Homemade Bath Salts

 I've had a few people ask me for my bath salt recipes after I've mentioned how easy they are to make. It almost doesn't require a blog post because it's so easy but here it goes for those this can help.

Bath salts are pretty simple. At its core, it's a base salt, a moisturizing or carrier oil, an essential oil or extract and, if one is feeling particularly ambitious, add-ins like herbs, dried petals, fruit rinds.  Here's a quick rundown.

Salt: Epsom salt because a natural anti-inflammation remedy and is so inexpensive and easy to find. Adding exotic or Dead Sea salt can also add beneficial minerals to a homemade bath salt also. Even table salt can be used but it doesn't make for a very attractive end product.

Oil: The best value in oils, in my opinion, is olive oil. It's a natural remedy for dry skin, anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants. Any shelf stable edible oil can be used, however, even vegetable oil. Jojoba oil is also a very popular oil to use as it has many skin benefits.

Essential Oil or Extracts: Picking an essential oil or extract to use really depends on the purpose of the user. Each essential oil has health benefits and a particular smell. For instance, lavender oil is good for a relaxing bath salt but peppermint oil is good for an energizing bath salt. Food extracts, like vanilla or coffee can also be used to add fragrance.

Add-ins: Many things can be added to bath salts to add fragrance, health benefits or just for aesthetic purposes. Just keep in mind that anything you put into the bath salt must be able to go down the drain or remember to use a drain strain when emptying the tub after use.

Alright, on to the recipes. Keep in mind that these can be scaled up but for ease of ratios, I have used 1 cup salt as the anchor measurement.

Bath Salt Base
Ingredients:
1 cup epsom salt (or salt of choosing)
2 tablespoons of olive oil (or oil of choosing)
5+ drops of essential oil or extract
1+ teaspoon of add-ins

Lavender from the garden, lavender essential oil, vanilla extract.

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix salt and oil until thoroughly mixed.
2. Add 5 drops of essential oil to the salt mixture and stir until incorporated. Continue to add essential oil until desired intensity of smell is reached.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of each add-in until desired smell and look is acheived.
4. When the mixture is thoroughly blended, it can be stored in an airtight container or ziploc bag.
 
Suggested Combinations
Lavender: Lavender essential oil, vanilla extract, lavender leaves and buds.
Coffee: Coffee extract, coffee grounds. (Use spent coffee grounds instead of new because coffee can stain skin, bathtubs, towels, etc.)
Citrus: Orange essential oil, orange rind and lemon rind.
Rosemary Vanilla: Vanilla extract, rosemary and lemon rind.

Rosemary from my garden, lemon rind and vanilla extract.

Isn't that so easy? Just a few things around the house and "Boom!" Bath salt time.