It's hard enough to get 20 minutes away from mom duty, but when you can, is it even possible to relax in such a short amount of time? Many women overlook baths as a way to relax, and may not realize the benefits: healthier skin, relaxed muscles, and a happier demeanor when you're ready to leave the bathroom and return to your kids or spouse.

To make your bath most effective, remember these tips:

Remove your makeup before a steamy bath

Spa treatments that use steam to open pores and cleanse the skin require makeup removal because any residue will only clog those pores and cause harm.

Drink water

Since baths stimulate your organs, drinking water (always a health plus anyway) will help flush your body.

Find a good temperature

I like my baths warm enough to turn my skin pink. A friend and masseuse once told me she knew she was applying the right amount of pressure if the skin was pink, which meant the blood was flowing and the health benefits were there. I apply the same principle to my baths.

Some women have fainted and had related accidents from too-hot baths because they didn't let their core temperature return to normal before standing up. Make sure you bring it back down before you're off and running again. Drinking cool water is one way to do this.

The best time to moisturize your skin is following a good soak. Your dry winter skin will soak it up and get summer-ready.

There are countless bath recipes, but I have a top three. One of them might be the kind of luxury you like:

1. Epsom salt

Adding this magnesium sulfate compound to your bath can relax muscles, diminish bruises, have laxative properties, and help your body run smoothly. After a hard workout or a long day, this is among the most medicinal of bath options. And you just gotta know...Epsom salt is used as a fertilizer for organically grown plants. Mix two tablespoons for every gallon of water (although I mix mine in smaller batches) and use as often as desired (but at least once a month) for stronger, greener plants.

2. Milk and honey

If you're into homemade makeup, face masks, soap, or other beauty products, this adventurous bath may be for you. Mix two cups milk and half a cup of honey to running water; the milk will cleanse your skin and the honey will soften it. You can even add a homemade scrub by putting oatmeal (not the quick cooking kind) in a nylon, tying the top, and using it to scrub your body. And you just gotta know... this was a favorite of Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen known for her intelligence and beauty.

3. Bubble bath - the expensive kind

Consumerism can seem like a despondent trap, but if you turn it on its head, it becomes powerful. Splurge on extraordinary everyday products, like bubble bath, to reinforce that you're dedicated to the cause it represents, which is worth it. In this case, that's your mental and physical health. Any body wash can double as bubble bath. Just add a squirt to running water and the tub will fill with bubbles.