by Kimberly Gallagher
Since it is holiday time and many of us are searching for the perfect gifts for our loved ones, we thought we’d use this branch to let you in on a great herbal gift idea – Bath Salts.
Bath salts are simple to make and so luxuriously relaxing for you or people you make them for. You can even make special bath blends tailored to the people on your gift list.
Here’s our basic recipe for bath salts. You can feel free to play with it and make substitutions or additions to personalize it.
So, in a big bowl you will be mixing together:
By the way, I have a link below as to where you can buy all these supplies!
• Two parts Dead Sea Salt: A sea salt from the saline and mineral rich marshes of the Dead Sea, this is a therapeutic salt, rich in many key elements. It is very fine and partially moist so it works well in bath salt blends.
• Two parts Course Sea Salt: This course salt adds the sea salt look and texture to your blend.
• Two parts White Cosmetic Clay: Clays carry natural source clay minerals and are cleansing and invigorating. The white clay is fine, fluffy and versatile, great for bath blends.
• One part Epsom Salt: This is the common bath salt most of us are familiar with that’s so soothing for sore feet, and also for minor sprains and bruises.
• One part Borax Powder: What? Why would I put borax in my bath? Well, this borax powder from Mountain Rose does not contain the surfactants and detergents in commercial Borax powders. It acts as an emulsifier, natural preservative and buffering agent within the bath salt blend.
• One part Baking Soda: Baking Soda is a natural source Sodium Bicarbonate. It sooths minor skin irritations and itching, and it also acts as a pH stabilizer.
• 1⁄2 Teaspoon Lavender Essential Oil per 2 cups of mix: We love lavender oil in our baths for its wondrous, relaxing scent. (You can play around with other essential oils too, finding the perfect scent.)
So, now you just decide how many people you would like to gift with bath salts, and what size jars you would like to give.
Then you will know how much mix you want to end up with and can work backwards to figure out your measurements.
1. Mix everything except the essential oil together with your clean hands enjoying the smooth feel of the clay.
2. Add the lavender oil last, spreading it around as you add it, rather than dropping it all in one place. Then mix again with your hands.
3. Choose your decorative jar and dress it up with a holiday ribbon, and you're done.
And that's it!
If you want to get more fancy with your bath salts, you can also add dried herbs to them – soothing, calming dried calendula or chamomile flowers; or stimulating, reviving dried rosemary or peppermint leaves. Lavender flowers are great too!
The possibilities for bath salt recipes are virtually endless.
If you do add herbs be sure to include a small cloth or mesh bag with your gift so the herbs don’t clog the tub drain.
Oats are another great bath ingredient – also to be put inside a mesh bag. They create a smooth milky feel to the water and leave your skin feeling soft and smooth.
Once you’ve made the bath salts, and realize how easy it is to put together your own herbal gifts you may find you want to explore other herbal gift options.
A final note on making your own gifts
For the last few years we’ve made our own gifts for all of our relatives, and we find it so much more fun and satisfying than shopping. There’s a whole world of possibilities waiting for you to discover.
We’ve made salves and lip balms, teas and tinctures to give away. How would you get started with these sorts of projects?
Well, check out our Herbal Medicine Making Kit. It’s an easy way to learn the basics, and have your first gifts in a matter of days. Oh, and by the way, the kit also makes a great gift in itself.
Is there someone in your life who’s been thinking about learning more about herbs?
We guarantee they’ll be delighted when they open this beautiful kit on Christmas morning. If not, keep the kit and we'll still give you your money back.
Now, I bet you can't wait to take a bath with your new bath salts!
Happy holidays!
-Kimberly
Once again, get your supplies for your bath salt recipe right here....Click for great Holiday gift ideas...
Books, wall charts and more!
This book is called Shanleya's Quest. I bought 2 dozen copies to sell at last summer's herbal Faire, and I have 7 copies left.