Every now and then; a woman just needs a good spa treatment with detoxing bath salts. But we can’t always get away to a spa, or it’s far too expensive. The next best thing is to create your own spa by indulging in some aromatherapy homemade bath salts in a warm tub with candles. Yet sometimes the essential oil bath salts are expensive or hard to find. The best solution is to simply make your own; and you will be amazed at just how many of the ingredients you will already have on hand!
Table of Contents hide
1 How to Make Detox Bath Salts
1.1 Regular Detox Bath Salts
1.2 How to make Fizzy Bath Salts
1.3 Common essential Oils to use when making bath salts
1.4 Using Bath Salts for Homemade gifts
1.5 Common uses of Detox Bath Salts
How to Make Detox Bath Salts
Just so we are on the same page; when I say bath salts I mean the mixture of Epsom salt with other ingredients to make a nice relaxing bath soak. Not the new zombie drug. Just thought I should clear that up right away.
Homeopathic bath salts are great to use when you are sick, have sore muscles, or just need a good pampering. They improve your skin’s health, relieve aches and pains, promotes healing, and helps you to relax. And when you add in essential oils; it only improves the experience. I want to share with you two different kinds of bath salts. Regular and Fizzy bath salts. Both are fun and quite enjoyable.
Regular Detox Bath Salts
You will need
- 2 cups Epsom Salt
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 5-9 drops essential oil
- Food coloring/dye (optional)
Combine the salts and baking soda into a metal or glass bowl. Plastic has a tendency to absorb the scent from the essential oil; so don’t use a plastic bowl.
Once the salts and baking soda are mixed well; simply drop in 5-9 drops of your favorite essential oil blend that is safe for skin contact. The amount of drops will greatly depend on how strong you want the aroma.
If you want to color your bath salts; you can add in a drop or two of food coloring.
It will take a lot of mixing to blend the coloring around equally, but eventually you will have a nice “rocky” look with color.
But you should be warned; cheap food coloring will also come out and turn your bath water colors. It may also color your tub and your skin for a time. But it is still fun to see the colors, so if that is your preference; go ahead.
Spread the mixture onto a baking cookie sheet and allow to dry. Then store in an air tight container such as a Ziploc bag or Mason jar. If you are using a Mason jar, you will want to use a large mouth funnel so you will have less mess to clean up afterwards.
How to make Fizzy Bath Salts
Fizzy bath salts are my favorite! They actually fizz when placed in the water. The only draw back is that they don’t store as well as regular bath salts. Even allowing them to fully dry before packaging in an air tight container, the ingredients settle and compact into a very tight ball. I’m still experimenting with different ways to get them to last longer than being used within one day. If I ever find a great solution; I’ll let you in on the secret.
To make fizzy bath salts you will need
- 2 cups Epsom salt
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup citric acid (often found in health food stores and sometimes grocery stores that have a health food section)
- 5-9 drops essential oils
- food coloring (optional)
Combine the salt, baking soda and citric acid until well mixed. Add in a few drops of your desired essential oil and if you want; a drop or two of food coloring. Allow the mixture to dry slightly.
For a good foot bath 1/3-2/3 cups fizzy bath salts is all you need. For a large bath tub; I love to add more.
Common essential Oils to use when making bath salts
There are many different essential oil choices out there when you are looking to scent your homeopathic bath salts. You can go with essential oil blends or pure essential oils. It all just depends on which factor you are looking for.
If you want relaxing, Lavender is your best choice. I also like to mix a few drops of peppermint with the lavender. Peppermint is also a great choice on it’s own.
If you want energizing you will want a rosemary, lemon and basil mixture or an orange essential oil.
If you want relief from colds or aches and pains; eucalyptus, peppermint, wintergreen and birch are your best choices. Eucalyptus and peppermint blend very well together.
Birch actually smells like root beer; so it may not work as well with the other essential oil scents. But it does an amazing job at helping to ease sore muscles. And frankly; I love the smell of Birch and I don’t mind my bathroom smelling like root beer for a few hours after my home spa treatment.
For more essential oil blends you can create yourself simply Google Essential oils for bathing. You can also find more at Therapy Essence and Essential Oils for Healing.
Using Bath Salts for Homemade gifts
Bath salts are a fantastic option for homemade gifts this Holiday season! Or even better; use it as a staple item in a Pamper spa party gift bag for your female friends. Simply make up some great Bath salts, put them in a nice Mason jar; decorate it with ribbon and then add a candle, lotion, nail polish, chocolate (you can’t have a real spa party gift bag without chocolate!) and other spa items into a gift bag. If you want to really go all out, throw in a book you know they will love! I’m telling you; your friends will love it!
Common uses of Detox Bath Salts
Don’t worry if you don’t have time for a full soak in the tub with these bath salts. Sometimes time is short and even though you need some pampering you don’t have time for a full body pamper. A quick solution is to get a nice bucket or smaller tub that is big enough for your feet. Fill it with warm to hot water, add in 1/3 cup bath salts and then soak your feet! You can be soaking your feet while you are working on the computer, reading a book, watching TV, having story time with the kids, or lots of other things that require you to sit.
Best of all; these detox bath salts are not just for women! Men and children can use them too. Remember how I said they can be used to promote health and wellness? Epsom salt is a natural healer and when you pair it with Baking soda and essential oils your bath soak will back a strong punch. It helps combat suffering for those with colds, eases stiff and sore muscle pain, eases joint pain, heals skin rashes (if you use the appropriate essential oil) and offer relaxation.
Can you keep a secret? I think he would die if he knew I was telling you this; but The Husband uses my detox bath salts all the time! His purpose is not to be pretty or girlish. He uses them because of how great they work on sore muscles or when he is sick.
The Husband likes to do a lot of running and he participates in marathons whenever he can. But almost always the next day he is very sore; no matter how well he trains before. That is when he loves to come home and soak with my homemade detox bath salts.
So if you can get your sore or even sick husband to try it out; he may be surprised at just how well they work.
Do you make your own Detox bath salts?
What essential oil is your favorite to add to your Detox bath salts?
