It’s time to sadly admit that winter is in and it’s only going to get chillier from here on out. Not that I’m unhappy about that, I love layering clothes and wearing giant coats and making snow angels. But for as many days I love the winter, there are just as many when the wind tries to tear my face off and I just can’t get the chill out of my bones.

I find there is nothing as relaxing as steeping in the tub, and nothing makes a bath better than the accompanied fizz of a bath bomb. It makes sense somehow that in the winter, when our sources of natural water have been converted to hard ice or snow, that we would want to lay in a hot bath.

Those times after a long day, I’ll use bath salts to ease my muscles and light a candle and just lay there. When I’m feeling a little friskier, I keep some Mr. Bubble on hand. Most often though, I want something in between, relaxing and energizing. This is where bath bombs come into play; they’re fizzy and fun but still have the aromatherapy and essential oils to calm me down.

Bath bombs are not only wonderful to use, but they’re surprisingly easy to make and personalize yourself. After scouring various books and websites for the best, easiest to make bath bombs, I decided to experiment with elements from each. Most of the ingredients can be bought at a grocery or drugstore. The hardest thing for me to locate was the citric acid used to make the bath bombs fizz. The best place would be your local winemaking shop or, as I had to do, buy it online.

There are several ways to customize this recipe by using food coloring, special molds, one girl I saw even made bath cupcakes, but I’m not that savvy unfortunately.

Dry Ingredients:
1 cp Bicarbonate of Soda (baking soda) 1/2 cp Epsom salts or Coarse Sea Salts 1/2 cp Acitric Acid 1/2 cp Cornstarch (optional, makes the bomb float)

Wet Ingredients:
1/2 tsp of essential oil or fragrance 3/4 tbsp water or water and liquid glycerin 2 1/2 tbsp of any nut oil (optional)

1. Mix cornstarch, baking soda, essential oil and nut oil until it looks fluffy.
2. Add your Epsom salts and acitric acid. Mix again.
3. Mix in water. This is the hardest part because water starts the chemical reaction in the acitric acid. I use a spray bottle and used about two sprays, just enough where the mixture molds in your hand. Note: Spray every two to three molds as needed to keep enough moisture in the mix.
4. Mold the bombs into shape. I use the bottoms of cheap Easter eggs. Be careful not to twist out of the mold, just tap and it should, with a little luck, fall into the waiting cookie sheet or Pyrex. Repeat with all of the mixture.
5. Cover with a cloth overnight to dry. If you live in a wetter climate, it is possible to put the bombs in the oven at 200 to help the drying process, but my apartment was dry enough.
6. Use one bomb per bath and enjoy.

Here’s another recipe that I though was really too fun not to include, it is also easier than the bombs and great to make with kids.

Bath Cookies:

Ingredients:
2 cps finely ground sea salt (or Epsom salts) 1/2 cp Baking Soda 1/2 cp cornstarch 2 tbsp light oil 1 tsp vitamin E oil (I use capsules and just break the gel coating) 2 eggs 5-6 drops essential oil/vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients until doughy.
3. Take about a teaspoon of dough and roll it into a ball or roll the dough out and use cookie cutters. Feel free to add flower petals, cloves, or herbal tea (as I did) in the dough.
4. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make sure the cookies are a good distance apart otherwise they will run together like my first batch did.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes, no need for browning. Be sure not to over bake them.
6. Allow the cookies to cool completely, I say overnight. Carefully remove them with a spatula; they will be fragile.
7. Use one to two cookies per bath and allow to dissolve.

If your first batch of cookies crumbles like mine did, you can still use them; just place them in a nylon and under the running water as the tub fills up. A nylon is also helpful if you added anything to the dough, such as tea.

By: Freya D'Amico

About the Author:
Freya runs http://www.fishnorfowl.net – where she writes about how to start and achieve your creative goals, cute indie shopping, and the occasional pumpkin eating dinosaur. She lives in Chicago with a six-toed cat and supply of hair dye in every color.

Detoxifying and Healing Bath:
Set the mood for relaxation and healing by lighting a candle or candles. Put on your favorite, soul soothing music, or just listen to the water as it cascades into your bath. Add 5-8 drops of Cypress pure essential oil (or other detoxifying pure essential oil, or blend) to 1-4 cups of sea salt in a bowl, stir this blend of salt and cypress oil briefly. Your sea salts will act as a carrier for dispersing your oils into your warm bath water.

Add this mixture to your bath just before stepping in. Fill the bath up to your neck, and allow yourself to relax deeply. Soak for 15-20 minutes, or until the waters cool. During this time imagine any toxins, or negative emotion being drawn out, and cleansed completely from your body and mind.

Please Note: Natural sea salts are rich in minerals and charged with electrical and healing properties that you can especially benefit from in a warm bath. A sea salt bath with pure essential oils is an effective way to cleanse your chakras and auric energy field. You can purchase natural sea salt in your local health-food store in the spice section.

At the end of your soak, imagine any toxins, or negative emotion that have been cleansed from your body and mind going down the drain. Breathe deeply as you feel renewed in your body, mind, and soul, and give thanks. Conclude with an invigorating shower, using your favorite shampoo and soap. Allow yourself to luxuriate, and pamper yourself with good feelings of self love and appreciation. See yourself bathed in a pink glow of light and love. Dry off with a big fluffy towel, and continue to relax as long as you like, listen to your favorite music, read poetry, write in your journal. Do whatever feels most perfect for you in this moment!

Detoxifying & Healing Foot Soak:
You can achieve outstanding results for detoxifying and healing your body, mind, and soul with a relaxing and rejuvenating foot soak (hot or cold as desired).

Disperse one or two drops of an essential oil, or blend of your choice in a basin of water by blending them first with a teaspoon of sea salt, honey, cream, or jojoba oil and then thoroughly mixing them into your foot bath. Soak your feet for 10-15 minutes time, or until the waters begin to become tepid to the touch.

May you come to know aromatherapy as a wonderful friend, you can rely on for unconditional love, support, and healing.

Please Note: There are many cheap, synthetic copies of essential oils available, but these are not recommended for therapeutic use. Synthetic derivatives although much less expensive will never give you the desired results for therapeutic benefit and may even create adverse side effects such as allergic reactions. To achieve truly remarkable results for ones health and well-being essential oils must be absolutely pure and unadulterated. For best results purchase only premium quality essential oils. To insure a superior aroma experience please always choose essential oils that are guaranteed to be organically grown, and GC/MS tested for purity and pesticide free.

By: KG Stiles

About the Author:
You receive six FREE aromatherapy publications about using pure essential oils as a gift when you purchase PurePlant Essentials Organic Aromatherapy Products.

CLICK to learn about & order Energy Clearing http://www.kgstiles.com/energyclearingmoreinfo.htm

CLICK to learn about & order Cleanse & Detox blend http://www.kgstiles.com/cleansedetoxmoreinfo.htm

KG Stiles is a certified aromatherapist, holistic health practitioner and educator practicing in Ashland, Oregon, USA. She has utilized essential oils in her professional practice for more than 30 years. She is the Director of PurePlant Essentials Organic Aromatherapy, and an aromatherapy consultant and specialist in formulating aromatic blends for healthy living, including blends for colds & flu, allergy, insomnia, skin care and more. KG can formulate the aromatherapy blend that’s just right for you! More Info? Contact: KG Stiles at Springhill Wellness Center, Ashland, OR (541) 941-7315. Mahalo!