Mint is cooling, refreshing, and astringent to the skin. It is also very cleansing, and great for a putting in a bath on a hot, muggy summer day.

The mint family includes peppermint, spearmint, and lemon balm, and all but spearmint contains menthol. The oils of the mint family are antiviral, antibacterial, and antiseptic.

This bath is inspired by a hot, humid day in upstate New York, and indeed, the bath was the perfect anecdote to feeling hot and sweaty:

Fill a bath with cool water. Add 4-6 drops essential oil of peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, or mint. Alternatively, make 4 cups of very strong mint tea, cool, and add to the bath. Enjoy!

Note: Do not use pennyroyal, also a member of the mint family, in the bath.