Earlier this year my lovely daughter-in-law came over and showed me how to make some of her favorite bath salts and soaks and since then, I’ve been making my own. I love how you can add so many different ingredients, depending on what your mood and skin needs are. These are so easy to make and inexpensive too. These would make perfect teacher gifts, stocking stuffers, or for anyone you know who likes to take baths. You can add essential oils to these but when I don’t know a person’s preference or if they are sensitive to certain oils/scents, I tend to leave them out. You can mix up a huge batch in minutes and the kids will have fun helping with these too.
The main ingredients in these particular soaks are Epsom salt (among the many benefits, it soothes, relaxes and draws toxins from the body), sea salt (detoxifies, increases circulation, reduces stress and softens skin), oatmeal (perfect for all skin types, even sensitive, hydrates, soothes), and baking soda, which also acts as a detoxifier and soothes skin. I bought my Epsom salt and oatmeal at Target. I forgot to buy sea salt and ended up buying it at the grocery store but I know I would have spent less on it had I purchased it at Wal-Mart or Sam’s. Buy old fashioned oats and then grind them up in a food processor or grinder until they have the consistency of sugar. I read that this is the most beneficial way to use the oatmeal, plus you won’t have a huge mess in the tub. But, I have poured oatmeal, without grinding it up, in the tub and it still felt good…until I had to clean the tub.
SOOTHING BODY SOAK –
- 2 cups Epsom salt
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups finely pulverized oatmeal
- 1/2 ounce essential oil of your choice (optional)
Grind up oatmeal, add both salts and stir. If using essential oil, add and then spread mixture on cookie sheet to let it dry a bit.
I love the scent of rosemary so I added some dried…
Once you have your mixture made, you can scoop them in little bags like this. I bought these at Michael’s but Wal-Mart carries them for less.
These cost approximately 61 cents per bag, which contains about 4 tablespoons of the mix. (Includes the price of bags.) Buying in bulk will save you money and make these even less expensive. You can also fill up glass jars (with lids) and tie a ribbon around it. The mixture itself, which makes a lot, cost about $2.25.
DETOX BATH SALTS –
- 2 cups Epsom salt
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1/2 cup baking soda
*You can add essential oils to this too if you want.
Simply mix all the ingredients. (SO EASY)
This mixture cost me about $2.00.
I found a bag of these jars at Goodwill that were half off that day so they cost 25 cents each. Perfect for these bath salts.
You can find lots of great glass containers at thrift stores or dollar stores. Make sure you clean them first!
The Dollar Tree sells these gloves for a dollar each and make a nice added touch.
Here’s the recipes we used earlier in the year for some variations….
Homemade Bath Soaks….Two Easy & Inexpensive Recipes
Have fun, get creative, add your favorite essential oils or herbs…or keep it basic. The varieties you can make are endless.