Homemade Bath Salt Recipe: Customizable Ingredients & Tips

Looking for a natural and relaxing bath experience? Learn how to make your own homemade bath salts using Epsom salts and simple, natural ingredients.

I love to soak in a hot bath with a generous handful of bath salts tossed in. A warm, fragrant bath is a simple, self-care ritual that helps melt my worries away before bed.

If you’re looking to elevate your bath routine and add a touch of pampering to your day, I highly recommend giving bath salts a try. Your mind, body, and soul will thank you for it!

What are Bath Salts?

Bath salts, in the context of bathing, are not ordinary table salt. They’re typically made from a combination of water-soluble minerals such as magnesium sulfate (commonly known as Epsom salt), sea salt or Himalayan salt, and sometimes even baking soda. You can also add scent and color to make them even more appealing.

Soaking in bath salts provides numerous benefits: it can help to relax the body and mind, ease muscle tension, soothe sore joints, soften the skin, and promote better sleep. 

How Bath Salts Work

Bath salt soaks offer a spa-like experience in the comfort of your home. They also contain ingredients that are beneficial to the human body, including:

Mineral Salts

Adding Epsom salts, sea salt, or Himalayan rock salt to bath water mimics the natural settings of hot springs and ocean baths. This practice, rooted in traditional or folk medicine, advocates soaking in mineral-rich waters for healing and therapeutic benefits such as pain relief. Scientific studies suggest that trace minerals like magnesium can be absorbed through the skin during soaking, supporting the effectiveness of this traditional approach.

Herbs or Essential Oils

Bath salts can be infused with herbs and/or essential oils that provide aromatherapy benefits such as:

• Relaxation: Calming scents, such as lavender or chamomile, can soothe the mind and body, encouraging restful sleep.
• Energizing: Mood-boosting scents, like peppermint or citrus, can have energizing effects, increase alertness, and combat feelings of fatigue.
• Stress Relief: Soothing scents, like bergamot or ylang-ylang, can promote relaxation and ease tension in the body and mind.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is often used in bath salts because it can help soothe irritated skin. It can also provide relief from certain skin conditions like eczema, chicken pox, bug bites, hemorrhoids, and psoriasis, making it a popular ingredient in bath soaks. 

Water

The hot or warm water used with bath salts also provides benefits. According to the Journal of American Sciences, soaking in hot water (thermotherapy) can help alleviate pain, sore muscles, and inflammation. Additionally, immersion in water, (hydrotherapy) can improve circulation, reduce stress, and promote overall relaxation. Finally, hot water can promote sweating, the body’s natural way of detoxifying, which may help remove metabolic waste. 

How To Make Homemade Bath Salts

Homemade bath salts are made from mineral salts and other optional ingredients to add scent, color, and texture. Learn more about each below:

Primary Ingredients

Homemade bath salts are primarily made from Epsom salt and one other mineral ingredient, such as sea salt, Himalayan salt, or baking soda. 

Epsom Salt: Epsom salt, chemically known as magnesium sulfate, is a mineral compound consisting of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. It is named after the town of Epsom in England, where it was first discovered in natural springs.

Sea Salt: Sea salt, derived from evaporated seawater, is rich in minerals such as sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium, among others.

Himalayan Salt: Himalayan salt is a type of rock salt mined from the Himalayan region, is known for its distinctive pink color due to its mineral content, which includes sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and iron.

Baking Soda: Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a versatile compound commonly used in cooking, cleaning, and in personal care to raise pH levels and soothe skin.

Optional Ingredients

You can customize your bath salts with these optional ingredients, including essential oils, herbs, flowers, and food coloring.

Essential Oils: EOs can be used in homemade body care products to add scent and aromatherapy benefits. However, essential oils applied directly to the skin can cause allergies, skin irritation, and even burns. It is critical to add the essential oils to a teaspoon of carrier oil to protect your skin. For each 1/2 cup salt blend, you may add 5 drops of essential oil mixed with 1 teaspoon of carrier oil.

• Caution – Not all essential oils are safe in the bath. Some “hot oils” may irritate or burn the skin, such as ginger, black pepper, clove, or cardamom. Do not use them for making bath salts. Other oils can be added to bath salts, including lavender, citrus oils (lemon or orange), chamomile, rose, jasmine, and ylang ylang. Get more essential oil bath safety information here.
  

Dried Herbs or Flowers: Herbs and flowers can add a beautiful and aromatic touch to your bath experience. You can use a variety of dried herbs in bath salts, such as lavender, chamomile, rosemary, thyme, or peppermint. You can also use flowers such as dried rose petals or calendula in your bath salts. Shop for food-grade herbs and flowers that have not been treated with pesticides, or add the contents of an herbal teabag to bath salts.

• Caution – When using herbs and flowers in bath salts, it’s important to clean the tub thoroughly after each bath to prevent residue buildup. Crushing the herbs and petals into small pieces can make them easier to rinse down the drain.

Moisturizing Oil: You can add oils like coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or jojoba oil to bath salts to make a moisturizing bath soak. These oils can help to hydrate and nourish the skin during the bath.

• Caution – When using moisturizing oils in bath salts, it’s important to be careful when getting out of the bath as the oils can make the tub slippery. You should also clean the tub thoroughly after each bath to prevent greasy buildup. 

Color: You can add color to bath salts to customize them for gift-giving or special occasions, it’s easiest to use food coloring, as it is safe for use in bath products and won’t stain your skin. Look for natural food coloring that gets its color from fruits, vegetables, and spices to make natural bath salts.

• Caution – When adding food coloring to bath salts, it’s important to test it in a bowl or container before using the bath salts in your tub to prevent unwanted staining.  You should also clean the tub thoroughly after each bath to prevent discoloration. 

Bath Salts Recipes

There are 3 basic recipes you can follow to make homemade bath salts. Each recipe can be customized with essential oils, food coloring, and/or herbs and flowers to create a luxurious bath soak. 

Baking Soda Bath Salts 

• 2 cups Epsom Salt (unscented)
• 1/2 cup Baking Soda
• 10-20  drops essential oil
• 2-4 tsp carrier oil (such as sweet almond, argan oil, or jojoba oil)

Sea Salt Bath Soak

• 2 cups Epsom Salt (unscented)
• 1/2 cup sea salt
• 10-20  drops essential oil
• 2-4 tsp carrier oil (such as sweet almond, argan oil, or jojoba oil)

Mineral Rich Bath Salts

• 2 cups Epsom Salt (unscented)
• 1/2 cup pink Himalayan salt
• 10-20  drops essential oil
• 2-4 tsp carrier oil (such as sweet almond, argan oil, or jojoba oil)

Tools

• Large glass or ceramic mixing bowl
• Small glass or ceramic bowl for mixing oils
• Metal or plastic mixing spoons
• Airtight glass containers or mason jar

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients – Start by blending the dry ingredients (Epsom salt, sea salt, Himalayan salt, or baking soda) in a large bowl until fully incorporated. Make sure that any lumps of the dry ingredients are crushed to achieve a uniform mixture.
   
2. Make scent mixture – If you are adding essential oils to your bath salts, add them to a small glass or ceramic dish and mix thoroughly with your choice of carrier oil. (For each 1/2 cup if dry ingredeints, you may add 5 drops of essential oil mixed with 1 teaspoon carrier oil.)
   
3. Mix scent into dry mixture – Drizzle the scent mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. There should be no clumps. If you want a strong scent, make more scent mixture, then it add to the dry mixture, do not add undiluted essential oils.
   
4. Add color – If using coloring, add a few drops to the dry ingredients and blend until a uniform color is achieved and there are no lumps.
   
5. Add herbs or flowers – If using herbs or flowers, crush them into small pieces that can fit down the drain, then stir into dry ingredients.
   
6. Store bath salts mixture – To maintain quality, store in an airtight container (such as a glass jar with lid) away from humidity and sunlight.Add a label.
   

Favorite Bath Salt Recipe Customizations

Want to try making bath salts? Check out my 3 favorite versions:

• Rosemary Chamomile Detox Bath Salts
• “Fresh Snow” Moisturizing Bath Soak
• Magnesium Rose Bath Salts

How To Use Bath Salts

Fill your bathtub with hot water. As the tub fills, sprinkle in the bath salts. Give the water a gentle stir to help dissolve the salts evenly.

Adjust the amount of bath salts: Start with 1/2 cup for a standard-sized bathtub, and adjust up to 2 cups to create a bath that feels right for you.

Once the bath salts are fully dissolved, hop into the tub and soak in the warm bath for 20-30 minutes to fully reap the benefits.

Enhance your bath by adding some mood-boosting elements: play your favorite music, dim the lights, dive into a good book, or tune in to an interesting podcast. Whatever helps you unwind and enjoy the moment.

Stay hydrated! Keep a cold glass of water nearby to sip on while you soak. Hydration is key, especially when using bath salts to treat pain or skin irritation.

After soaking, rinse your body with clean water to remove residue and apply moisturizing oil or lotion.

Safety Tips and Precautions 

Safety is key when it comes to enjoying bath salts. Here are some important tips and precautions to keep in mind:

• Be cautious about potential skin sensitivities or allergies. Always perform a patch test before soaking in new ingredients. 

• Be careful when using essential oils and moisturizing oils in the bath, they can make the tub slippery. 

• Consult with a healthcare professional before using bath salts if you have underlying health concerns. Some conditions (including pregnancy and heart conditions) and ages (young children) should use bath salts.
  
• Blend all essential oils with a carrier oil prior to incorporating them into dry ingredients. Essential oils are not soluble in water, failing to dilute can result in floating spots of pure EOs that may harm the skin.

Article Summary

Bath salts are easy to make from Epsom salt and one other mineral ingredient, such as sea salt, Himalayan salt, or baking soda. They can be customized with  optional ingredients, including essential oils, herbs, flowers, and food coloring. Try making Baking Soda Bath Salts, Seaside Bath Salts, or Mineral Rich Bath Salts for an easy self-care routine or a thoughtful gift. It’s an easy, all-natural DIY.

Bath Salts FAQ

What kind of salt do you use for bath salts?

For bath salts, you can use Epsom salt, sea salt, or even Himalayan salt. Each type of salt has its own unique benefits for your bath experience.