I had some bath salts that I loved, haven't been able to find them again (can't remember where I got them!!), they had a light jasmine scent, and I love jasmine!

For aches, did you know epsom salts is great in a bath? Looks nice in a pretty jar also.

I use bath salts in a pretty apothecary jar. I bought a fancy looking antique silver spoon and use that in the jar. I think it is called a berry spoon (larger and more rounded out than a regular spoon, but not as large as a ladle). Looks really pretty in the jar. I don't really use the spoon, just like how it looks. LOL

tina

Bath salts are so ridiculously easy to make, I don't know why people blow their money on them in these foofoo stores. Half epsom salts, half baking soda. Add whatever scent you like - could be a drop of an essential oil (available in health-food stores and even some supermarkets that have natural-foods sections, or by mail order) or even your favorite perfume/cologne. If you don't mind scrubbing out your bathtub after every bath (I'd rather get a nose piercing with a nail gun), you can stir in a teaspoon of jojoba or sweet almond oil for every two cups of salts, but it makes the tub hellaciously slippery. Quarter to half a cup for an average bathtub. I make this stuff by the bucketful (literally) for gifts.

I use plain epsom salts that I color with the smallest touch of food coloring. I just finished a jar because I want to make another that coordinates with my bathroom paint. Before anyone thinks I'm nuts, remember this is a decorating board. :O)

A couple scoops in the bottom of the tub with the stopper in is wonderful and relaxing for my feet.

Tina, I love your idea about the silver spoon! I couldn't find anything so I got my mother (she thought I was nuts, btw) to save a little plastic scoop from some health food stuff. I am going to upgrade it to a little silver spoon I have floating around.

Johnmari, I've never heard of adding baking soda. Do you know what, if anything, the baking soda is supposed to do?

HA!! I just about spit water through my nose laughing at your comments Mari!! A noise piercing with a nail gun HAHAHAHAHA!
Yea, I know what you mean. I had some wonderful scrub but it was in an oil base, and it did make a mess, not to mention I worried I'd fall and knock myself out. LOL

Thanks for the bath salts recipe - I love using the epsom salts. I'll be sure to try this. Silly question, but is there an essential oil in jasmine scent?

And I know how you could make extra $$$. I've mentioned before, with your sayings, you should write a book. I'd buy it!

tina

Mari -- LOL!

There are LOTS of videos on YouTube with details about making bath salts and oils .....

I use Kiss My Face bath stuff -- and when I'm lucky -- a bottle of Badedas bath foam. Its European -- and it smells very fresh and green. Love it!

Must try to make some too!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

"Cedar wood and patchouli combine with other natural scents to form a rich, luxurious bath foam " I googled Badedas, now I want some; is it readily available in drugstores ?

Jm, I'm with you on the "no oil" in the bath, you nailed the feeling... lol...

DH used Ravintsara oil recently, it's a blend of a few things, camphor I'm sure, amongst others, the print on the bottle is semi erased, I would make bath salts with that and another oil in a compatible smell so the camphor is not so prominent, any ideas what would work well ?

I made bath salts for a gift in Christmas 09. Used sea salt and epsom salt, Mixed in dried lavendar buds, yerba mate,lavendar oil, and I forget what other herb. This was to be put in a muslin drawstring bag and dropped in the bath. I think you can mix in anything you want.

And by the way- sugar scrub- sugar and safflower oil (its lighter and you don't smell like salad,)and a few drops of scent. Now that feels good on those sore feet after a soak in bath salts!
Can anyone say DIY spa day ??

paint_chips, baking soda is a water softener.

tina, jasmine essential oil most certainly does exist, but it's one of the most expensive ones there is. That's one of the few products, along with rose and orange-blossom (neroli), where I relax my strictness and purchase diluted versions (must be diluted in jojoba or fractionated coconut oil and nothing else). Often it's available as an "absolute" rather than an "essential oil" and that is fine. It's just a difference in the way the end product is obtained. Just make sure you're not getting fragrance oil which is fake.

And thank you for the compliment but I've never sold anything I've written (you could wallpaper igloochic's giant new house with the rejection letters), and when I've attempted to write to spec, it - to put it plainly - sucks. The funky phrases and things like that just come when they want to, not when I want them.

mitch, you got your hands on an unusual one if you've got Ravintsara (Cinnamomum camphora) essential oil. Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica) is much more common. Camphoraceous fragrances are a BEAST to work with because they stomp all over other scents like an olfactory Godzilla, but I'd try Chamomile, citrus, or woodsy-ish fragrances like bay laurel, sandalwood or cedarwood. Lavender can be a good addition depending on the subtype - head for the sweeter varieties.

cooperbailey, you actually made a "bath tea" rather than bath salts. Bath teas are fabulous, and a very good way to do oatmeal baths without gunking up the drains. I buy those iron-closed empty tea bags (the big ones, 4x5) in bulk packages of 50 or 100 - they're quite inexpensive - and package the filled tea-bags up in bags of 10 or so for a gift. I love the muslin bags but have personally found that herbs and other plant materials mold quickly in them if repeatedly wetted and dried and so were only usable a couple of times - so I use the muslin bags for things that would stay dry like stinky-shoe-savers, lavender dryer bags, sachets, etc. (Here's where I get that stuff, as well as herbs I use in large amounts like lavender. It's a wholesaler that sells to anyone as long as you can cobble up a $30 minimum, and with the range of things they have that's not difficult IMO!)

Mitchdesj:

You can find Badedas -- it has bath stuff of all sorts on Amazon.com.

Honestly -- it makes a wonderful bath! :)

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Snort! Johnmari, welcome back. I missed you. That is all I can add to this thread.

jm. I love cedarwood so I might try that with the camphor smell. DH was on a business trip in Paris and went into a Herbeus shop, that's where he got the ravintsara, I thought it would be easy to find here, the bottle's almost done.

I almost missed your reply Johnmari - thanks for the info about the jasmine. And the info on where to buy.

tina

Hey golddust, I was thinking about you not too long ago. How's our "mascot" Lord Daniel?

Well, a spammer resurfaced this, but there's some names here that I miss!