by Jan Berry
½ cup (about 12 g) chopped fresh green herbs and leaves, loosely packed
½ cup (112 g) Epsom salt
1 tbsp (9 g) baking soda
Few drops each of eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils
Reusable tea bag or a 12 x 12-inch (30 x 30-cm) square of plain muslin cloth, plus string for tying (optional)
Using a small food processor, coarsely blend the fresh leaves and Epsom salts together. Spread the salt and herb mixture out on a sheet of wax paper and allow to air dry for 1 to 2 days. The salt works to quickly pull moisture from the leaves and needles, preserving the bright green color of fresh herbs.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the dried herb salts and baking soda. Stir in a few drops each of eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils.
Pour into a small jar or, to make after-bath cleanup easier, tie the bath salts up in a reusable tea bag or a 12 x 12-inch (30 x 30-cm) square of plain muslin cloth.
To use, pour the loose bath salts into warm bathwater, or drop the bag of salts in while the water is running, and enjoy a rejuvenating bath. Because eucalyptus and peppermint essential oil are not recommended for use in young children, this bath is more suitable for older teens and nonpregnant adults.
Calming Bath Soak
This recipe combines two classic calming herbs, chamomile and lavender, in a soak designed to relax and soothe both body and mind. Oatmeal is fantastic at relieving all sorts of rashes and skin irritations while Epsom salt provides magnesium that’s so important for maintaining a healthy nervous system. A few drops of lavender essential oil will add an extra element of calm to your bath, but it can be omitted if you’re sensitive to the stronger scent.
YIELD: 1 CUP (240 G) OR ENOUGH FOR 4 BATHS
1 tbsp (1 g) dried chamomile flowers
1 tbsp (1 g) dried lavender flowers
1 tbsp (6 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup (232 g) Epsom salt
Few drops lavender essential oil (optional)
Combine the dried flowers and oatmeal. Using an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the herbs to a fine powder.
Blend the resulting scented herbal powder into the Epsom salt, then stir in the essential oil until completely incorporated. Store in a tightly sealed jar.
Add ¼ cup (60 g) of the mixture to your tub as it fills with warm bathwater. For easier cleanup, place the bath soak in a reusable tea bag or tie up in a clean sock before use.
Calendula Spice Fizzing Bath Salts
These deliciously scented fizzing bath salts carry the subtle aroma of pumpkin spice and are perfect for adding to your tub on a cool evening in late fall or winter. Calendula flowers soothe and soften skin chafed by blustery weather, Epsom salt helps ease muscle aches, while the ginger and cinnamon gently increase circulation to warm cold fingers and toes. The fun fizzing reaction comes about when an alkaline ingredient (baking soda) comes in contact with an acidic substance (citric acid). Those with delicate skin types may find citric acid a little too intense for anything other than occasional use. If that’s the case, it can be omitted. The bath salts will still work and smell wonderful, they just won’t be fizzy.
YIELD: ENOUGH FOR 6 BATHS
1 cup (224 g) Epsom salt
¼ cup (56 g) baking soda
2 tbsp (24 g) citric acid
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup (2 g) dried calendula flowers
In a small mixing bowl, combine the Epsom salt, baking soda, citric acid, ginger and cinnamon.
Using an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the dried calendula flowers until they’re powdered very finely, sifting through a fine mesh strainer if needed. Add the calendula powder to the other ingredients.
Pour the bath salts into a jar and seal tightly. Label and store in a cool area, out of direct sunlight and heat.
For a warm, stimulating bath, pour around ¼ cup (60 g) into your bath water. The salts will fizz and bubble and give off a subtle pumpkin spice scent.
Be sure to avoid getting moisture in the jar and close it tightly after each use. It’s imperative that fizzing bath salts stay completely dry or they will begin to clump together in the jar. If you live in an area with high humidity, you may want to leave out the citric acid and have a non-fizzing, but still lovely, bath salt. If you plan on making these for gifts, don’t make them too far ahead of time since they may lose their active properties over a long period of storage.
Note that ginger and cinnamon in your bathwater will increase circulation and may promote sweating, so if you have blood pressure problems, keep the amounts low or check with a doctor before use.
Fizzy Rose Lemonade Soak
Sweet roses and zesty lemon peel combine in these fun and fizzy summery bath salts! Roses have a cooling and astringent effect on the body, making them a great addition to hot-weather recipes. Lemon peel adds a subtle, bright citrus scent while sea salt softens and rejuvenates the skin. Pink Himalyan salt lends a pretty rosy color to this soak along with an impressive 84 minerals and superior detoxification properties, but if it’s not available or affordable for you, more sea salt can be used instead. Citric acid and baking soda combine in the bathwater to make this soak a fizzy one. If you have sensitive skin or can’t find a source for it, you can omit the citric acid for a non-fizzy but still amazing bath experience.
YIELD: ENOUGH FOR 4 BATHS
¼ cup (2 g) dried rose petals
1 tbsp (1 g) dried lemon peel
½ cup (145 g) coarse sea salt
¼ cup (60 g) coarse pink Himalayan salt
¼ cup (56 g) baking soda
2 tbsp (24 g) citric acid
Using an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the rose petals and lemon peel together, along with 2 tablespoons (35 g) of the sea salt, until they’re finely powdered.
Stir the ground mixture together with the remaining ingredients, until completely distributed throughout. Seal tightly in a completely dry container.
To use, pour around ¼ cup (60 g) into your warm bathwater. The salts will fizz and bubble and give off a fun scent of pink lemonade and summer.
Be sure to avoid getting moisture in the jar and close it tightly after each use. It’s imperative that fizzing bath salts stay completely dry or they will begin to clump together in the jar. If you live in an area with high humidity, you may want to leave out the citric acid and have a non-fizzing, but still lovely, bath salt.
See photo here.
Sore Muscle Bath Bags
Relax and ease your aches and pains with a warm bath and these aromatic salt bags. Pine, juniper and mint were chosen for their pain-relieving abilities and to complement the muscle-relaxing properties of Epsom salt and lavender essential oil. As an added bonus, the eucalyptus oil in these bath bags can also help clear stuffy noses when a cold or sinus congestion strikes!
YIELD: 3 TO 4 BATH BAGS
¾ cup (168 g) Epsom salt
4 tbsp (2 g) dried mint leaves, crumbled
¼ cup (5 g) dried pine needles, finely chopped
5 to 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
10 to 15 drops lavender essential oil
3 to 4 reusable muslin tea bags
9 to 12 dried juniper berries (optional)
Combine the Epsom salt with the mint, pine needles and essential oils in a pint (500-ml) canning jar. Cap and shake thoroughly, until all ingredients are completely and evenly mixed together.
Divide the sore muscle salts between 3 or 4 reusable tea bags. If you don’t have any on hand, you can tie the salts up in clean socks instead. Add 2 to 3 juniper berries per bag, if using, and tie closed.
Store the bags in a tightly sealed jar, to keep the aroma and essential oils from escaping.
To use, add one bath bag to the water as the tub fills, and enjoy a soothing, relaxing bath.
Tip: Gather pine needles from trees around your house and spread them out on a clean dishtowel for a day or two or until complet
ely dry. Because they don’t have high water content to begin with, they dry quite quickly. If you don’t have pine trees in your area, try using a few drops of fir needle essential oil in this recipe instead.
Garden Bath Teas
Bath teas may be among the simplest of projects to make, and they’re wonderfully effective and therapeutic. Essentially, you can blend almost any combination of dried herbs, flowers and spices together to make a complementary mix. Below are a few of my favorites, but feel free to mix and match the plants you have on hand to create your own personalized recipes.
The Warming Ginger & Lemon Balm Bath Tea helps increase circulation and makes the perfect bath for when you feel run down or as if you’re catching a cold. If larger pieces of dried grated ginger aren’t available, use half as much ground ginger instead.
The Lavender Sleepy Time Bath Tea combines relaxing lavender with calming chamomile and emotion-balancing rose. Take a warm bath in this tea, put on your most comfy pajamas and then settle in for a good night’s sleep.
The Energizing Rosemary Mint Bath Tea is perfect for those times that you need a quick pick-me-up. Rosemary increases circulation and boosts your level of alertness while mint helps awaken the mind and spirit. Juniper berries add an extra burst of energetic scent, but can be omitted if they’re not easily available.
YIELD: 1 TO 2 BATH TEAS PER RECIPE
WARMING GINGER & LEMON BALM BATH TEA
2 tbsp (1 g) dried lemon balm leaves
1 tbsp (6 g) dried ginger root pieces
1 tbsp (8 g) dried lemon peel
1 to 2 reusable tea bags
1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
LAVENDER SLEEPY TIME BATH TEA
2 tbsp (2 g) dried lavender buds
1 tbsp (1 g) dried chamomile flowers
1 tbsp (1 g) dried rose petals
1 to 2 reusable tea bags
1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
ENERGIZING ROSEMARY MINT BATH TEA
1 tbsp (1 g) dried rosemary
1 tbsp (1 g) dried mint leaves
½ tbsp (2 g) dried juniper berries (optional)
1 reusable tea bag
1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
Crumble the herbs and flowers and place them in reusable muslin tea bags. You don’t need to grind larger pieces of dried herbs such as lemon peel, ginger root or juniper berries. If you don’t have muslin tea bags handy, try tying the herbs up in squares of old, white T-shirts or in clean socks.
Place the tea bag(s) in a mug or other heatproof container and pour the boiling water over. Let steep for 20 minutes, then begin running your bath. Pour the tea into the tub along with the tea bag. Making an infusion first in this manner helps the bath to be stronger and therefore more effective. If you’re crunched on time, though, you can just add the tea bag directly to your tub as the warm bathwater runs in. Soak your body in the theraputic water.
Beautiful Bath Melts & Scrubs
Turn your bath into a mini-spa with these luxurious treats that leave your skin smooth, polished and moisturized.
Bath melts are little shapes of solid butters, such as cocoa and shea, blended with herbs, flowers and other things that are lovely for your skin. To use, drop one in the tub at the start of your bath. The warmth from the water will soften the creamy butter, melting it into the water and onto your skin, leaving behind a protective layer that helps seal moisture into your skin. There’s usually no need to apply a body lotion after using a bath melt—they have a convenient and effective moisturizing system built right in!
Scrubs come in many forms and are used to exfoliate away dull, flaky skin. Since they’re a rather intense skin treatment, it’s best to only use body scrubs once every week or two. For tougher areas, such as your feet, you can use them more frequently until the level of smoothness you desire is reached. After that, move to a weekly or bimonthly maintenance schedule. You’ll find several fun body scrubs in this chapter plus a couple of handy scrub shapes designed specifically for smoothing rough heels and getting your feet in tip-top shape for sandal season!
Lavender Oatmeal Bath Melts
Skin-soothing oats and inflammation-fighting lavender flowers team up in this bath melt to provide relief to itchy, irritated skin. The light floral scent relaxes and calms the mind, while the cocoa butter and sweet almond oil melt into your water-warmed skin to lock in much-needed moisture.
YIELD: 10 TO 12 SMALL BATH MELTS
5 tbsp (70 g) cocoa butter
1½ tbsp (22 ml) sweet almond oil
1 tbsp (3 g) dried lavender buds
1 tbsp (7 g) oats
Combine the cocoa butter and sweet almond oil in a heatproof jar or container. Set the jar down into a saucepan containing a few inches (7 cm) of water. Place the pan over a medium-low burner until the cocoa butter melts.
Meanwhile, grind the lavender buds and oats to a very fine powder using an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Sift large pieces out with a fine mesh sieve, to make after-bath cleanup time much easier.
Combine the melted cocoa butter and sweet almond oil mixture with the powdered lavender and oats. Pour into silicone molds and place in the freezer until solid.
Remove the melts from the mold and store in a cool, dry place. If your house stays really warm, you may want to store bath melts in your refrigerator or freezer.
To use, drop 1 melt into the tub while running warm bathwater. It will slowly melt in the water, leaving a fine layer of oil behind to seal in the moisture from your bath. Be careful as you exit the tub, since the oil may make it slippery. To make after-bath cleanup easier, you may want to tie the bath melt up in a clean sock or reusable tea bag before using, so that it catches any stray specks of herbs or oatmeal instead of leaving them on the surface of your tub.
Vanilla Rose Bath Melts
Pure shea butter and the heady scent of rose are featured in these luxurious melts that turn bath time into a replenishing treat for mind, body and soul.
YIELD: 12 TO 16 SMALL BATH MELTS
½ cup (110 g) shea butter
2 tbsp (1 g) dried rose petals
2 inch (5 cm) section of vanilla bean, chopped
Rose essential oil (optional)
Place the shea butter in a heatproof jar or container and set it down into a small saucepan containing a few inches (7 cm) of water. Set the pan over a medium-low burner until the shea butter melts. Overheated shea butter can become grainy, so be sure to remove it promptly from the heat source as soon as it is melted.
While the shea butter is melting, grind the rose petals and chopped vanilla bean together with an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, to a fine powder.
Stir the vanilla rose powder and a few drops of rose essential oil, if using, into the melted shea butter and pour into small silicone molds. Place the mold in the refrigerator or freezer until firm, then remove from the mold. It’s normal for the powder to settle to the bottom of the mold (which turns out to be the top of the bath melt once it’s removed from the mold).
Store bath melts in a cool dry place or in a sealed container in your refrigerator or freezer. To use, drop in one bath melt as you run warm water into the tub. After your bath, as you emerge from the water, the shea butter will cling in an even layer over your skin, helping to seal in moisture. Be careful as you exit the tub, since the oil may make it slippery. To make after-bath cleanup easier, you may want to tie the bath melt up in a clean sock or reusable tea bag before using, so that it catches any stray specks of rose petals or vanilla bean instead of leaving them on the surface of your tub.
Lemon Chamomile Bath Melts
Anti-inflammatory chamomile combines with zesty lemon in these sunny melts that brighten and uplift your outlook as they soothe and seal in moisture. Lemongrass essential oil is a great choice for this recipe, adding a cheerful citrus scent for a clean and rejuvenating bath experience. Cocoa butter adds a delightful creaminess to these melts, but the unrefined version may also lend an overpowering and unwanted chocolate-like scen
t. If you really want the lemon fragrance to shine through, try using refined cocoa butter or substitute with barely scented kokum butter.
YIELD: 12 TO 14 BATH MELTS
2½ tbsp (35 g) cocoa butter
5 tbsp (70 g) shea butter
1 tbsp (1 g) dried chamomile flowers
1 tsp dried lemon peel or zest
Lemongrass essential oil (optional)
Add the cocoa and shea butter to a heatproof jar or container and set it down into a small saucepan containing a few inches (7 cm) of water. Set the pan over a medium-low burner until the butters are completely melted, then remove from heat. Overheated shea butter can become grainy, so be sure to remove the pan promptly from the heat source as soon as the butters are melted.
While the butters are heating, use an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the chamomile flowers and lemon zest together until finely powdered.
Stir the chamomile-lemon powder into the melted butters. For a bright lemon scent, add a few drops of lemongrass essential oil if you’d like. Pour into small silicone molds and place in the refrigerator or freezer until firm. Unmold and store in a cool area or in a sealed container in your refrigerator or freezer.
To use, drop 1 bath melt in as you run warm water in your bath. The heat from the bath will melt the butters, leaving a fine layer on your skin after bathing, sealing in moisture. Be careful as you exit the tub, since melts can sometimes make the floor slippery. To make after-bath cleanup easier, you may want to tie the bath melt up in a clean sock or reusable tea bag before using, so that it catches any stray specks of powdered chamomile or lemon peel instead of leaving them on the surface of your tub.
Calendula Spice & Honey Cleansing Scrub
This scrub polishes skin as it cleanses, leaving behind a light silky feel. Ginger and cinnamon increase circulation and warm the body as they add a delicious scent along with the vanilla extract. Calendula was chosen for this recipe since it offers multiple beneficial properties that are helpful for repairing and maintaining skin health. Sweet almond is a nourishing oil that’s suitable for most skin types, but if you’re allergic to tree nuts, try using olive or sunflower in this recipe instead. Mild liquid castile soap gently lifts away dirt while honey rejuvenates damaged skin. Use this delightful scrub once every week or two for smoother, silkier skin!