bath for feet or body!
Thousands of years ago, barley groats were said to give both strength and power 💪 Boil this delicious mixture, and feel how it softens hard and rough skin. Bring it to a boil before you go for a walk, and then it's ready to use when you get home! By the way, this is a recipe inspired by a drink (Barley water) so it tastes great too!
· 2 liters of water
· 1 small sprig (or 1 tablespoon rosemary)
· 1 dl barley groats
· The juice of 1 organic lemon
· 1 dl honey
👉 Place herbs and barley in a pan with water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and let the mixture steep under a lid for about 2 hours. Strain out the grains and herbs, save the liquid and squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir in the honey and pour everything into a warm foot bath or bathtub. The decoction will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator.
🌿 Barley, herbal and honey bath for feet or body!
Thousands of years ago, barley groats were said to give both strength and power 💪 Boil this delicious mixture, and feel how it softens hard and rough skin. Bring it to a boil before you go for a walk, and then it's ready to use when you get home! By the way, this is a recipe inspired by a drink (Barley water) so it tastes great too!
· 2 liters of water
· 1 small sprig (or 1 tablespoon rosemary)
· 1 dl barley groats
· The juice of 1 organic lemon
· 1 dl honey
👉 Place herbs and barley in a pan with water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and let the mixture steep under a lid for about 2 hours. Strain out the grains and herbs, save the liquid and squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir in the honey and pour everything into a warm foot bath or bathtub. The decoction will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator.
🐝
In the winter, I like to be inspired by herbs, spices and fruits from warmer latitudes. They have in common that they are warming and stimulating, and it is perfect for us here in the north at this time of year. But, I also really like to go to the forest and pick something with me from the evergreen strengthening trees and shrubs 🌳 Spruce, pine and juniper offer themselves all year round and can be used in many ways! Play with exotic spices and Norwegian forests. Here are a few recipes to get you started!
🍊 Orange bath with milk
I remember making this bath for Father's Day, and guess what a lucky dad he was who got to climb into a wonderfully fragrant bathtub with orange slices floating around like many little suns ☀️ on a white sky! 🍊🛁🧡 Orange refreshes the skin and smells so good. Feel free to rub your hands with the orange slices at the end. We have organic milk production 🥛 on one of our farms, and then we are so lucky to get good unpasteurized milk straight from the tank. So, if you have a neighbor or acquaintance who runs a dairy farm, ask if you can buy there. The raw milk contains so many good minerals and not least healthy fats, and this is much better for the skin than low-fat milk, for example. If you have to buy, I recommend Rørosmelk 's organic Heilmjølk or Gardsmjølk.
· 2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds
· 2 cinnamon sticks
· 1 small piece of fresh ginger
· 5 dl organic milk
· 1 dl honey
· 1 – 2 sliced oranges
👉 Put the cardamom seeds in the mortar and crush lightly. Break the cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces, and cut the ginger into thin slices. Heat the milk in a pan together with the spices over low heat and let it simmer under a lid for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the honey and orange slices.
🥝 KiwiKick for facial skin
A vitamin C boost is beneficial in winter. Try a delicious, green cure when it's cold and spring seems a long way off. Kiwifruit strengthens the skin with its vitamin C and minerals.
· 1 kiwi
· ½ dl green clay (or oat flour or corn flour, for example)
· 1 teaspoon spirulina
· 1 small bunch of parsley
👉 Scoop out the kiwi fruit and place the fruit flesh together with the other ingredients in a bowl. Mix with a hand blender until it becomes a smooth and suitable consistency. Adjust with more clay/flour if it is too loose in consistency. Place the green face mask on a clean face and let it work for about 20 minutes. Rinse with plenty of lukewarm water.
I remember making this bath for Father's Day, and guess what a lucky dad he was who got to climb into a wonderfully fragrant bathtub with orange slices floating around like many little suns ☀️ on a white sky! 🍊🛁🧡 Orange refreshes the skin and smells so good. Feel free to rub your hands with the orange slices at the end. We have organic milk production 🥛 on one of our farms, and then we are so lucky to get good unpasteurized milk straight from the tank. So, if you have a neighbor or acquaintance who runs a dairy farm, ask if you can buy there. The raw milk contains so many good minerals and not least healthy fats, and this is much better for the skin than low-fat milk, for example. If you have to buy, I recommend Rørosmelk 's organic Heilmjølk or Gardsmjølk.
· 2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds
· 2 cinnamon sticks
· 1 small piece of fresh ginger
· 5 dl organic milk
· 1 dl honey
· 1 – 2 sliced oranges
👉 Put the cardamom seeds in the mortar and crush lightly. Break the cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces, and cut the ginger into thin slices. Heat the milk in a pan together with the spices over low heat and let it simmer under a lid for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the honey and orange slices.
🥝 KiwiKick for facial skin
A vitamin C boost is beneficial in winter. Try a delicious, green cure when it's cold and spring seems a long way off. Kiwifruit strengthens the skin with its vitamin C and minerals.
· 1 kiwi
· ½ dl green clay (or oat flour or corn flour, for example)
· 1 teaspoon spirulina
· 1 small bunch of parsley
👉 Scoop out the kiwi fruit and place the fruit flesh together with the other ingredients in a bowl. Mix with a hand blender until it becomes a smooth and suitable consistency. Adjust with more clay/flour if it is too loose in consistency. Place the green face mask on a clean face and let it work for about 20 minutes. Rinse with plenty of lukewarm water.
Here are about 20 ladies steaming themselves at a Wild Spa course I had in a fantastic greenhouse I was invited to. 💚🧖♀️ Herbal steaming before a facial scrub and mask is perfect!
💡 After both body and facial treatments, I recommend applying delicious herbal ointments. Your body will love the Wild Herb Body Balm , which makes your skin so supple and soft while also nourishing and stimulating with red clover and yarrow from our meadows 🌿💖🌼 Your face will welcome it. Calendula Balm and Sea buckthorn and nettle , or other favorites, and then Chamomile balm on your feet!
Enjoy the rest of the winter!
Warm regards,
Renate, Queen Bee 🐝 in Vossabia