Epsom salts have a lot of uses including making a great bath soak for tired and sore muscles (I love soaking my feet after a long day of running around). You can use them plain or add essential oils for some added benefits. I also like adding a little plant-based (not synthetic) food coloring for a subtle color. I reuse jars and other containers but you can certainly buy more decorative containers, especially if you plan on gifting your bath salts. Speaking of gifting, these bath salts make a great gift from a child to a mom or grandmother since the recipe is so simple! I choose essentials oils that help with relaxation or pain relief. I used yuzu essential oil for its relaxation benefits in this recipe but there are so many other options. Eucalyptus oil makes a great option if you’re congested, peppermint or lavender for headaches or rose or ylang ylang for anxiety (and these both smell really good too). I also love this recipe because all of the ingredients are easy to find.

Easy DIY Relaxing Bath Soak

1 Cup of Plain Epsom salts

5-7 Drops of Your Choice of Essential Oil (You can find the yuzu oil I used here)

4-5 Drops of Plant-based Food Coloring (I like this one from Whole Foods)

A Clean Jar or Container (I reuse old jars but I also like these glass jars on Amazon)

Plain White Labels (completely optional, especially if you’re just making them for yourself)

Other Optional Additions:

1/4 cup of dried flower petals or buds (like lavender or rose. This would be a great idea if you’re giving as a gift)

2 Tablespoons of Baking Soda (will help hold the scent in the bath salts longer)

1-2 Tablespoons of Body Oil (sweet almond oil is good one)

Add Epsom salts to a medium bowl. Use hands to break up any lumps. Add essential oil a couple drops at a time and mix into salts until you get the desired intensity; you don’t want to do so much that the scent is overwhelming because essential oils are strong! Add food coloring a couple drops at a time as well until and mix until you get the desired shade (I use my hands for best results. Use gloves if you want to keep your hands clean). A little tip: If you want to mix colors to get a new color, mix them in a small container first and then slowly add to your salts. You can also mix in a gallon-size Zip Lock bag and blend it all together shake-and-bake style but I like using a bowl because it creates less waste.

Experiment with Scents and Dried Flowers

Homemade Bath Salts Are Easy AND Inexpensive

8lb. Bag of Epsom $5.95 on Amazon

Lavender ($7-$15), Lemon ($6-$10) and Peppermint Oils ($7-$10) are Affordable. I really like Zongle Therapeutics or Florihana for essential oils.

Plant-based Food Coloring $7 at Whole Foods

Jars FREE if you reuse ones that you already have at home. A set of 6 on Amazon is $17