Soothing bath salts

Wed. Dec. 5, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Soothing bath salts

Tis the season of gifting!  Yesterday I talked about infused sugars for a unique, personal gift.  

lavender infused sugar

Today we’ll create soothing bath salts! Historically baths were a way of treating ailments..  

Bath salts – lavender and rosehips

Holistic practitioners use salt and herbs for a number of maladies. There are different types of salts as well.  Epsom is probably the most popular and the one we’ll focus on. It’s actually magnesium and sulfate, minerals known for their medicinal value as well as beauty and garden products.  it’s named for a bitter saline spring in Epsom, England.

 

To make a bath salt, start by measuring the salt into a glass or stainless steel bowl.  Add the essential oil, adjusting the amount for a lighter or stronger scent. Mix thoroughly.  Stir in the herbs, reserving a few for decoration. Pour into a pint jar. Place reserved herb sprigs or petals on top of the salt before sealing the jar.

Rose hips and lavender
lavender essential oil is mixed in

For invigoration:

mix 2 cups salt with 4 to 8 drops of peppermint essential oil and 1 or 2 tablespoons dried rosemary leaves.

For sore muscles:

Mix 4 to 8 drops of wintergreen or lemongrass essential oil ( or a mix of the two) with 2 cups salt and 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried lemon verbena leaves.

For relaxation:

2 cups salt mixed with 4 to 8 drops of essential lavender oil and 1 or 2 tablespoons of dried lavender flowers and rosebuds.  I was able to use the lavender from my own garden as well as the rosebuds.

You can add beet powder for festive color.  It won’t stain you or your tub!

I found this site that has a lot of information about Bath Salts and other simple home products to add to your bath for a variety of reasons!  Salt Works