FTC Disclosure: Delicious Obsessions may receive comissions from purchases made through links in this article. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.Read our full terms and conditions here.
Who doesn’t love a warm, relaxing bath? In the chaotic world we live in, many times, we forget to stop and take care of ourselves. We’re always taking care of other people – our family, our friends, our coworkers – but shouldn’t we take care of the most important person of all … ourselves?
YES! We should.
Even taking a few minutes out of your day to just focus on you and your own needs can make a dramatic improvement in your quality of life. At a very minimum, we should spend 30 minutes per day just focused on ourselves, doing something that makes us happy or just spending some time sitting quietly and thinking. Sometimes, even 30 minutes seems impossible for me, but these bath salts make it a little easier to step away from work and take a warm, relaxing bath. They are so easy to make and can be customized to fit a wide range of preferences. I love using a combination of dried herbs and essential oils, but you could use one or the other. Or, if you don’t have any essential oils or dried herbs, tea bags will work well too! I am not ashamed to admit that I have thrown a few peppermint tea bags into my bath on occasion. 🙂
Top 5 Reasons For a Hot Bath
Here are the top 5 reasons you need to step away from the computer right now and run yourself a hot bath:
5. It’s cheaper than going to a spa. Face it, we’d all love to get the royal spa treatment from time to time, but who can afford that? For a fraction of the cost, you can make some herbal bath salts, turn on some soft music, and light a candle. It will be almost as good as a day at the spa.
4. Your skin will be re-hydrated and rejuvenated. The hot water helps your pores open up and sweat out toxins. This gentle detoxifying bath will leave your skin will feel smoother and firmer. Be sure to drench your skin in coconut oil, or my favorite lavender hair and body oil from L.c. of Acirema.
3. Your muscles will thank you. Have tired, achy muscles? Been swinging those kettlebells, working in the garden, or taking on your workout of the day (WOD)? If so, a hot bath is one of the best things you can do. The warm water will help loosen your tight muscles and soothe away aches and pains. Try doing some gentle stretching right after the bath to help keep those muscles limber.
2. You’ll be calm, relaxed, and sleep better. Warming up the body is a way to relax your muscles and your mind. Hot baths have long been used as a remedy for insomnia and other sleep disorders. In addition, the whole process of an herbal salt bath is quite relaxing
1. You’ll be happier. You just took time to pamper yourself, so your outlook on life may be quite a bit more cheerful than before. Let go of all the worries and stress and savor the moment. You’re so busy taking care of everyone else, it’s time to take care of YOU!
Where Do I Get the Goods?
Delicious Obsessions Trusted Product Recommendations
The nice thing about this DIY recipe is that you probably have everything you need, save maybe some of the herbs, in your kitchen or bathroom. The main ingredients (Epsom salts, baking soda, and sea salt) are cheap and widely available at both health food stores and grocery stores. Most health food stores will carry dried herbs, but the best bet is to go online or look around locally for an herb shop that sells herbs to the public.
I am always asked about my favorite ingredients and what I use in my own kitchen. I have linked to the products from my affiliate partners that I personally use and recommend. And now, here are the special coupon offers that select affiliate partners are currently offering:
- Thrive Market: If you sign up through this link, you will get 15% OFF your first order.
- Amazon, of course, has everything you need for this recipe. Their prices are often very good, though I love to shop around and sometimes find that Thrive Market has better deals. If you like saving money, it’s good to shop around! 🙂
- I get all of my herbs and spices from Mountain Rose Herbs. I have tried so many other brands and have never found the quality, flavor, and aroma to be as good as the herbs I get from Mountain Rose.
For more information about the essential oils I use for myself and my family, click here.
A Note on Epsom Salts
Epsom salts have long been used as a relaxing, detox bath and many people have been told that they are a good way to get magnesium transdermally. This is actually not true, because the form of magnesium in Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) is quickly excreted through the kidneys and is very hard for the body to assimilate.
If you want to boost your magnesium transdermally, you will want to make sure you use magnesium chloride, which is the form of magnesium used to make magnesium oil. I wrote a detailed post about the importance of magnesium and how to make your own magnesium oil here. I
If you want, you are more than welcome to add magnesium chloride flakes into your bath salts, but keep in mind that magnesium chloride flakes will cost a bit more than Epsom salts. They (mag chloride) are, however, MUCH more beneficial to helping raise magnesium levels than Epsom salts (which are excreted from the body rapidly).
When you’re ready to bathe, you have a couple options. You can either put the bath salts directly into the tub and then just use a screen over the drain to catch the herbs. Or, you can use a little muslin bag and fill it with the salts and toss it into your bath water. Then, you just empty out the used herbs when your done and no mess! I use about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of salts per bath, depending on how much water I am running.
You could use magnesium chloride flakes instead of (or 1/2 and 1/2 with) the Epsom salts. The price will be higher on the mag chloride flakes, but you would get the transdermal benefit, which would be nice for those working on boosting their mag levels.
DIY Herbal Bath Salt Recipes
I have linked to the products from my affiliate partners that I personally use and recommend. If you purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission.
There really isn’t a formal recipe for bath salts. You can make as much or as little as you need, based on the following proportions:
- 1 part Epsom salts
- 1/2 part sea salt
- 1/4 part baking soda
Then, you can add whatever essential oils or herbs you want. The sky’s the limit, so use your imagination and discover your own personal favorites. Here are a few of my favorite recipes to get you started.
Relaxing Lavender Peppermint Bath Salts
- 2 cups Epsom salts
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/8 cup dried lavender
- 1/8 cup dried peppermint
- 15-20 drops each of peppermint and lavender essential oils
In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients, except the essential oils, together until well combined and there are no lumps (the baking soda tends to get lumpy sometimes). Then add a few drops of the essential oil and toss or stir around. Add a few more drops, toss and/or stir. Keep doing that until you’ve added all of the essential oils that you would like.
Sweet Vanilla Peppermint Bath Salts
- 2 cups Epsom salts
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup dried peppermint
- 30 drops of vanilla essential oils
- 10 drops peppermint essential oils
In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients, except the essential oils, together until well combined and there are no lumps (the baking soda tends to get lumpy sometimes). Then add a few drops of the essential oil and toss or stir around. Add a few more drops, toss and/or stir. Keep doing that until you’ve added all of the essential oils that you would like.
Bright Sunny Citrus Bath Salts
- 2 cups Epsom salts
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup dried lemon balm
- 15 drops of lemon essential oils
- 15 drops lime essential oil
- 10 drops orange or tangerine essential oils
In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients, except the essential oils, together until well combined and there are no lumps (the baking soda tends to get lumpy sometimes). Then add a few drops of the essential oil and toss or stir around. Add a few more drops, toss and/or stir. Keep doing that until you’ve added all of the essential oils that you would like.
Lemony Passionflower Bath Salts
- 2 cups Epsom salts
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/8 cup dried lemon balm
- 1/4 cup dried passionflower
- 15-20 drops of lemon essential oils
In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients, except the essential oils, together until well combined and there are no lumps (the baking soda tends to get lumpy sometimes). Then add a few drops of the essential oil and toss or stir around. Add a few more drops, toss and/or stir. Keep doing that until you’ve added all of the essential oils that you would like.
TO USE: Add 1 cup of the mixture to your bath. You can add more or less depending on your preferences. If you’re using dried herbs in your blends, try putting the mixture in a muslin bag to keep the herbs from floating around in your water.
Watch My Skin Care Videos
Since I am a fanatic about keeping my skin and body care non-toxic, I get a lot of questions about what my routine is and what products I use. I created this video to discuss all of that and more. The video below that features a lot of the hair care products that I use, including henna and my favorite clean shampoo.
Have you made your own bath salts before? What is your favorite scent combination?
Delicious Obsessions is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.Read our full terms and conditions here.
Where do you find vanilla oil at?
Hi Robbie – I found mine at my local health food store. I have also seen it at Whole Foods. You can definitely find it online!
I never realized bath salts would be so easy to make. What a fantastic idea and a great gift for teachers this holiday season!
Hi Rhonda – Fun huh? You could make all sorts of flavors for friends and family! Enjoy! 🙂
For the men in our lives who take a bath sometimes, you can add the essential oils that come in fragrances like Polo, Calvin Klein, etc. I think that’s a great gift idea for any time of year.
For men, I would recommend using masculine scented essential oils, like cedarwood, sandalwood, patcouli, etc. I would not recommend commercial fragrances or colognes, as those are loaded with chemicals and toxins and many people are sensitive to the scents as well. Hope that helps!
Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to these ingredients for an absolutely divine bathing experience!
Yes! Great idea!
I LOVE hot baths! The problem is, I have a hard time getting out, I enjoy it so much 🙂 One ingredient to consider adding is Vitamin C powder. I understand that it neutralizes the chlorine in the water. I use 1/2 to 1 t. depending on which tub (standard or garden tub). I always add it to my children’s bath as well and sometimes, I toss in some bath salts with lavender right before bedtime.
Just curious what baking soda does? I’ve used just Epsom and sea salts before.
Great tip! I had not heard that before. I am looking into getting a chlorine filter for our shower and tub. Just haven’t gotten around to it. Baking soda is a detoxifyer, helps sooth the skin, and helps neutralize acid on the body. One of the old remedies for chicken pox was baking soda baths because of the soda’s ability to help soothe rashes and irritation. Enjoy!
Hi Jessica – are the quantities listed above for ONE bath or do you use a smaller amount from the entire recipe ?
Hi Forest! GREAT question! I cannot believe I didn’t add that to the recipes! I have added it now. Thanks for catching that! You will want to add 1 cup of the mixture to your bath. You can add more or less depending on your preferences. If you’re using dried herbs in your blends, try putting the mixture in a muslin bag to keep the herbs from floating around in your water. Hope that helps! 🙂
I made bath salts with Epson salt, magnesium salt, sea salt and baking soda. It will not dissolve. Do not want to throw it away. How can I use it? What went wrong?
Hi Judy! Thanks for stopping by! That is weird that the mixture won’t dissolve. Are you using hot enough water? I always run the water on the hottest temperature possible, add my bath salts, and stir and they always dissolve for me. You then can add cool water in order to make the tub water temperature safe for you to get into. I would recommend trying that. If it still doesn’t dissolve, I am a bit of a loss as I’ve not experienced that. 🙁
Hi there! My favourite bath salt recipe so far is Gardenia oil, Aquamarine oil and Jasmine oil with dried Lavender, Rose with Himalayan pink salt 🙂 however I was hoping you could give me some advice as once I’ve put my salts into a glass jar they seem to solidify slightly and don’t pour out easily? I have tried adding extra salt to soak up any extra moisture but I would love some extra tips if you had any 🙂 thank you! – Alice.
Hi Alice – What a lovely scent combination! If they are in a bathroom and the lid is not on tight, they could be getting extra humidity. One thing you could do is add in one or two of those silica packs that come in your supplement bottles and some food products. Those are designed to absorb moisture and would work great for these salts as well. I hope that helps! 🙂
How much does the recipe above make? Will it fit in a 12oz mason jar?
Hi CJ – Each recipe is going to make roughly 3 1/2 cups so you’d need a jar that would hold that much (like a 1-quart mason jar) or you can always split the salts into smaller portions and bottle in smaller jars. Lastly, you could also cut the recipe down by half if you don’t want to make the full 3 1/2 cups at a time. Enjoy!