How to Make DIY Simple Herbal Bath Salts
Herbal bath salts are a wonderful way to relax, rejuvenate, or simply enjoy a good bath. Here are some easy recipes and step-by-step instructions to get the most out of your bath.
Herbal Baths in History
Humans have enjoyed the benefits of bathing with herbs for centuries. Cleopatra was famed to take milk baths with rose petals and oils back in 40 BCE. Lavender, rose, and chamomile were frequently used by Romans in their famous baths.
These herbs served two important purposes. First, bathing didn’t happen as often back in days, so adding fresh scent to your soak helped prolong the effects of bathing. Second, as we know today, herbs can have wonderful properties to aid in healing, relaxation, focus, and more. There really is nothing quite like soaking in a hot bath to cure what ails you.
Why are Herbal Bath Salts Effective?
Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies. Incredibly, it can absorb vitamins and minerals just by applying them topically or in this case, soaking in them for a while.
Depending on what herbs you incorporate, you can experience a calming of your nerves, muscle relaxation, skin soothing, invigoration, better sleep, and more!
Epsom salts have the benefit of being high in magnesium (magnesium sulfate), which aids in relaxing sore muscles, easing pain, and as an added bonus helps promote restful sleep.
Creating Your Herbal Bath Blend
Making homemade bath salts is incredibly easy. For my favorite relaxing bath recipe, combine the following herbs in a large bowl.
- 2 Cups of Chamomile
- 2 Cups of Calendula
- 1 Cup Lavender
- 1/2-1 Cup Rose Petals
Toss the herbs loosely until well combined and that’s it! Your herbs are ready to go.
You can use fresh herbs for this if you like, though you will need to nearly double the amount called for, and you will need to use them within a day or two of harvesting them to maintain their effectiveness.
Store your dried herbs in an airtight container such as a glass jar. Mason jars work well for homemade gifts, but I love a pretty swing-top jar. The herbs have an indefinite shelf life so there is no rush to use them up.
You might be surprised to know, I do not recommend mixing the herbs and the salt together. Do they look beautiful in a jar? Absolutely. However, if you dump a cup of herbs into your tub regularly, you are just asking for plumbing problems and issues with your septic tank. Additionally, the last thing you want to do after a relaxing herbal bath is to have to clean up your tub. Loose herbs in the bath will stick to the sides of your tub, in your hair, and on your skin.
Again, you can absolutely combine the salt and herbs together if you choose to do so. One cup of the herbal mixture combined with two cups of salt will just about fill a mason jar.
How to Brew An Herbal Bath with Salts
There are a few simple ways to brew an herbal bath. My personal preference is the bag method or using a french press.
Bag Method
Get yourself a basic cotton bag (sometimes called a muslin bag) that has a drawstring. One like this would work great. Nothing fancy, just something to get the job done. You could even use a few layers of cheesecloth tied well at the top in a pinch.
Fill the cotton bag with one cup of the herbal blend, then hang it underneath your tub faucet. Turn the water up as hot as it will go until the tub is about half full, letting the water run directly through the giant teabag you just made. After a few minutes reduce the water temperature so you end up with warm water that isn’t scalding.
If you’d like to add epsom salts to the bath, pour in two cups of unscented salts and swish them around with your hand until they are fully dissolved.
Once the tub is half full, make sure the bag is secure at the top, and let it float around in the water.
Soak in the tub for at least twenty minutes, and you can even use the tea bag as a washcloth.
When you are done, I find that hanging the bag of herbs and letting them dry in there for a day or two makes it much easier to dump them out.
Tea Method
To make an herbal tea preparation, place one cup of herbs in a large stock pot on your stove. Pour 1.5 quarts of water over top. Bring the water to just below boiling, then stir the herbs well in the water. Turn off the heat, cover, and let them steep for 15-20 minutes. Covering the herbs is important, as the steam rising off the hot water will actually take some of the volatile oils with it.
Pour the mixture through a sieve and into a bowl. Next, pour this bath tea directly into your tub. If you would like to add salt to this, pour in two cups of bath salts (I recommend unscented) and stir it around with your hand until it all dissolves.
French Press
I know not everyone has a French press, but these are so slick for brewing herbal teas.
Heat water to just below boiling then add one cup of the herbs to your press. Pour the water over the herbs and place the cover on the French press. Let this sit for 15-20 minutes. Press down the plunger, then pour the pressed herbal tea directly into the tub. As with the other methods you can add in two cups of epsom salts if you like.
Homemade Herbal Bath Salt Recipes
They sky is the limit with herbal bath recipes and you can certainly mix and match herbs to create your own. Here are a few simple recipes to get you started. Each of these recipes will make enough for 4-5 baths.
Lemon Balm Uplifting Bath
This bath is an uplifting one, by combining the calming herbs of lavender and chamomile with the bright and cheerful scent of lemon balm.
- 1 Cup Lemon Balm
- 1/2 Cup Chamomile
- 1/2 Cup Lavender
- 1/2 Cup Rose Petals
Invigorating Bath
If you are looking for a bath to wake you up and bring you energy, this is a great combination to try. On the rare occasion I get to bathe during the day, this is my go-to.
- 1.5 Cups Peppermint
- 1 Cup Calendula
- 1/2 Cup Bay or Eucalyptus
- 1/2 Cup Rosemary
- 1/2 Cup Sage
Relaxing & Bedtime Bath
I keep a jar of this herbal blend in my bathroom so I can easily give an extra calming boost to bathtime for my kids. It’s gentle, smells lovely, and makes the kids smell like little flower gardens after the fact.
- 2 Cups Calendula
- 2 Cups Chamomile
- 1 Cup Lavender
- 1/2-1 Cup Rose Petals
Exploring More Herbs
I invite you to use your own garden for inspiration in making your own herbal baths. Thyme and Eucalyptus for example can be wonderful for helping with chest congestion. Of course we covered that chamomile, and lavender can be wonderful for relaxation. Calendula in a cool bath be wonderfully healing for sunburn.
Be sure to do thorough research on any new herbs you choose to explore, including any negative effects they may have.
Skin Reactions
As with using any sort of herb, make sure you watch for any adverse reactions your body might have to them. All the recipes shared above are, for the most part, considered to be very safe herbs.
Still, you never know you have a sensitivity to something until you are exposed to it, so always use caution when first brewing an herbal bath. Read my full disclosure here.
Essential Oils in Herbal Baths
I’m kind of a grump when it comes to essential oils, as I think people often use a way higher dilution than they often should and/or use them as a cure-all. I do not personally recommend essential oils in any of these herbal baths.
For one, the herbs themselves are very potent and smell amazing. You don’t need to add in the essential oils for fragrance.
Second, it is hard to get the oils to dilute properly. Even if shaken onto the herbs, oil and water do not mix very well. You risk a higher chance of skin irritation, especially around your private bits.
We often use herbal baths for our kids’ bath time, and many essential oils aren’t even recommended for use with children under two.
If you do choose to add in different essential oils, I would use lavender essential oil, chamomile, etc. Place a few drops of essential oil into a small bowl, then add in a tablespoon or so of carrier oil.
Toss one cup of your herbal mixture in the oil blend, then use as directed above.
