How to Make Bath Salts, Soaps, Scrubs, and Balms

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Making my own spa products, starting with making bath salts, began as a lark. A fun experiment. Then came the Eureka moment. Learning how to make bath salts allowed me to create personal, pure bath products free from chemicals.  I started out with a basic bath salt recipe, learning how to make bath salts using Epsom salt, sea salt, and baking soda.

When my garden produced an abundant harvest of bath herbs, I learned how to make bath salts with herbs for a nourishing bath. Making bath salts is soul satisfying. During the process of learning how to make bath salts, I even developed my own signature recipes for making bath salts. This became such a passion that I started teaching classes on how to make bath salts.

I added to my spa products repertoire when I ventured into easy soap making recipes for beginners.

Being new to soap making, I started with easy bar soaps and foaming hand soaps. Then goat milk recipes caught my eye. Goat milk is a super soothing ingredient, and it’s perfect for adding to bath salts, soaks, and soaps.

Learning how to make bath salts, soaps and scrubs is a wonderful way to reconnect with cleansing and moisturizing as nature intended – no harsh additives. Some of the ingredients can be found at the grocery. Get family and friends involved, too. When kids learn how to make bath salts and foaming soaps, bath time ceases to become a chore and morphs into clean fun!

Master Recipe for How to Make Bath Salts

The skin is the body’s largest organ, so make it healthy and glowing by adding bath salts to your tub water.

I developed this recipe as my “signature” bath salt recipe.  Epsom salt is soothing to sore muscles and is found in the pharmacy aisle.  Sea or Himalayan salt adds minerals, stimulates circulation, hydrates and detoxifies the skin. I like to add baking soda for its alkalizing qualities.

This recipe can be made in big batches.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Epsom salt
• 1/2 cup sea or Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 cup baking soda

Instructions

1. Simply mix all together and then package as desired.
2. Use 1/4 cup per bath.

Good Add-Ins

• 1/4 cup dry goat milk for its ultra soothing and moisturizing qualities
• 2 tablespoons regular oats run through a blender for exfoliating qualities
• Vitamin E tablets for antioxidant qualities and to relieve scrapes and cuts. Pack these separately.
• 1/4 cup dried bath herbs of your choice, or a few drops essential bath oil of your choice.

Personalize with Bath Herbs

If you do add herbs, pack salts with a muslin or silk bag.

Tub Tea

Put bath herbs in a sealable tea bag and toss into hot bath water to infuse.

Soap Bars

Use melt and pour soaps. I like a combination of olive oil and shea butter for their skin-loving qualities. Adding essential oils gives a personal touch. Peppermint is perfect for an invigorating soap and lavender for a calming one.

Ingredients

• Melt and pour soap
• Molds: I like to use silicone ice cube trays for molds, along with plastic candy molds, jello molds, and other unusual small containers. If molds are not bendable, spray with cooking spray for easy soap release.
• Essential oils (optional). These are distilled from the plant itself and are very potent. Except for lavender and tea tree, I don’t know of any that can be applied directly to the skin without being diluted or mixed with base oil. Do not ingest essential oils.
• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions

1. Chop soap coarsely.
2. Melt soap in microwave or on stove over low heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Depending upon how many different scents and colors you want, divide soap into separate portions. If soap starts to set up before you’re finished, just remelt.
4. For each cup of soap, stir in five or so drops of essential oil.
5. There are a couple ways to color the soap.  Squeeze food coloring into the liquid soap for a solid color. Then pour into molds. Or pour soap into molds, add food coloring and use a toothpick to swirl. Don’t overdo on the food coloring.
6. Let harden and pop soap out of molds.

Foaming Soaps

Foaming soaps are so fun for the little ones. I buy foaming soap from the dollar store and after the container is empty, I’ll clean it, and rinse it with clear vinegar to kill any bacteria.

Ingredients

• Foaming soap dispenser
• 1-1/3 cups water
• 1/3 cup liquid soap or a little more for thicker foam
• Essential oil and/or food coloring (optional)

Instructions

1. Pour water into measuring cup with a spout.
2. Slowly stir in soap.
3. Add a few drops of essential oil and/or food coloring. Stir to blend and pour into dispensers.

Lip Balm

Learning how to make lip balm at home became a necessity when I noticed my husband spending too much money on lip balms. Use empty lip balm tubes or order online. You can also simply pour this into a small jar. Jojoba oil is similar to the oil excreted by your skin and is soothing for dry, chapped lips.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup beeswax
• 1/4 cup almond, jojoba or sunflower oil
• 5-6 drops essential oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt beeswax and almond oil in top of double boiler.
2. Remove from heat and add essential oil.
3. Pour into containers and let sit uncovered until opaque and firm.

A Tip from Rita’s Kitchen

If lip balm is too hard after it sets, remelt and add more oil. If it’s too soft, remelt and add more beeswax.

Olive Oil Brown Sugar Scrub

Sugar is antiseptic and olive oil moisturizes so they are perfect together. My mom used to massage our scalps with olive oil so I learned early on that it was good for skin health. I took her idea one step further and made this delightful scrub.

Ingredients

• Organic brown sugar
• Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. You decide how much you want to make by pouring enough olive oil over the brown sugar to make a mixture thick enough to scoop up with a spoon.
2. Take a small amount and rub all over your face, avoiding eye area. This is also great for dry skin on legs and arms. Use fingers to massage the mixture in. Rinse with warm water.
3. Store covered at room temperature up to one month.

Lavender Hops Sleep Pillow

Lavender soothes the mind and hops contain bitter acids which release vapors to ease tensions.

Ingredients

• Equal amounts of dried lavender flowers and hops flowers
• Muslin or cloth bag

Instructions

1. Mix together gently and place in sealable bag. Sleep well!

So now that I’ve inspired you, how many spa products are you going to make? Your comments, tips, and ideas are welcome in the comment section below!