How To Make Moisturizing Bath Salts - 3 Ways

We've talked about how good baths are for stress, muscle aches - pretty much whatever ails you. Now it's time to think about giving the gift of a great bath to your friends, family or favorite teacher. A few bath salt test tubes caught my eye at Anthropologie ages ago, and I finally found a few test tubes so I could try them out with homemade bath salt.

Salt baths can easily irritate and dry out your skin, but these salts are pre-combined with two super moisturizers - cocoa butter and sweet almond oil. Follow the recipe below to learn how to make bath salts of your own!

Supplies needed

• Cocoa butter
• Almond oil
• Sea salt (Epsom would also work)
• Test tubes (I found mine in a specialty cooking store but you can find them online here or here. I've also seen plastic ones in the dollar section of Michaels.)

Instructions

Step 1

Melt 2 tablespoons of cocoa butter in a medium glass bowl. I use a makeshift double boiler approach with the bowl sitting on top of a saucepan with a couple of inches of boiling water. You could also use a couple of quick bursts in the microwave. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of almond oil.

Step 2

Pour in two cups of sea salt and stir until butter and oil are evenly distributed. Spread the salt out on a cookie sheet and let it air dry. This will take about a day.

Step 3

Pour salt into test tubes with desired ingredients. Here are three variations I came up with, but anything goes!

3 Moisturizing Bath Salt Recipe Variations

Soothing Rose

Crumble in few rose petals + rose essential oil if you have it

French Lavender

Add a few dried lavender buds + a teaspoon of French green clay + a few drops of lavender essential oil

Grapefruit Detox

Add a teaspoon of citrus zest or ground dried citrus peel + 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil

My test tubes each held between ⅛ and ¼ cup of salt so you can make several gift sets at once. Tie the tubes together with a bit of twine and you're all set!

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How To Make Bath Salts - 3 Ways

How to make bath salt blended with cocoa butter and almond oil for a super soothing, moisturizing soak. Three scent combinations to try!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Bath and Body

Keyword: bath salt, bath soak, essential oils

Yield: 2 cups

Author: Stephanie Gerber

Cost: $10

Equipment

• Test tubes*
• Small mixing bowl

Materials

• 2 tablespoons cocoa butter
• 2 tablespoons almond oil
• 2 cups sea salt Epsom would also work

Instructions

• Melt 2 tablespoons of cocoa butter in a medium heat-proof glass bowl. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of almond oil.
  
• Pour in two cups of sea salt and stir until butter and oil are evenly distributed. Spread the salt out on cookie sheet and let it air dry.
  
• Add any desired ingredients, like dried flowers or essential oils. Pour into test tubes or store in a lidded container.
  

Notes

*You can find test tubes similar to ours here. Ours are approximately 1" x 5" and hold about ¼ of a cup, but any size will do. 

To use, pour bath salt into a warm, running bath. Use your hands to help the salts dissolve slightly before climbing into the tub. 

Use within 1-2 months.

Soothing Rose

Crumble in few rose petals + rose essential oil if you have it

French Lavender

Add a few dried lavender buds + a teaspoon of French green clay + a few drops of lavender essential oil

Grapefruit Detox

Add a teaspoon of citrus zest or ground dried citrus peel + 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil

Bonus: Shortcut Bath Salts

Bath salts are a great way to relax and soothe tired muscles after a long day. If you are a in hurry, try this quick and easy way of making bath salt.

To make your own bath salts, start by mixing 2 cups of Epsom salt, 1 cup of dead sea salt, and 1 cup of Himalayan pink salt in a large bowl. Next, add ½ cup of coconut milk powder, 10-20 drops of lavender essential oil, and 10-20 drops of sweet birch oil to the mixture. If you have sensitive skin, you can add ¼ cup of shea butter to moisturize and soothe dry skin. To use the bath salts, simply add 1-2 cups to warm water and soak for at least 20 minutes.

The Epsom salt and magnesium chloride in the bath salts will help relieve muscle aches and calm your mind, while the calming scent of lavender oil will help relieve stress. These bath salts are also great for softening and moisturizing your skin, making them perfect for those with skin conditions like dry or itchy skin.

This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Haley, a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in medical, cosmetic and surgical dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.