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Kneipp is a name I’ve heard nothing but good things about. It’s a German brand that offers natural products and remedies, including herbal bath salts and essential oil soaks, body washes, lotions and skin conditioners. It’s not a brand built around image or a high-end marketing campaign, it’s pure and unadulterated with therapeutic powers. And it doesn’t cost a fortune either.
The name comes from Sebastian Kneipp, a Bavarian priest born in the 19th century who healed himself from a severe case of tuberculosis by taking short immersions in the freezing cold Danube. From this he began an intensive study of the health-promoting power of water and the healing properties of certain plants, thus paving the way forward for naturopathic medicine.
Today the natural, holistic approach accounts for a great deal with Kneipp’s range alleviating common ailments like colds and flus, and treating muscle aches and joints, as well as relaxing the body. All the products have been developed with dermatologists, are eco-friendly and made from plant derived ingredients, and are suitable for skin intolerances. There are no perfume oils, no paraffin, no silicone and mineral oils, no preservatives and no animal derived ingredients. What’s there not to like?
It is the bath salts that have earned the loudest cheers and there are six variations all serving a different purpose from soothing muscles to deep sleep. From opening the jar, the herbal scent alone is inviting and invigorating and just ¾ of a capful is enough for one bath, which means the salts will last you a long while. A 500g jar is only £7.95.
I gave Arnica Joint & Muscle Mineral Bath Salt a try (after a rigorous boot camp session), which according to Cosmetic Candy, looks like wee after you’ve had Berroca. (Don’t let that put you off.) With active ingredients of arnica blossom and essential pine oils it certainly eased the aches and left me feeling relaxed and ready for bed.
Pure Bliss Mineral Bath Salt which contains Red Poppy and Hemp essential oil has purple and red coloured salts turns the bath water red. (FYI, none of these bath salts stain the bath and they are suitable for whirlpool baths.)
It is advised you shouldn’t spend more than 15-20 minutes bathing in these salts, after which you should rest for at least 30 minutes. One bottle is apparently enough for 8-10 baths. I am going to stock up on Kneipp’s Eucalyptus Cold & Flu Mineral Bath Salt as it’s meant to be effective when you feel a cold or flu is coming on. I caught a whiff of it when I opened the bottle at the press launch and it is strong so I can imagine how much it will help when I’m not feeling well. I also fancy the Deep Sleep one.
If you would much rather prefer, these scents (and more) are available in liquid form in the Herbal Bath range for £7.95 (100ml) and Aroma Bath (£7.95), both of which contain essential oils.
Kneipp also has a collection of existing body washes with the arrival of two fresh new scents – Cheerful Mind (Passion Fruit & Grapefruit) and Enjoy Life (Lemon), priced at £4.45 each (200ml) that leave the skin moisturised and lightly scented. The citrus scents are ideal to wake the body up in the mornings. I’ve almost finished the passion and grapefruit one and after telling a friend about how much I liked it, she picked up a tube of it for me and herself from a recent trip to Bruge.
Kneipp’s vast range is available online Graftons Beauty. Meanwhile the two new Body Washes will be available from June on Graftons Beauty‘s website.
In the not too distant future, I hope Kneipp’s amazing range becomes more accessible via the high street. There definitely is a place for it on the shelves of Boots and I am sure many will benefit from some Kneipp in our hectic and busy lives.
*PR samples
