Homemade Bath Salt Recipes
Bath salts can be invigorating or soothing. They can help you sleep or soak away achy muscles. Alternatively, they can just supply you with a lovely, fragrant bath that allows you to get away from it all.
Vanilla Lavender Sleepy Time Salt
Lavender has a soothing aroma, and studies show it increases the relaxation response and even helps you sleep. So try this lovely lavender-vanilla soak in a warm bath before you go to bed for a restful night. The recipe makes 2 1/2 cups, which is about 10 baths.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Epsom salt
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 15 drops of lavender essential oil
- 10 drops of vanilla essential oil
- 2 drops of blue food coloring
- 1 drop of red food coloring
- 2 tablespoons dried lavender
Instructions
- In a medium-sized, nonreactive bowl, combine the Epsom salt, baking soda and sea salt. Mix well.
- Add the lavender and vanilla essential oils and mix well again.
- Add the food coloring. Stir until it is evenly dispersed and the salt is an even color.
- Stir in the lavender.
- Store in a Mason jar, tightly sealed, in a dark cupboard away from light for up to 12 months.
- To use, scoop 1/4 cup of salts into a tub full of water.
Grapefruit and Thyme Invigorating Salt
Grapefruit has an invigorating scent that wakes you up and energizes you. Combine it with the woody scent of thyme for a fantastic way to start your day. Soak in a lukewarm bath with about 1/4 cup of these energizing salts added. Finish with a cool rinse to wake you up even more. Who needs caffeine?
The recipe makes 2 1/2 cups of bath salts, which is 10 baths.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups coarse sea salt
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 12 drops lemon essential oil
- 6 drops of thyme essential oil
Instructions
- In a large jar, combine the sea salt and the baking soda. Cover and shake until well mixed.
- Add the lemon and thyme essential oils. Seal the jar again and shake for one to two minutes to disperse the scent completely.
- Store in the jar in a dark cupboard for up to 12 months (or until it loses its scent.) Use 1/4 cup in a tub full of water.
Rosemary and Ginger Muscle Soak
Got sore muscles? Both ginger and rosemary can help soothe sore muscles, so adding them to your bath is a great way to feel better when your muscles are aching. Adding Epsom salts to this soak, which contain magnesium, soothes even more. The recipe makes 2 1/2 cups, enough for about 10 baths.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Epsom salts
- 1 1/4 cup coarse sea salt
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 10 drops ginger essential oil
- 10 drops rosemary essential oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large jar or a tightly sealed zipper bag. Shake for one to two minutes to combine fully.
- You can store this in the zipper bag or put it in a jar in a dark cupboard for up to a year.
Orange and Sandalwood Heavenly Scent
If you want to soak in a bath full of deliciously scented water, then this is the bath salt for you. It combines the heady fragrance of sandalwood with citrusy orange for a divinely scented soak. Add 1/4 cup to a bath of hot water, light a scented candle and relax. The recipe makes 2 1/2 cups, which is 10 baths.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups coarse pink Himalayan sea salt
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 16 drops of sandalwood essential oil
- 8 drops of orange essential oil
- 1 drop of red food coloring
- 2 drops of yellow food coloring
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the salt, baking soda and essential oils. Mix well.
- Add the food coloring and mix until the color is consistent.
- Alternatively, add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse for five to ten one-second pulses until the color is even.
- Store in a sealed Mason jar, in a dark cupboard, for up to 12 months. Use 1/4 cup in a hot bath.
A Formula for Bath Salts
To customize your bath salts, use the following formula. Mix together:
- 2 1/4 cup of coarse sea salt of your choice or Epsom salts
- 1/4 cup of baking soda to condition the water
- 10 to 20 drops of essential oils depending on how deeply scented you want it to be
- 3 drops of food coloring (optional)
- A few tablespoons of dried herbs, dried citrus zest, or dried flower petals for visual interest (optional)
Tips
Consider the following when you make a homemade blend:
- You can mix these in any way that works. Shaking them in a jar or bag, or pulsing them in a food processor, allows for the best distribution of ingredients.
- It's best to add dried herbs, flowers, and citrus after adding and mixing the food coloring so you don't color those, as well.
- When working with essential oils, wear gloves because direct contact with undiluted essential oils may cause a skin reaction called sensitization.
A Beautiful Bath
Adding bath salts to your tub turns a simple act into a luxurious one. Whether you are making the salts for yourself or as a gift, it's a wonderful exercise in self-care.