Hang This Plant In Your Shower For An Aesthetically Pleasing Natural Diffuser

While most people don't have the big, luxurious glamour baths celebrated on home design shows and in magazines, there are many ways to put little touches here and there to upgrade the look and feel of your bath. From extra-fluffy towels to candlelight, you can turn your bathroom into an indulgent mini-spa, even if you only have time for a quick shower in the morning.

You can also enliven the space with indoor plants that not only look good but in many cases add a pleasing scent to the air. Numerous articles have been written about hanging eucalyptus cuttings in the shower since the humidity releases an astringent and calming fragrance. But there's another hardy, aromatic plant you can use in the shower as well, one that grows quickly and has a lovely smell. It's peppermint, and scientists and researchers are studying this common herb, examining it for its multiple beneficial properties. Add mint to your bathroom by keeping a pot of it near a sunny window, or grow it outside and take clippings regularly, tying them to the showerhead, which acts as a diffuser that results in a refreshing, sweet-smelling experience.

Mint is a bit of a rude guest in the garden. It grows and grows and will overtake everything in its path if you let it. However, if you cut it back a bit and add the clippings to your shower, you have a great way to control its rampant spread while enjoying an herbal luxury as you bathe. If you don't have a way to grow mint outside or in a pot, you can still enjoy the benefits of this versatile herb, with peppermint oil.

No matter how you get this scent into your bathroom, plant or oil, you'll be amazed at the healthful properties peppermint brings to your interior. Peppermint, Mentha x piperita L. in the botanical world, has been found to elevate levels of alertness as well as enhance overall mood. Additionally, both the herb and the distilled oil have been shown to have antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal effects and may someday contribute to preventing human diseases.

Further studies indicate that peppermint may be a stress reliever for some, and alternative medicine research indicates peppermint oil aids hospital patients by reducing nausea and anxiety and improving sleep quality. For healthcare workers, peppermint enhances "alertness, memory, and accuracy." While research continues, there are indications that peppermint helps with everything from migraines to menstrual cramps, weight loss, and digestive issues. So many healing properties packed into tiny green leaves!

But back to your enjoyment of this fragrant plant. Allow the water to drip onto the fresh mint in your shower for an intense blast of herbal goodness. In addition to mint, other herbs such as rosemary and lavender offer their own kinds of relief from calming properties to memory enhancement. Like many potted plants, mint left untrimmed gets leggy, and the leaves furthest from the plant, the oldest, tend to have a weaker scent. Just be sure to cut back your plant for the most intense fragrance. A bit of self-pampering can make your bath feel like a spa by adding special ingredients to your shower.