How to Make Your Own Bath Kits

Rose petals add a romantic element to baths.

Bath kits make calming presents for birthdays, holidays or romantic nights. A well-created bath kit includes items that help the bather relax and meditate. Construction and personalization of bath kits is easy; mark occasions by adding labels, including objects specific to the recipient or holiday, and selecting special colors or scented themes.

Things You'll Need

• Blender
• 1 mango, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp sweet almond oil
• 1 tsp Shea butter
• Spoon
• Small glass jar and lid
• 1 quart warm water
• Large stock pot
• 4 ounces grated castile soap
• 2 ounces liquid glycerin
• Essential oil
• Funnel
• Tall glass bottle
• Loofah
• Facial soap bar
• Decorative ribbon
• Hurricane candles
• Small wicker basket
• Flower petals

Instructions

Mango Scrub

1. Blend mango, sugar, salt, honey, sweet almond oil and Shea butter in blender until a paste is formed.

2. Spoon mango scrub into small glass jar until the jar is almost full.

3. Place the lid on the jar and tighten. Set jar aside.

Bubble Bath

1. Add water to large stock pot. The water should be warm to the touch, but not hot or boiling.

2. Add grated castile soap to water. Stir until the soap completely dissolves.

3. Add two ounces of liquid glycerin. Glycerin, as a humectant, traps moisture in the skin, according to Bramble Berry's website.

4. Add four drops of your favorite essential oil. Aromatherapy Stress Relief suggests lavender for relaxation, orange for mental energy and cinnamon for stress relief.

5. Allow bubble bath to cool for thirty minutes until it reaches room temperature. Bottle bubble bath in tall glass bottle using a funnel. Allow an inch or two at the top of the jar for possible liquid expansion.

Arranging the Kit

1. Tie decorative ribbon onto bubble bath bottle and mango scrub jar. The color of the ribbon should match the purpose of the basket: dark purples for relaxation, red or pink for romantic baskets or orange for energy. Celebrate holidays with correspondingly colored ribbon, such as green or gold for winter holidays or pink for Valentine's Day.

2. Place bubble bath bottle, mango scrub jar, loofah and bar of facial soap in the wicker basket. Lean the bottles outward with the loofah in the center. This allows the recipient of the gift to see all of the decorated bottles. The loofah keeps the bottles from hitting each other or moving.

3. Decorate basket with flower petals and the same ribbon used for the bottles. Use fresh flower petals for immediate gifts--the recipient can use the flower petals in her bath. An alternative to flower petals (if the recipient will not use the gift immediately) is a bag of bath salts.

Tips & Warnings

• Some chemicals prove difficult to remove from cooking supplies. Buy a pot specifically for craft purposes. The blender will clean with soaking and dish detergent.

• Mango body scrub will work best within one to three days from the date it is made. If you want to make mango scrub that will last longer, From Nature With Love suggests that you add a tablespoon of Vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant and preservative, during blending. This should increase the shelf life to four or five days. If you need a scrub with a longer shelf life, look at the alternative recipe in the Resources section.

• When purchasing essential oils, make sure to ask your retailer about possible skin or lung irritations. Some essential oils do not work for bath kits.

References

• Craft Bits: Mango Scrub
• Bella Sugar: Make Your Own Bubble Bath
• Bramble Berry: Liquid Glycerin
• Aromatherapy Stress Relief: Table of Aromatherapy Essential Oils
• From Nature With Love: Using Preservatives to Extend the Shelf Life of Your Products

Resources

• Craft Bits: Sea Salt and Rosemary Body Scrub