How to Make Bath Salts

Those delicately scented bath salts in pretty containers cost a breathtaking amount of money. But turns out they are easy and surprisingly inexpensive to make. This basic recipe creates enough salts for several beautiful, relaxing baths.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup sea salt
• Attractive container to show off your salts
• Cookie sheet lined with wax paper
• Large glass or metal bowl
• Food coloring (optional)
• Essential oil
• Herbs or petals (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups Epsom salts (available in any drugstore)
• Metal spoon for stirring

Instructions

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups of Epsom salt and 1 cup sea salt in a bowl, and mix well with a spoon. (See Things You'll Need below.)

2. Add two or three drops of your choice of essential oil. Stir until the salts have absorbed the fragrance evenly.

3. Add a drop or two of food color to the bath. Blend until the color of the salt is uniform.

4. Fold in petals or herbs to the salt mixture. Choose dried flowers or herbs from an organic food store that match the aroma of your essential oil or for a special touch, that complements it. Lavender, rose petals and mint leaves are all lovely additions and help strengthen the fragrance.

5. Spread the bath salts on a wax-paper-lined cookie sheet and allow to dry for an hour or two.

6. Pour the mixture into a beautiful glass bottle or decorated tin box. These salts are too special for old food bottles, mason jars or plastic food containers.

Tips & Warnings

• Add a teaspoon of glycerin to the mixture as a skin softener; it can be found in any drugstore. Exercise caution, as too much glycerin can draw out moisture from the air and turn your bath salts into a lumpy, clumpy mess.

• Some essential oils have their own coloring, so it may not be necessary to change it with food coloring.

• The general rule is, if you can cook with it (mint, rosemary, cinnamon, orange and lemon), the fragrance is a stimulating one. Flowers like rose, lavender, jasmine and ylang ylang are more relaxing scents. Mix compatible scents for your own custom blend.

• Use essential oils made for scenting soaps, lotions and other skin products. Oils meant for candles and potpourri can irritate your skin or even cause an allergic reaction.

• Never mix salts with your hands. Contact with salt can irritate tiny little cuts you didn't know you had on your fingers and palms.