Bath and body works to get you through winter …
On the slower days between Christmas and New Year, take a bit of time for your poor tired body – it got you through the year and definitely deserves a bit of TLC. This year, I’ve been obsessed with Grove’s sublime Anemone bath oil – expensive but so beautiful – through to Superfolk’s Seaweed Bath. Twenty minutes of bliss, when the Irish sea looks just too chilly.
Here are some more beautiful bathing ideas, from luxurious oils to body creams, to make your bathroom a bit more spa-like …
THE LUXURY
1 Olverum is an esteemed bathing oil, with a formula that dates back to the 1930s. It’s now owned by the Hawksley family, who also founded Les Senteurs, a renowned niche fragrance store in London, back in the 1980s. Olverum’s gently herbal blend smells incredible: Siberian fir needle, lavender, rosemary, lime, juniper and eucalyptus makes for a restorative experience. Newly available at www.luia.eu.
THE DAILY ESSENTIAL
2 Aveeno needs no introduction, but its Daily Moisturising Cream (€14) might – it’s just landed. If you treat yourself to one thing over the next few weeks, take a bit of time to apply this to your arms and legs etc – it will rescue dry winter skin. This cream performs as well as body moisturisers costing three times as much – and in a generous 300ml, it will keep you going at least until the sun returns. It’s rich yet light and with a beautiful buttery texture. The pot might not look luxurious, but the cream feels expensive. It also suits those who prefer a fragrance-free option – this way you can add your own fragrance to your super-hydrated limbs, rather than being being stuck with an integral scent that’s too sweet or strong. An antidote to all the central heating and chilly winds that your skin is dealing with right now.
THE VISIT
3 We love the sound of the new thermal suite at Bellinter House Hotel & Spa in Navan, Co Meath plus private pod experiences at its spa, The Bathhouse. The outdoor thermal suite includes a 10m heated infinity pool, three saunas with countryside views, plunge pool, three jacuzzis and relaxation areas. Two new private pods feature massage chairs and two seaweed baths on a secluded deck. Enjoy lunch in The Bellinter Spa Café.
THE TREAT
4 Laura Mercier’s honey bath is the OG when it comes to gourmand scents. Around since the 1990s, it disappeared for a while but recently made a welcome return. It still smells deliciously sweet and warm, though it’s expensive at over €50, and I prefer the original packaging. To go with it, the bath and body oil, in Ambre Vanille or Almond Coconut, is €70 for 100ml while the serum body creams are €65. Available at counters nationwide or online.
THE RITUAL
5 The Solaris Glow Up Tea Ritual and Spa Set is designed for a restful retreat in your own home. It features a soy wax aromatherapy candle, botanical tea blends and bath salts, made by Solaris Tea, a family-run business based in Galway. The bath salts combine sustainably sourced Irish sea salt and Epsom salts, both naturally rich in minerals and magnesium, with organic cold-pressed grapeseed oil, infused with vitamin E to deeply nourish and moisturise the skin. Wind down with calming teas such as the Bloom blend with cacao, rose and calming Shatavari (the teas are also available separately). Solaris also has tea sets available, and a matcha kit including organic Matcha and accessories to make the perfect cup.
THE SEA INSIDE
6 Treat yourself to bathing beauties from fréamh (meaning “root”), a new sustainable spa brand exclusively available in the spas at FBD Hotels & Resorts: Castleknock Hotel Dublin, Killashee Kildare, Faithlegg Waterford and The Heritage Laois. Along with a range of treatments, the all-Irish product range includes Sleep Sound Sea Salt Bath. Designed by expert Peigin Crowley, this range is worth its salt. There are also treats such as a sea salt body polish with seaweed and a detox seaweed body oil to complete the home experience.
THE KIT
7 Rituals‘ lovely big bag of bathtime goodies, featuring The Ritual of Jing body cream, shower gel, home perfume and more in a magnetic-close velvety bag is capacious enough for all of your needs to see out the year and into 2026.
SEE MORE: The Best Beauty of 2025
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