Want to add a touch of herbalism to your bathroom? Creating some beautiful herb dolls and bath bags is the way to go. An herb doll can be hung on the bathroom wall for decoration and a nice aroma. It's literally herbs attached to a doll's straw hat. Bath bags can be used to add a beautiful scent to your bathtub water, or even used as decorative potpourri in the bathroom. Here's how to make both of them and which herbs are best suited for these fun DIYs.
Herb Dolls
Herb dolls aren't dolls made from herbs. Instead, they're just dried herbs hung upside down attached to a doll's hat. It creates a really cute atmosphere, and is a nice, natural way to scent a home. These go great in a baby's room, a little girl's room, a bathroom, or even in a living room (if it matches the design of course). They also make really cute gifts or unique wedding decor.
Some good herbs you can use for this include lavender, roses, chamomile, gardenia, lilac, peony, eucalyptus, thyme, basil, mint, and rosemary. Whenever possible, try to only use organic herbs grown without pesticides. If you cannot find any at a store or a florist, consider growing some of your own herbs in your backyard. If you don't have enough room, herbs grow great in container gardens as well, which you can leave on your windowsill.
Supplies:
- Fresh herbs
- Rubber band
- A piece of ribbon
- A doll's straw hat
- A hat pin
Directions:
- Group a bunch of dried (or fresh) herbs and wrap a rubber band around their stem ends.
- Tie a ribbon around the doll's "neck."
- Attach a hat with a hat pin.
- Hang the doll on the wall or lean it wherever you like.
Bath Bags
You've heard of bath bombs and bath soaks, right? The problem with them is that if there are herbs in them, you'll have a lot of loose petals floating around your tub, resulting in more for you to clean up later down the line. But with a bath bag, you don't have to worry about cleaning up the herbs. All you have to do is wrap some sweet-smelling herbs in a loose weaved fabric, tie it with a piece of twine, and hang the bag from the faucet in your bathtub. This way, when the tub runs, the water will pour through the bag, and you will have scented bath water. You can also just plop the bag straight into your bath when it's full.
You can use any herbs you really love the smell of for this, but if you want a more relaxing bath, try using lavender, chamomile, or rose. For a more invigorating bath, basil, rosemary, thyme, and/or eucalyptus work well.
Supplies:
- Pieces of muslin about 8 or 10 inches square
- Dried herbs and flowers
- Yarn or twine
Directions:
- Place a handful of dried herbs in the center of each square.
- Bring the four corners together and tie the bag up with yarn.
Creative Ways To Use Herbs
- What are some ways you like to incorporate herbs into your life? Herbs are amazing for so many things from relaxing us to healing us. Here are a few other ways herbs can make a difference in your life:
- Soothing an upset stomach: Peppermint, ginger, licorice, fennel, and chamomile all have the ability to soothe an upset stomach.
- Aiding sleep: The best herbs for a beautiful night's sleep are chamomile, lavender, rose, lemon balm, hops, and even dill.
- Enhancing sex life: Herbs like ginseng, muira puama, ginko, damiana, and tongkat ali all have the ability to make life in the bedroom a little more exciting.
- Stimulating digestion and appetite: Certain herbs can boost gut health: dandelion, blessed thistle, gentian, centaury, and ginger, for example.
- Keep pets healthy: Catnip, dandelion, chamomile, licorice, and garlic are all excellent choices for pets, each one helping with an array of different ailments pets can face.
- DIY herbal shampoo + conditioner: Herbs can be used to make all-natural shampoo and conditioner, which not only saves you a buck, but is vastly healthier for you.
- Increase focus: Gotu kola, ginseng, ginko biloba, rosemary, brahmi, and ashwagandha are all herbs that will help increase concentration skills and memory.
- Prevent tooth decay: Goldenseal, myrrh, common sage, thyme, and camellia sinensis can all help your teeth stay healthy.
- Help your nervous system: Certain herbs can help with nerve support such as St. John's wort, mullein root, lion's mane, and frankincense.
- Alleviate seasonal allergies: Butterbur, stinging nettle, garlic, ginko, alfalfa, sea grape, licorice root, ginger, and turmeric all help reduce allergy symptoms.
- Boost breast health: Help out your girls with fennel, cat's claw, marigold, evening primrose, basil, milk thistle, damiana and dandelion.
Herbs can be used for so many reasons (besides making herb dolls and bath bags). What's your favorite herb and how do you like to use it?
