I have an excess of lotions and bath salts which I do not use. They have been opened, but not used, and include; * Beaute' essentielle Creme Brulee scented body lotion 9.1 oz. * Beaute' essentielle Creme Brulee scented bath soak (salts) 7.0 oz. * Trader Joes Chamomile Dead Sea Bath Salts 10.5 oz. My seed want list is located at: http://www.gardenweb.com/members/exch/seedsnaughtweeds The shipping cost is more expensive then seeds, so please make a fair offer for trade. I also like anything garden related, mini shovels, garden deco, birdhouses, peat pellets, painted pots, candles, seed envelopes, homemade paper, gardening gloves, books...feel free to make an offer. This post was edited by seedsnaughtweeds on Fri, Jan 11, 13 at 20:51

According to their website, salts, essential oils, mud, etc. are fine - they even sell a line of these for use iin their tubs.

I don't bother coloring mine - I put them in colored jars instead. :-) (Actually, for our personal use, they're in a tightly lidded plastic tub under the sink. LOL) Or sometimes I added salts that had naturally occurring colors of their own depending on where they were produced, like the Hawaiian pink, Celtic gray, or Indian "black" salts. I've never used things like artificial dyes. I tend to be more of a minimalist to begin with, preferring my products to be in a more natural state - if I thought something really needed a color, I tended to use a (normally) non-irritating herb that would produce that color. For example, for a yellow-orange citrus-scented soap, I'd add some turmeric or annatto seed, or infuse herbs like rose madder or alkanet root (tricky, as it can stain permanently) into the oil mixture for a pink lotion. But, of course, you can do whatever you like. :-)

You can use either Epsom Salts or Sea Salts in your bath salt recipes. Here in the U.S., Epsom Salt is very cheap and easy to come by, which is why it is so popular. Here is a recipe from another board I belong to that you may find useful. As for what each ingredient does, I can't answer that one. I have never made bath salts although I have toyed with the idea (just haven't gotten around to it yet). Susan Bath Salts Sea salt, Epsom salts, or borax (one or a combination of all three) Essential oil in desired fragrance Food coloring Dried herbs such as rose petals or rosemary (optional) Powdered milk to moisturize skin (optional) Glass bottles or jars Combine the salts and add the oil one drop at a time. Gradually add coloring until the desired color is achieved. Add the dried herbs and powdered milk. Transfer the salts to decorative bottles or jars, and apply labels. Sprinkle the salts into your bathwater as the tub fills to release the aroma from the essential oil. Note: if you're using dried herbs in the recipe, tie the salts in a small muslin bundle before adding to the bath water so that the botanical material won't cling to your skin or clog the drain. _________________ Bright blessings, Rachel - Board Moderator/Owner http://www.scentbyspirit.com