Indulge in a nice bath.

I know what I'm about to post isn't exactly the most water-friendly entry. Bathing can use up more water than showering. A part of me kind of feels guilty for what I'm about to post, but come on, we've all have those moments when we just want to melt and unwind into a nice hot bath after a long day. I don't think that's unreasonable, and I won't tell if you don't tell. ;)

When I feel I deserve a good bath, I always try to do something to the bath water to make it just a little more special. You can too and you don't even need to buy those fancy bath products either.

I recommend trying the following depending on your mood. You deserved it!

Add rose petals into your bath. The natural oils and fragrances from the petals will hydrate your skin and make it feel smooth, as well as leave you with a nice smell.

You can soften your skin with baking soda too! Just add about half a cup to the water.

Feel warmer in baths by adding a tablespoon or two of ground ginger or fresh ginger slices. This tip is great if you want to feel warm without using so much hot water (awesome tip for cold winters!). If you're using ground ginger, please add it to the water gradually. It can and will feel too intense if you put too much at once.

Relieve tension with chamomile tea. Just hold a few chamomile tea bags under the faucet as it runs. I haven't tried this yet, but apparently the tea contains healing properties that will relax your muscles.

Olive oil soothes dry skin. Make sure you soak in your bath for about 5 minutes before adding in the olive oil (2 tbsp will do). Presoaking will open up your pours to allow the olive oil to be absorbed into your skin.

Feel so fresh, so clean by adding the juice of a lemon (or two) into your bath. You'll feel cool and refreshed (awesome for hot summers). It also doubles up as a toner and tightens your skin (so it's great for people with oily skin too). I heard grapefruit and oranges also works well.

After you've had your happy alone time, it's time to snap back into reality. Rinse off with a (quick!) cool shower. It'll close your pours to lock in moisture and it's a nice way to end a nice, lazy bath.

Happy bathing! Don't use too much water.