Restoring Body and Spirit, One Soak at a Time

By Jenny Barnett

In the heart of winter, there is a hush: a silence that settles over the homestead like freshly fallen snow. It’s in this quiet that we return to old comforts. Simmering teas, slow stews, thick quilts… and the deep, restorative ritual of a warm bath.

Not just a rinse at the end of a long day, but a soak that feels sacred. An invitation to let go. A ritual that honors the skin, the spirit, and the slowness of the season.

Let’s walk through how to create a winter soak the old-fashioned way, with oats and salt, herbs and oils, candlelight and care, and the humble soaps that have served generations before us.

The Winter Soak: Ingredients for Skin & Soul

Harsh winds, woodstove heat, and dry mountain air do a number on winter skin. A weekly bath can offer gentle healing, especially when you turn to simple, natural ingredients:

• Oats: Soothing for dry, itchy, or inflamed skin. Add 1 cup of finely ground oats to running water.
• Calendula: Anti-inflammatory and skin-softening. Steep a handful in hot water, strain, and pour into the bath.
• Epsom Salt: Relieves muscle tension and replenishes magnesium. Add 1–2 cups per bath.
• Essential Oils: Add a few drops of lavender, cedarwood, frankincense, or eucalyptus to a carrier oil (like olive oil) before stirring into the water.

Tip: Keep a few mason jars or linen sachets pre-mixed with your favorite combinations for easy bath prep.

Make It a Ritual, Not a Routine

A true homestead bath isn’t about speed, it’s about presence. Set the scene for full-body restoration:

• Candlelight only: Turn off the overheads. Light a few beeswax candles like these hand-poured botanicals from Bluecorn for a golden, grounding glow made right here in CO.
• Silence or soft sound: Try soft fiddle, folk ballads, or the crackle of firewood if you’ve got a tub near the hearth.
• Tub tray: Rest your tea, a good book, or your salve pot on a rustic reclaimed wood bath caddy.
• Exit with care: Wrap up in wool, hydrate well, and moisturize with a natural balm to lock in all that good moisture.

Sacred Soaps of the Season

Not all soaps are created equal, and in winter, we reach for the bars that do more than cleanse. Below are time-tested, skin-loving soaps that offer deeper care, each with its own healing properties.

• Pine Tar & Tallow Soaps

Known for treating eczema, cracked skin, and inflammation. Strong, smoky scent and serious old-world charm.
→ Shop Traditional Pine Tar & Tallow Soap

• Coal Tar Soap

Beloved by those with psoriasis, dermatitis, or scalp conditions. Naturally antimicrobial and deeply detoxifying.
→ The Soap Works Coal Tar Bar

• Beeswax & Botanicals

Gentler and deeply moisturizing, especially when made with oils like olive or coconut.
→ Try the “Forager Bar” with beeswax & plant oils

• Seasonal Scents

Sometimes it’s just about the aroma, pine, juiper, cedar, clove. Comfort in bar form.
→ Natural Bar Soap – Aspen Essence

My personal favorite from Aspen Essence? The Alpine Air bar from the Winter Collection.

Simple Add-Ons for Deeper Luxury

• Bath brush or natural loofah for dry brushing pre-soak
• Wooden bath pillow or towel bundle for head and neck support
• Chamomile or peppermint tea to sip while you soak
• A clean towel warmed by the stove; old trick, still gold

Slowing Down on Purpose

There’s something ancient about drawing a bath in the cold months, as if the very act calls us back to center. In a season of low light and slow living, an old-fashioned soak can be an act of reverence.

So light the candles. Let the salts dissolve. And when you step out, carry that warmth with you deep in your bones.

— Jenny