How to make your own scented epsom salts

Symptoms & Treatments Complementary Therapies
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Howdy

Here a easy way to make your own scented epsom salts. Please add other ideas about bath or any kind of relaxing treatment you might use for fibro or just stressful day!! I originally made this recipe from an online one...blog for fibro. I thought of it when lavender salts were twice the price as plain. I knew oils from soap making ...and they did have lavender at this chain drug store.

Add your favorite fragrance of essential oils to Epsom salts. You can do a mix of Epsom salts and Sea Salts if you prefer. I'm going to do a 2/3 Epsom to 1/3 Sea Salts mix. If you like you can also add 1-2 Tsp of baking soda for softer skin. Of course you can add other things like shaved orange peel or lavender petal shavings. I just went to Michaels and looked at what scents and items they had available for making soaps and picked up a couple of my favorite scents. Any arts/craft store should have oils plus shavings. Or online you can find them...shavings you might need to look under soap making. Which is very easy too!


So again the ingredients:
4 cups of bath salts (epsom or Epsom & sea salts)
16-20 drops of essential oil fragrance
1-2 tsp baking soda

Mix together in large bowl (or do what I did and just put the ingredients in a large air safe container and shake & mix (I had a couple of air-safe 1lb canisters. I filled one about 3/4 full, shook it up then transferred the contents to the other container. Doing this added air to the mixture making it take up more space in the second container (thus the need to not fill the first one completely full). An freezer zip lock plastic container even works!!

I've done two different recipes now.... Lavender Orange using dried lavender and orange peel. This not only smells good but looks really pretty. I didn't add any essential oils to this recipe, just the dried ingredients



The second recipe was Eucalyptus Spearmint using the recipe listed above with Eucalyptus oil and Spearmint oil. I used about 10 drops of each type of oil.

You can use immediately but i prefer to let them 'cook' for a week at least. Just let them sit and bind together. Do not open until a week or two.

Please share other recipes you might have!!

I also add a small squirt of baby oil to keep my skin from drying out. I always use bubbles for two main reasons, insulates so water stays warm longer and helps tub stay clean.

I was wondering if anyone has favorite bath pillow or table? I finally am looking into a bath table to make reading less stressful on my books! I refuse right now to use a Kindle in the bath ...does anyone?

So if you have a pillow or table you really enjoy please share the brand and if possible where we can get it.

Also please share any bath ideas or other means to help us relax! I looked into this because at chain store Epsom salts was double the price for lavender scented than just plain!!

Lavender oil can also be used to heal cuts and stubborn sores! I heal very slowly because of low immune system so just simple cuts take weeks to heal. With the lavender oil it can heal in half the time! I know there are many other things you can use it for as well. Tree tea oil for example.

ENJOY!!

PS this is great gift for anyone with fibro of course but also anyone who loves to take baths. I am trying to make a recipe that has eucalyptus, not strong, with other scents that help with muscle and joint pain ..arnica, calendula etc. Use your imagination for you own recipes!!

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Siskya, Thank you so much for this info. I use epson salts in my bath and love the scented stuff.. It is just too expensive to buy on my budget. This is a great idea and I plan to get the ingredients this week and make my own.

I shall let you know how it turns out but I just love this idea. Thank you very much. Hugs Lisa

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I actually thought about making it myself when i saw how much more lavender scent cost compared to plain.

I thought with so many saying how it also helps them...well so easy and the scent you can do as strong as you like or what ever you prefer.

I happy you all are enjoying it as much as i have!

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This is great sharing! I love Epsom salts and lavender oil.

NECK PAIN/SHOULDER PAIN

I brought a couple of tips home from my Manual Therapy that involve relaxing tight back muscles. I'll see if I can make any sense to you! Use your own judgement if you have spinal issues.

1. Take a hand towel and fold it in half so it's nearly a square now. Then roll it up tight. It will be about the size of a short rolling pin. Now tape it by using masking tape in two or three places, going all the way around it so it won't come open and stays tight. DONE! Now lie down on your back and place this between your shoulder blades, against your spine with top at base of your head. RELAX...feel your shoulders drop to the floor or bed and your muscles relaxing as you lay there. I love this.

2. Use a swimming pool noodle and do the same as above with the start of the noodle at the base of your head. Make sure the noodle goes straight down your spine. You will feel the same kind of relaxation and muscles loving this as the first idea.

3. I also use a pool noodle in the tub to help support my head and arms.

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Thank you so much!

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Thank you, I have a heat pack that I do this and it works great.

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I am sharing your recipe with the nurses here at the hospital. This would make great gifts for all occasions.

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Great ideas, and glad I am not the only one using it for sore and achy muscles, my doc laughed at me and told me not to use them...needless to say, I HAVE IGNORED HER! Thanks for the ideas!

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I’m sorry but the first time my doc laughed at me OR told me not to use heat, I would stand up, tell her that it’s not going to work with her and find a new doctor. Then I would turn her in. Not use it?

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I did know that if you have kidneys that do not work well you should check with your doctor. i never use the 2 cups per bath that most boxes say to use since i do have kidney problems. I was told to use 3/4 cup at the most in a full bath. I also drink during the bath or i do get dehydrated. So, if you have any kind of kidney problems i would ask your doctor if it is okay.

I would be interested why your doctors said not to use it. Unless you have kidney or RA..or i would guess any inflammation it could not be helpful. I have RA but I am able to keep worse joints out of the tub..my hands and feet. When water cools down i do let them in and epsom salts seems to help with reducing the swelling.

There are other sites that do give you many other uses of Epsom salts such as face / body scrubs. I have noticed that days after a bath in it, I also am more regular as to going the bathroom. I noticed on wiki it is a laxative as well.

So please let rest of know why your doctors said not too use it ...maybe they just were not the smartest docs! But just in case it might prevent someone from accidently making their own health worse it be nice to know where their reasoning came from.

Here is Wikipedia link which is interesting about all the medical uses plus more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_sulfate

Kitty, thanks for noodle idea or towel!...i could easily do this in my bath and will.

If anyone has any other special bath pillows, tables or object like Kitty shared please pass them on!!

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Oh a gal after my own heart! I have tons of recipes, just not typed into the computer. Bath teas, essential oil mixes for massage or aroma therapy, lotions, creams, and more. Anything that calls for chamomile I substitute calendula blossoms for and it works well for me.

A book I would recommend is RoseMary Gladstars herbs for natural beauty to learn basics. We don't have a whole foods here, so I order 1 time every six months from Mountain Rose herbs, organic herbs, oils, beeswax, essential oils. And ther is a wonderful well footnoted site I use as an easy herbal guide called Annie's remedies, she is very thorough at pointing out any reason certain people should not use a certain herbal.

My favorite foot and body scrub depending on what you are using it for, is similar to what you posted, but add some nice olive oil into the mix, keep stored tightly in a big jar. I usually infuse my base oils for 6 - 8 weeks with whatever feels helpful, for me that usually means calendula, comfrey, self heal, skullcap, or rosemary. Each has it's own helpfulness according to need.

Recipes:

A good basic massage oil that I love is a base of organic sesame oil, then add assie sourced sandlewood, myrrh, and jasmine essential oils. 8 ounces of sesame to about 30 drops each of the others. place in a glass amber or dark blue jar, store in a cool dry place. To lengthen shelf life, some non wheat organic sourced vitamin e oil can be added, about 2 drops per ounce.

Bath teas are great for a hot tub soak. use an ounce of each, all organic (NOT from florist, as they contain pesticides) rose petals, calendula, rosemary, honeysuckle or jasmine buds, and thyme (all dried). Tie up in cheese cloth, close with some cotton kitchen string. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in stainless steel or glass pot, remove from heat, add bag of florals, and steep covered for 20 minutes. As you begin running your tub of water, the infused quart from the floral and bag go in. Sink in, and relax by candle light! Ahhhhh!

there are many more, but hands are tired.

Thanks for starting the thread siskiya!

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THANK YOU!!

I had just read that myrrh is something that should really help me. I will check out the sites.

Have you ever heard of Frogworks.com...by woman with the last name of cleveland...she even has online classes for humans and how to assistance animals?

I use to make my own soaps, bath, body creams as well as massage oil or oils for hair and skin. It was great fun and something most women and many men really enjoy as gifts.

I appreciate all the information you supplied us with, thanks again so much!! .

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You are most welcome! I found myself reacting to all household cleaners and commercial HBA products (allergic to everything including our water!) so began making my own. have yet to take the herbalism classes I wish to, but reading the right books can teach us much. I prefer organic sourced to avoid any chemical exposure.

I so love myrrh. It's age old tried and true antimicrobial effects are wonderful, the best thing I've found to treat persistent skin issues, especially when combined with raw coconut oil, organic vit E, and calendula. But we all are different, so have to find what works for us.

Frankinsense (Boswellia) is a great anti-inflammatory, but I don't use it internally in capsule form because I have very high blood pressure. Instead I infuse the powdered resin in 80 proof alcohol for a liniment, or in oilive or grapeseed oil for massage.

The book that got me started was Gifts from God's Garden, but author name is lost in brain fog. It's available from the bigger online booksellers. I give my homemade goodies as gifts too. Anything that is really appreciated I make note of, and will repeat as "just because" gifts to those who fall in love with them.

That floral bath tea recipe I posted, forgot to say it makes about 10 smaller or 5 larger bath tea soaks.

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This is a great gift idea, think I will try it, for mysrlf as well.

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Of Course you should try it out on yourself first!! How else will you know how wonderful it will feel!!

You could now too start noticing what kind of scents people you might make it for wear, or get conversation going about what scents they enjoy in the bath etc. This way you get to try different ones you just might find out how much you do enjoy them.

I am so happy that people are enjoying this as much as I have/do!!

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It's nice to see people using natural alternatives. Aromatherapy is a wonderful way to soothe the body and mind.

I work with a lot of essential oils. Different blends for different ailments across the board. A word of CAUTION if I may. Pure essential oils need to be diluted before applying to the skin.The scented bath salts...excellent! You mentioned using baby oil to keep your skin soft...may I suggest Grapeseed oil,Sweet Almond Avocado or Jojoba as a natural alternative? Baby oil is made from petrochemicals and if you would like to enter into true aromatherapy,these are great alternatives.

I love using essential oils when I can as an alternative when possible. Please take care when buying essential oils...the term is overused and misrepresented. So also,before applying e/o to the skin,2-8 drops to 1oz carrier oil is plenty strong.