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.
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.
Karen Frazier
