If you have never tried homemade bath products then you are in for a real treat. You can make your own bath and beauty products right in your kitchen using easy to find supplies like herbs, salts, oils and butters. Homemade bath products make great gifts for friends and loved ones!

There are a number of wonderful homemade bath products that you can make in your kitchen, from bath salts to creamy milk baths.

Bath salts are very easy to make. You just combine salts with fragrance. You can’t use just any type of salts to make bath salts; you should use salts that are safe for the skin. These would include sea salts and Epsom salts. You should also use fragrance that is safe for the skin. You should use cosmetic grade fragrances or essential oils to make your bath salts, never perfume, candle fragrance or potpourri.

You can also add a combination of oils and butters to make bath salts that will leave your skin feeling silky and smooth. Cocoa Butter is a butter that is favored by many, as is Jojoba Oil and Sweet Almond Oil.

Some people prefer colored bath salts, but colorant is not necessary. Colorants make bath salts pleasing to the eyes, yet does nothing special for the bath or skin. Salts of many layered colors in an attractive jar make a great gift or pleasing decoration for anyone’s bathroom.

Milk baths are also easy to make. One can use liquid milk or powdered milk to make a skin loving milk soak that is sure to please. If one chooses to use liquid milk, then it should be made in small amounts, refrigerated and discarded within 2 days. Powdered milk baths last longer since there is no moisture content in them other than the fragrance. Most people prefer milk baths made from powdered milk because it lasts longer and does not spoil as liquid milk does.

Any type of powdered milk can be used to make soothing milk baths. Coconut, buttermilk, plain whole milk and goat’s milk are all favorites by many.

To make milk baths, one would add fragrance and other additives such as powdered honey, ground oats or fragrant herbs. One can create their very own special blend of ingredients to make milk baths that will be loved by many.

Another type of product that is loved by many is bath sachets. Bath sachets are made like milk baths, but without the milk. Bath sachets consist of a variety of ingredients, usually herbs and oats, which are placed in a cloth bag. The bag is then placed in the tub as it’s filling with warm water, to make a “bath tea” that is wonderful to soak in.

There are many other bath and beauty type products that one can make from home. One can also make soaps, shampoos, bubble baths and cosmetics. The possibilities are limitless, so why not make some skin loving bath products for yourself. You will love the way you skin feels after using homemade bath products.

By: Maria Wilkes

About the Author:
Maria Wilkes has over 15 years experience developing formulas and recipes for, and making, homemade bath products. Maria shares many of her wonderful bath recipes at FreeBathRecipes.com. If you’ve ever had a desire to create your own line of aromatherapy products like soaps, candles, lotions and more then click here http://www.freebathrecipes.com/develop-your-own-bath-products.html to learn how to do it!

Bath salts are a perfect addition to any bath. There aren’t many bath products that are as versatile as bath salts. Bath salts can be scented to fit the perfect evening, made into virtually any color of the rainbow, and are as large as small rocks, or as fine as table salt. They can even be made to bubble or fizz.

Here are 2 simple recipes that can enhance any bath time.

Scented Salt Scrub

This salt recipe is aimed at someone who prefers showers over baths. A salt scrub is perfect for those who want a quick exfoliating experience without the bath. Plus they are super simple to make. Here’s what’s needed:

* 1 Tablespoon of cosmetic grade glitter.

* your choice of oil, enough to cover the salt

* your choice of coloring (food or soap colorant)

* 3 cups of salt. Note: A mixture of fine and coarse is best, and should be layered later. So keep them separated.

Step 1 – If you decided to layer to salts, do it now. Place each layer in a decorative jar.

Step 2 – Mix the oil, glitter, and coloring agent in a bowl.

Step 3 – Pour into the salt jar, until the oil reaches the top, or covers the salt completely.

This recipe is perfect for getting rid of dead skin cells. Prior to showering, apply salt using circular movements in your troubled areas. The dead skin cells should wash away with the shower leaving a great smooth feel to the skin.

Christmas Bath Salts

With the holiday’s right around the corner, this recipe makes a wonderful, inexpensive gift for anyone on your gift list.

Ingredients:

* 1.5 Cups of Kosher Salt

* 5-6 drops of peppermint Oil

* 3 drops of red and green food coloring

* 3 Cups of Epsom Salts

Find 3 small plastic bags, and pour 1 cup of Epsom salt in each bag. Label each bag by numbers, and add peppermint oil to bags 1 and 2. Add green food coloring to bad 1, and red food coloring to bag 2. Find a decorative jar and add the red salt first, followed by the white bag, then green. This should make a nice color overlay of green, red, and white to your jar, creating a nice holiday look.

These are just 2 examples of great recipes for anyone looking to add a new dimension of relaxation to their bath time. There are limitless recipes, and you can even create your own with your favorite scents and salts. With ingredients costing mere pennies, use your imagination and feel free to go crazy!

Bath salts add a new dimension to a bath. They are easy to make and there is no limit to the combination of salt recipes that can be created.

By: Timothy Croy

About the Author:
http://whirlpool-baths.info is a website devoted to giving you the very best information regarding luxury and beauty baths. Whether making bath salts is your thing, or you want more information about mud baths, we’ve got you covered!

Is it just me or have the holidays become more and more expensive over the years? Whatever your particular brand of holiday celebration (Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus?), this time of year creates a hefty amount of financial stress with the pressure to be buying more and more gifts for all the people in our lives. Sure, the thought of my empty wallet makes me yelp, but I truly think this monetary obsession sidesteps the greater meaning behind these gifts. The holidays should be a time to show our loved ones that we care, not to dazzle them with big, flashy electronics. Instead of exhausting your bank account, why not surprise loves ones with homemade gifts from the heart? Over the years, Recipe4Living has collected a variety of great gift recipes, and hand-picked a couple favorites just for you. Whether it’s homemade soup mix for the cooking-challenged or beautiful bath salts for the diva, your gift is sure to be touching.

Beauty Gifts

Desert Sands Bath Salts

Creating three colored layers of pretty bath salt, this recipe makes a wonderful gift.

Ingredients

5 drops yellow food coloring

2 drops red food coloring

4 drops musk fragrant or essential oil

3 drops Jasmine fragrant or essential oil

3 C. epsom salts

1 C. baking soda

2 tsp. liquid glycerin (skin moisturizer) (optional)

Directions

Combine baking soda, epsom salt and glycerin until well blended. Add scents stirring until there is no clumps left. It will be a fine powder. Divide the mixture evenly into 3 separate bowls. In the first bowl add 3 drops yellow food coloring, in the second add 3 drops red food coloring and in the third bowl add 2 drops yellow with 1 drop red food coloring. Stir each bowl until the color is well mixed. Allow the air to dry it for a few hours before placing in a bottle. Once dried, layer the colors in an airtight glass jar starting with red first, then orange then lastly yellow. To use, add 2-3 tsp. of the mixture to running bath water. Soak as desired.

Note: Liquid glycerin used as a skin moisturizer, is a by-product of soap making. Glycerin can be found at health food stores, some drug stores, or major department stores depending on where you live. It’s also readily available on the internet as well.

Oatmeal Soap Balls

These soothing and exfoliating soap balls also make great gifts.

Ingredients

1 C. instant Quaker oatmeal

1 bar mild soap, such as Ivory

1/4 C. water

Food coloring (optional)

Directions

Grate oatmeal or use a mini-processor oatmeal. Put into a bowl. Do the same with the soap. Add the water and blend well. If adding food coloring, add it to the water for even consistency. Shape into balls and put on wax paper to dry. Balls can be put into containers or wrapped with plastic wrap and tied with raffia. A gift tag can be attached to the raffia.

Other Beauty Recipes

Oatmeal Soap

Chamomile Lip Balm

Candy Cane Bath Salts

Bath Bags

Lilac Bubble Bath

Foaming Vanilla Honey Bath

Vanilla Rose Bubble Bath Gel

Orange Blossom Soap

Gingerbread Bath Salts

Velvet Apple Bubble Bath

Bath Salts

Lotion Sticks

Apricot-Orange Lip Gloss

Gardenia Dusting Powder

Breakfast Anyone?

All-in-One Pancake Mix

Ditch the box and get inspired. This homemade pancake mix keeps in an airtight container so you can make pancakes whenever you want.

Ingredients

2 C. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/3 C. dry milk powder

1/3 C. shortening

1 Tbs. sugar

2 Tbs. soy flour

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together flour, soy flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and dry milk. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. To use, measure 1 C. pancake mix and combine with 1/2 C. water. This makes a thick pancake. Add more water 1 Tbs. at a time if you prefer a thinner pancake.

Note: With the addition of soy flour you do not need to add an egg.

Drinks

Fruit Extracts/Flavored Vodka

Making your own citrus extracts to use in recipes will give you a much purer fruit flavor. You can do this with lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, or tangerine. Peel the fruit in strips, leaving the pith behind. Place the strips in a jar, and cover them with good-quality vodka. Cover the jar tightly and let it stand at room temperature for two weeks, shaking the jar daily. Discard the peel, replace it with fresh peel, and let it stand for two more weeks. Remove the flavor, and use the flavored vodka in recipes calling for extract. It will keep indefinitely.

Instant Chai Tea Mix

For a great, super-cheap gift idea this holiday season, give this delicious chai tea mix in a decorated jar.

Ingredients

1 C. pwdr. dry milk

1 C. non dairy creamer-dry

1 C. Fr. Vanilla pwdr. creamer

1 1/2 C. sugar

1 1/2 C. instant tea

2 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. cardomon

Directions

In a large bowl, combine milk powder, non-dairy creamer, vanilla flavored creamer, sugar and instant tea. Stir in ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 C. at a time, until mixture is the consistency of fine powder. Store in your favorite jar or decorative bottle. To serve: Stir 2 heaping Tbs. Chai tea mixture into a mug of hot water.

Makes about 4 C. mix

Other Drink Mix Recipes

Citrus Spice Tea Mix

Hot Russian Tea Mix

Sugar-Free/Caffeine-Free Hot Spiced Tea Mix

Irish Cr