It is quite easy to mix together a couple of homemade salts in a matter of minutes. In fact, it is so easy that little kids can put together a handful of the ingredients. But, because they are that easy, it is equally easy to overlook the way you are storing the salts for future use.

More often than not, you will have a great time throwing together your usual bath salt ingredients (your lavender aromatherapy oil, your purple food coloring, your glycerin). You will probably take no more than ten minutes to reach the right intensity of scent along with the right tone of color.

It would seem as though the same ingredients are listed in homemade epsom salt recipes all over the internet world, so there shouldn’t be a big fuss over them, right? Unfortunately, you should be wary if you live in a place where you experience damp and humid air.

Fortunately for me, when I throw together all of my epsom salts with my chocolate essential oils, I only take a couple of whiffs before I know they are ready and I can pour them into a little glass jar.

In the world of keeping my homemade salts intact, I am happy to not be living off of the coast of Costa Rica (or, am I? After all, it is Costa Rica. Do I feel that happy living in the city? Anyway…). I can be rest assured that there’s no humidity in the air, and I can keep all of my salts in a glass jar without fretting that this one particular ingredient will rise and explode in it!

The ingredient I am speaking of is something many of you know (and possibly love). It is called “baking soda”. Yes! The kind that you use to absorb odorific scents in the refrigerator, the baking soda that you use to bake goodies that fluff up with utmost glee, and the same baking soda that you use to clean veggies and fruits in your kitchen.

Naturally, baking soda generates and expels carbon dioxide (which is safe). When baking goodies, this is what creates the fluff and rise in the yeast. But, think about what this does if the baking soda is mixed in with homemade bath salts contained a nearly full glass jar where there’s not much empty space. Talk about a date with bath salt bombs.

Please don’t think that this article is a scare tactic on the war against baking soda. In fact, I love baking soda and am a big fan. However, as an authority on homemade bath salts, I felt it was a step I had to take in providing this helpful information so you bath salt lovers would have this under your belt.

What is exactly the purpose of baking soda being listed as a common bath salt ingredient? Well, this is something that you will particularly enjoy: the fizz factor. Baking soda mixed with homemade bath salts in the bathwater lead to fizzy water. Baking soda adds a nice fizzy effect to the salts as they are used in the nice hot bath. And, to me, fizzy equates to tingly.

By: Sydney Garrett

About the Author:
As a big fan of sharing a bath salts recipe, Sydney Garrett shares a recipe aplenty on her own homemade bath salts blog.

Bath salts are becoming very popular these days because of their ability to relax you and for numerous health benefits provided by them. One can easily find them at most of the local herbal stores. If for any reason you are unable to get your hands on one of your favourite bath salts, don’t worry at all! Making bath salts at home is much easier then it sounds. You don’t need to be an expert to make them at home. Anybody who wants to make bath salts can make them easily and without wasting much of their valuable time.

For making bath salts you need a few readily available ingredients. These simple ingredients can be used individually of in combination for providing medical or therapeutic benefits. The basic ingredients required in making these salts are bath salts such as Epsom or Dead Sea Salts, baking soda and essential oils. If you want to use it for softening your skin too, then you can also add Glycerine to the list. This will moisturize the skin and prevent it from getting dry. In case you want coloured bath salts, you can add colouring too. All these ingredients are easily available in most of the stores.

The method for making bath salts basically requires mixing of these ingredients. This mix then needs airing and then it is ready to be stored in glass jars. It doesn’t take much time and effort to do that.

There is another way that is different and shorter too. For this method, you need few different ingredients such as distilled water, unscented shampoo, glycerine, and of course essential oils. If unscented shampoo is not available, castile soap can be used instead. Since olive oil is the basic ingredient of castile soap, it helps in making the skin soft and moisturises it. Castile soap can be bought from any health store; drug store and all the major departmental stores keep it too. The ingredients are mixed and stored in a container and then water is poured into it. Some people also add few attractive seashells to it to make the bath salts look beautiful.

There is one longer way of making bath salts too. In this method, a corked container is taken and sunflower oil is poured into it with the help of a funnel. The next step is to add few teaspoons of essential oil and then keeping it covered for a few days. This container is also shaken at regular intervals in all these days. To make it more attractive, beautiful beads, crystals and dried flowers can also be added.

By: Adam M Rise

About the Author:

Thanksgiving