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Professional ballet dancer Isabella Boylston knows how to take care of her sore muscles. As a principal with American Ballet Theatre for nearly a decade, she has perfected her recovery routine, including collaborating with Tenoverten to create the ultimate bath soak for her sore muscles.
Boylston shared, “I take a bath at least once a day, sometimes twice a day, to help me either warm up for or recover from a long day of rehearsals or performances.” This experience led her to develop The Recovery Bath Soak with Tenoverten, an at-home mineral bath soak that includes dancer-favorite ingredients like Epsom salt and arnica extract.
“As well as having the ability to relax muscles and assist with recovery, I wanted something that was good for your skin and non-drying,” Boylston says. That’s where moisturizing and soothing ingredients like colloidal oatmeal, jojoba seed oil, and aloe vera come in to nourish the skin as the soak aids in soothing sore muscles and promoting relaxation.
Lauren McIntyre ATC, a clinical specialist at NYU Langone’s Harkness Center For Dance Injuries, notes that having something that helps you unwind at night and get better sleep can be a game-changer, especially during the holiday season.
Boylston also shared her full post-performance wellness routine, including how she unwinds after a performance and her innovative bath ritual. She also emphasized the importance of relaxation for both the body and mind.
Getting out of performance mode
Boylston’s performance nights can see her onstage until 10 p.m., which doesn’t leave her with much time to rest before another full day. After using a foam roller to ease post-show soreness, Boylston likes to fully remove her stage makeup at the theater before continuing with the rest of her recovery routine.
Some nights, Boylston turns to her Normatec Air Compression Pants to boost circulation in her legs and then enjoys a soothing bath with The Recovery salts and a contrast bath for her ankle to reduce swelling and inflammation. Boylston’s bath soak also includes arnica extract to further boost its recovery-enhancing properties.
“A lot of dancers use arnica cream on injuries to help with inflammation,” she says. McIntyre confirms that Epsom salt and arnica cream are two dancer favorites, emphasizing the potential benefits of these common at-home remedies.
Boylston also wanted her bath soak to smell great, incorporating eucalyptus and peppermint oils to create a spa-like experience. McIntyre notes that aromatherapy can help with relaxation and promote better sleep, essential for recovery. “The bath ritual is honestly as much about relaxing my mind as it is about my physical body,” says Boylston.
Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.
