How To Make Your Own Bath Salts

Bath salts are a great addition to your relaxation regime. They are wonderful for getting rid of dead skin and moisturizing. Even better, they are cheap and easy to make at home for your own use or to give as gifts.

Step 1 Gather supplies

For a basic batch of bath salts, you will need 1 cup of epsom salt, 1 cup of baking soda, 2 tablespoons liquid glycerin, food coloring (although you may want to avoid the food coloring if you want a natural product) and essential oils (make sure the essential oils are of the highest therapeutic grade). You will also need a mixing bowl, spoon and decorative jar.

Step 2 Measure the epsom salt and baking soda

Mix well. Add glycerin, about four drops of food coloring and several drops of essential oil (such as peppermint, eucalyptus, or lemon -- or all three). A little color and fragrance go a long way, and you can always add more but you can't take it out once it's there. Mix well to avoid lumps. Add more color or essential oil if desired.

Step 3 Transfer the salts to a decorative jar

If you plan to give the salts as a gift, you might also want to include a scoop to get the salts out of the jar and a card with the recipe that explains how to use them: Mix two tablespoons in a warm bath.

Tips

• Epsom salt, baking soda and food coloring are available at most grocery or drug stores. You may be able to find glycerin at your local drug store, or look at a natural food store in the natural beauty section. (If you can't find glycerin, it's not vital, but it is good for moisturizing.) You will also be able to find a variety of essential oils here. Some great choices include vanilla, lavender, lemongrass and rosemary.
• Choose a color for your salts that will coordinate with the bathroom in which the salts will be stored, or a color that goes with the fragrance (pink with rose, green with sage, etc.)
• Add a 1/2 cup of Sea Salt (can be substituted with table salt) to bath salts.
• Using food flavoring like peppermint extract also scents bath salts well.
• If you are going to store this mixture or give it as a gift. Allow the mixture to sit overnight, to dry completely, if not, the mixture will become very hard and you will never get it out of your container. Once the mixture sits overnight, covered in the large mixing bowl, mix it up the next day to remove all lumps.
• Try adding the salts just before you enter the tub. If you add the salts too early, the heat from the water will evaporate the aroma from the essential oils.
• Try adding a few tablespoons of dried herbs or flower petals to the mix such as lavender, rosemary or rose petals

Warnings

• In the high humidity of a bathroom, your salts may get lumpy. Use your scoop to break up lumps before using, or shake the jar often.
• Woman who are pregnant, especially in their 3rd trimester, should not use bath salts, nor should people with high blood pressure or edema (swelling).
• Do not add too much essential oil, because it may irritate the skin.