By Hannah Powling
The best thing after a long day, hands-down, is a long hot bath. Add a cuppa to the scenario for extra points and you just cant beat it. And what a better way to soothe tired muscles and ease off the day’s tension than to soak in a hot tub. Bath salts are something I’ve recently gotten into recently – and I’ll tell you why.
Salts; more specifically Epsom bath salts have long been known as a natural remedy for a number of ailments. Epsom salt has countless beneficial properties to the body, both physically and mentally. Studies have shown that the magnesium and sulfate found in salts are readily absorbed into your skin; giving such positive effects including reducing inflammation, and helping muscle and nerve function. Sulphates help improve the absorption of nutrients, flush out toxins and even help ease migraines. Skin problems cured, colds de-congested and that’s only some of it.
So, I think we can safely say that it’s a no-brainer. Get some Epsom salt into your life, and into your tub more importantly.
I am one of those people like like to put my own touch on things. I feel great reward in making something myself rather than buying it – especially things for the home. This is all down to my also very-creative mother, so we had a crack at making our own bath salts and it is super easy.
All you need to do is add your own personal touch to the salts really. Perhaps a scent of your preference, which can be to specifically to target a treatment area or just your favourite thing you like to sniff! Additional touches can be with dried flower petals, colouring – just to make it look that extra bit prettier. The best part (personally) is finding the perfect containers to put your salts into. Antique apothecary jars, simple glass tubs, cute kilner jars, whatever takes your fancy (and they look great whatever you choose to put in them!).
All it takes is a handful of Epsom salts and a few drops of your favorite essential oil to nail it. So get creative, and then reward yourself by laying back, breathing deeply, and enjoying your beautiful homemade bath salt remedies – or giving them as the most exceptional gift around.
Here are a few special bath salt recipes that we have gathered together for you below; thank us later..
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Roses & Milk Bath by Sweet Laurel
Make your bath an ultra romantic experience one, alone or shared with your favourite person with Sweet Laurel‘s DIY Roses & Milk bath. The powdered milk added to this one is known to gently remove dead skin cells. A great gift for your Valentine, or just a treat for yourself (we wont tell anyone). We think that this ultra luxurious milk bath can be just the thing to carry you through any day.
What you need:
- 1 ½ cups powdered milk
- ½ cup Epsom salt (look for it at the drugstore or in the pharmacy section of your grocery store)
- ½ cup dried rose petals
- rose essential oil
How to make:
- In a mixing bowl, combine powdered milk, Epsom salt & rose petals. Crush some of the roses to a powder as you add them, and leave others whole.
- Add about 10 drops of rose essential oil (more or less depending on your preferred strength of fragrance), mix thoroughly.
- Store in an airtight container like an adorable glass jar or cork-stoppered bottle. Makes enough for about four baths (or one super luxurious bath!).
Lavender Bath Salts by A Splash Of Vanilla
The health benefits of lavender essential oil include it’s ability to eliminate nervous tension, relieve pain, disinfect the scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems. Lavender is a well known remedy to soothe you to sleep, so this one is great for those who have difficulty getting to sleep. A Splash of Vanilla shows us how to put this one together.
What you need:
- 2 cups Epsom salts
- 25mls water soluble lavender oil suitable for personal use
- 25mls oil (sunflower or grapeseed oil, for example)
- A couple of tiny drops of natural food colouring (optional) or soap colouring
- A few sprigs lavender flowers and/or leaves
How to make:
- Add the salts to a sealable glass container and stir in oils with a metal spoon. Add a couple of tiny drops of food colouring and stir through evenly. Rub the lavender leaves between your fingers to release the oils/fragrance and place on top of the bath salts for storage.
- Use a cup of salts for every bath – the lavender leaves are there for fragrance, not for use in the bath water. You will need to stir the salts before use, as the oils tend to settle down in the base of the jar after a while.
- Add salts to warm bath water after the tub has filled and make sure they’re dissolved before relaxing in the bath for 10-20 minutes.
Mint Mojito Bath Salts by Hello Natural
I love the smell of mint. I made some mint bath salts myself and it is such a refreshing scent – my fave by far. Peppermint essential oil is beneficial in addressing pain and has anti fungal properties. It can be used to relieve sore muscles when added to your bath water. Just inhaling the aroma alone can reduce headache pain and relieve congestion. Great for cooling you down in the summer too. Hello Natural have a little twist added to their concoction.
- 2 cups Epsom salt, sea salt or kosher salt
- Fresh mint, finely diced
- Juice and zest of one lime
- Mint essential oil
- Green food coloring (optional)
How to make:
In a small bowl, add salt, mint and lime juice and zest. Stir everything together. Then add 3-5 drops of mint essential oil. You can also add 1-2 drops of food coloring to give it a hint of green. Mix together until fragrance and color are well combined. Add 1/2 cup of salt to your bath. Enjoying while sipping a fresh mojito is highly recommended.
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