Making Bath Salts.... the ones for your bath, NOT the other kind

Anytime I mention I'm making bath salts, I get a lot of jokes about the other kind of bath salts.  So, maybe I should come up with a cool new name like Super Salt Soaker, or Scented Salty Water Softener... or perhaps I should just call it 'Awesomeness!'  (Or, just stop mentioning it in front of certain people!)

Whatever you want to call them, I think they are just great, and super easy to make.  They take mere minutes to throw together and the hardest part is gathering supplies.  Since, as I've mentioned previously, I hoard craft supplies, I have enough ingredients to make about 20lbs worth with about 100 different scents.

Some people only have showers, and some people don't use their tubs, and I think that is such a shame.  If I'm ever having a bad day, or just want to relax with a good book, or a good movie or tv show.... I hit the tub!  Yes, I am one of those 'crazy' people who will drag their laptop into the bathroom, and watch tv and movies on it. Years ago I think I spent over 4 hours in the tub because I got caught up watching a season of 'LOST'... the key is when the water cools you drain some out, and refill a little with more hot water. ;-)  I also love to light candles, add scented bath salts to the water, turn the lights off and soak!  It's such a non-guilty pleasure that more people should embrace! Perhaps, I've shared too much, but I do love a good soak!

For my own use I usually just grab a bowl or jar, throw in some epsom, some dead sea salts, regular sea salts, celtic sea salts, any combination of what is in the front of my craft cabinet, add a few drops of Jojoba oil, sweet almond oil or my new go-to Avocado oil, then add a few drops of essential oil or a scented blend.  Mix with a spoon and Voila!

When I'm making a gift for other people however, I put a bit more effort into it.  For todays blog, I was working in the middle of the night and just wanted to throw something together quickly.  I made a mess, couldn't find a few things, made some last minute substitutions, and never got the finished shot of the jars... well, maybe I'll add it later in better lighting. 

THE LAZY DIVA'S LAVENDER AND EUCALYPTUS 

SUPER SALT SOAKER RECIPE

Ingredients:  

Yes, I made a last minute scent change...
I decided to go with the tried and true Lavender Eucalyptus instead and didn't retake the photo.

Epsom Salts
Sea Salts (Regular, Dead, Celtic or whatever else), 
Oil (Sweet Almond, Avocado, Jojoba, Apricot, or etc..) 
Lavender Essential Oil, 
Eucalyptus Essential Oil, 
dried Lavender and dried Eucalyptus leaves (optional), 
Purple and green coloring (I usually use soap making or cosmetic coloring, but this too is optional).

You'll also need a pint jar to put them in, and two gallon size plastic ziploc (or whatever brand) bags.  

 1)  ADD SALTS

Take your plastic bags and put 1 cup of Epsom Salts and 1 cup of Sea Salts in each bag. I did a double batch here, so I filled two pint jars up with salt, then added them to the bags to make sure they were packed tight.

2) ADD HERBS (Optional)

In bag one add lavender and shake it up.  In bag two add Eucalyptus, and shake it up.  I went really light with the herbs this batch since they can be a little messy in the tub.

3) ADD MOISTURIZING OIL (Optional)

I like to add about a tsp of oil to each bag, for moisturizing, but it's best to do it gradually. Add a couple of drops to each bag, close the bags, shake and work them up good, add a few more drops, shake them up good, and repeat once or twice more.   This batch I used Avocado..since it was handy.

4) ADD ESSENTIAL OILS

In bag one add a few drops of lavender, shake it up, and repeat.  In bag two add a few drops of Eucalyptus, shake it up, and repeat.

5) ADD COLOR

I used a more natural sea salt blend that had a slight pink hue,
which would have been great for the peppermint I planned,
but for the Lavender, I think I added a bit more color than usual.

For a decorative look, I gradually add purple to bag one, and green to bag two, and like above, shake and repeat.  I went through a big melt and pour soap making stage so I have a bunch of soap colors, just keep adding until you get the color you want. 

6) LET DRY FOR A BIT

This picture shows the color a little more accurately. 

Sometimes pressure builds up, so you want to let it dry out a bit to make sure there isn't an issue.

7) ADD SALT TO JARS

I tried to even out the layers with a spoon.

Now for some decorative fun...I usually do layers.  I snip off one of the bottom corners on each bag, or fold over the top and just alternate adding salt to the jar.

Okay... some of my lines were a bit wavy but not too bad!

8) DECORATE THE JAR

When making a gift I usually use the canning jars and put a square of fabric between the lid and the jar.  You can either cut your own fabric, or if you are scissor challenged and lazy like I am.... I buy the pre-cut squares as I've mentioned in previous blogs.  You can also add a label, and/or a scoop if you like.  About a 1/4 cup per bath works nice.

The fun about bath salts is that they are easy to make...and you use the ingredients you have, or can easily get.  For my last bath I just threw Epsom and Sea Salts in a bowl with a few drops of Orange, Lavender and double the Jasmine Essential Oils, then I gradually stirred in Avocado Oil.  It smelled amazing... I think Jasmine is becoming my new favorite scent and the Avocado was moisturizing but still light on my skin. Awesomeness!!

Happy Bathing... Enjoy your tub time!

Quick and easy Homemade Gifts- Soothing Bath and Herb Tea Bags

Well, as Christmas QUICKLY approaches I decided to try and do some quick crafts for some of my friends and family.  So, I searched for my camera, and halfway through, once I got the rhythm down, I took some photos. It's a quick blog, but I figured it's been a while since I had time to do crafts and post, so I should take advantage and share my project.  

For those who need a simple homemade gift idea, here is this years new experiment:

Soothing Bath Oatmeal and Herb Tea 
 

Here's what you need:

Coffee Filters
Oatmeal
Herbs
Essential Oils
Little Rubber Bands 

If you are lucky enough to have an herb or Tea Shop, or even a nice organic health food store, it's easy to get what you need for these.  This weekend we stopped by Sensibiliteas in Glens Falls, NY and picked up some supplies.  I got some more Lemon Peel, Orange Peel, and the most awesome smelling tea called Truly Wild Cherry.  It's so good I want to drink and bathe in it... but not until after Christmas, so I can really enjoy it!

I also grabbed some plain old coffee filters and a bag of those little Rubber Bands that are used for the weird bracelets... they are the perfect size.  Now, I did add essential oils to enhance the scent of the bath teas, but they are not necessary.  Below is the recipe I used for my first batch of:

Veronica the Lazy Diva's Citrus and Lavender Oatmeal Herb Tea Bags

Ingredients:
Oatmeal
Lemon Balm
Lemon Peel
Orange Peel
Lavender
Lavender Essential Oil
Orange Essential Oil
Lemon/Mint Essential Oil Blend
Apricot Oil... just for the heck of it to enhance the oatmeal blend.

I HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY POINT THIS OUT-- BUT JUST IN CASE...THESE ARE ADDED TO YOUR TUB!  NOT INGESTED!!  NO DRINKING THIS TEA!  :-)

Step One:  

I poured a couple of cups of Oatmeal into a bowl and put just a drop or two of Orange, Lavender and a Lemon/Mint and stirred it up, just for a scent boost.  I also added a few drops of Apricot Oil to add a little more softness and diffuse the potency of the essential oils.  Just keep the drops well dispersed so the oatmeal doesn't become 'wet'.

Sadly, I am so stuffed up today I had to depend on my husbands sense of smell... he said it smelled  nice... so I'm hoping everyone else agrees.  I'll smell them in a few days and find out.  LOL!!

Step Two:

I put a coffee filter on the table and added two spoonfuls of the oatmeal mix, and a spoonful each of the Lemon Balm, Lemon Peel, Orange Peel and Lavender.

Step Three:

My pudgy hand in desperate need of a manicure!

Scrunch the top together gently and put a rubber band around the top. Then spread out the top a little.

Step Four:

Tie a ribbon around them if you like... or put them in a nice box or tin.

So, I tried a bow on the left and I did a loop on the right. 
I figured with the loop I could hang it like an ornament.

Voila!!! 


The nice thing about doing them this way.... it keeps the tub cleaner while you enjoy the benefits of the oatmeal and herbs.

These are a nice and easy way to make a homemade gift, or to just whip up for yourself for a soothing soak.  Experiment, use your favorite herbs.  

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a Very Happy Holiday!!