What could be nicer than receiving a gift jar or bag of homemade bath salts, tailored just for you? There are essential oils that soothe, relax or uplift, and each blend you make can be different. Alternatively, why not try the scent of Christmas Spice for a really seasonal gift?
(Please note that some essential oils are not suitable for use by pregnant women).
Homemade Bath Salts
You will need:
- Some decorative jars or bottles, or
- Some small plastic bags, pretty gift boxes or bags
- Ribbon and labels
- Some coarse sea salt
Rose Bath Salts – Fragrant Blend
In addition to the above ingredients, you will also need a few dried rose petals, crushed into tiny pieces, and some rose or rose geranium essential oil. Put several tablespoons of salt into a plastic bag, and add the rose petals. Don’t put too many in – about 1tsp works fine. Add a few drops of essential oil (again, not too much as the salt will start to melt). Seal the bag, and put it into your gift box or bag. If using a jar or bottle, the salt can go straight into it with no need for a plastic bag.
Lavender Bath Salts – Relaxing Blend
Follow the method above, but use lavender essential oil and 1 tsp of dried lavender flowers (available online). If you can manage to find any fresh lavender sprigs, this looks very attractive tied to the neck of the jar by a ribbon.
Christmas Spice Bath Salts – Seasonal Blend
This blend needs to be prepared a few days in advance. Follow the method above, but use cinnamon essential oil. In addition, take 6 cloves, 4 whole cardamom pods and a piece of cinnamon stick. Lightly crush the cloves and cardamom, and put all the spices into a bag with the salt and essential oil. Seal the bag. After a few days, remove the spices and discard them, and reseal the bag. This blend looks very pretty with a sprig of fresh holly tied to the jar.
St Clements Bath Salts – Uplifting Blend
For this blend, you will need an orange and a lemon, plus a few drops of orange and lemon essential oils. Grate the rind of orange and lemon, and put the grated rind on a plate in a warm place for at least 24 hours to dry out. Once this is ready, make the bath salts according to the method above, mixing the rind into the blend. This blend looks great with a couple of dried orange slices and a cinnamon stick tucked into the ribbon – you can use up the orange and lemon that you used for the rind.
To dry orange or lemon slices, cut the fruit into 1/4 inch slices and place them on the rack of the oven and bake at 275 degrees for about an hour. Reduce the heat to about 200 and leave them for another couple of hours, then remove them, put them on a wire cooling rack and leave them overnight to finish off.
