How to Make Homemade Bath Salts

Co-authored by Renee Hughes

Last Updated: July 6, 2024 References

Bath salts are a relaxing, soothing, and moisturizing addition to any bath, and making your own is a fun and inexpensive DIY project that you can do in your kitchen! Homemade bath salts also make excellent gifts, or selling them at your local farmers market or craft fair could also earn you some extra money. Basic bath salts are typically made from a combination of salts, baking soda, and essential oils. But one of the best things about making your own bath salts is that you can customize the color, scents, and aromas by adding different ingredients, herbs, and oils.

Ingredients

Basic Bath Salts

2 cups (576 g) salts for the bath
1/4 cup (96 g) baking soda
15-30 drops essential oils

Sea Salt Mix

1 cup sea salt
1 cup epsom salt
1 tsp of your desired essential oil
Ground dried herbs or flower buds of your choice (optional)

Salt and Baking Soda Mix

1 cup epsom salt
1 cup baking soda
2 tbsp liquid glycerin
Essential oils of your choosing (as much as needed)
Dried herbs or flowers of your choosing (optional)

Salt, Clay, and Borax Mix

2 cups epsom salt
2 cups borax
½ cup kaolin clay powder
Essential oils of your choosing (as much as needed)

Optional Additions

2 teaspoons (12 ml) glycerin
1/8 cup (30 ml) jojoba or sweet almond oil
Fresh herbs or flower petals
Skin-safe fragrance
Skin-safe coloring
Juice and zest from a citrus fruit
1-2 teaspoons (6-12 ml) extract, such as vanilla or orange

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Making Basic Bath Salts

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1
Prepare your ingredients and supplies. Along with the required and desired extra ingredients, you will also need some tools and supplies, including a:
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowl and spoon (or a resealable plastic bag)
- Spatula
2
Mix your salts. There are many popular salt choices for bath salts, many of which are sea salts. You can mix and match your salt ratios depending on your personal preferences. With a spoon, mix together the desired portions of salt together in a medium bowl. Some of the most common bath salt choices include:
- Epsom salts, which aren’t actually a salt, but rather magnesium sulfate in crystal form. Epsom salts are soothing for the muscles and help to soften the water. ^{[1]
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- Sea salts, and especially Dead Sea salts, which can reduce the symptoms of arthritis, rheumatism, psoriasis, and eczema.
- Hawaiian red bath salts, which may help with wounds, aches, and sprains.
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3
Add the baking soda and essential oils. Once the salts are mixed together, stir in the baking soda. When that has been incorporated, add your desired essential oils. Stir in five drops at a time until they are fully incorporated, and continue adding in increments of five drops until you achieve the desired potency.
- Instead of using a bowl and spoon to mix your bath salts, you can instead mix all the ingredients together in a resealable plastic bag. Once the ingredients are in, seal the bag, and use your hands to mash the salts together with the baking soda and essential oils. ^{[2]
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4
Add additional ingredients. To add color to your bath salts, add five drops at a time like you did with the essential oils until you achieve the desired shade and vibrancy. ^{[3]
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Research source} You can use food coloring, soap coloring, or another skin-safe color.
- Similarly, if you want to add glycerin ^{[4]
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  Research source} or oil to your bath salts for an extra moisturizing concoction, add those now and stir to mix.
- Other optional ingredients include fruit zest and juice, fresh herbs and seeds, flower petals, and extracts.
5
Bake the mixture. This step is optional, but it will help to dry out the bath salts and remove clumps. It’s important to bake it on low heat, however, to prevent the oils and fragrances from burning off. ^{[5]
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- Preheat your oven to 200 F (93 C).
- Spread the bath salt mixture evenly over a baking sheet.
- Bake the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove the bath salts from the oven and allow to cool.
To use your bath salts, simply add one-half cup to the running water as you draw your bath. ^{[6]
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Research source} Store the remainder in an airtight jar, such as a mason jar or old jam jar. ^{[7]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Sea Salt Mix

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You will need one cup of sea salt, one cup of epsom salt, and one teaspoon of an essential oil of your choice. You can also choose to add dried herbs or flower buds for extra scent; grind these in a food processor to a powder before mixing it with your salts.
In a bowl, mix the salts together first. Then, slowly add your essential oils. Make sure to spread them thoroughly and to mix well, so that all of your salts come into contact with the oil.
Keep your bath salts in a sealed container. To use, sprinkle a few tablespoons into warm bathwater and allow time to dissolve. Enjoy!

Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Salt and Baking Soda Mix

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You will need one cup of epsom salt, one cup of baking soda, two tablespoons of liquid glycerin, and essential oils. Adding dried herbs or flowers can also add extra scent and beauty to your bath salts.
Start by mixing the epsom salt and baking soda together. Then, add the liquid glycerin and combine well. Use as much scented oil as you would like, but make sure that you thoroughly mix it with all of the ingredients.
Pour all of the bath salt mixture into a container with a lid, and store it between uses. Add a few tablespoons to hot bathwater and enjoy the skin-softening effects!

Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Salt, Clay, and Borax Mix

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Use two cups of epsom salts, two cups of borax, ½ a cup of kaolin clay powder, and essential oils of your choice. The kaolin clay and borax work together to soften the water and your skin, as well as to provide other mineral health benefits including muscle relaxation and reduced tension.
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir completely. Slowly add in your essential oils to your desired scent amount, making sure to incorporate it with all of the mixture.
Keep your finished bath salts stored in a large, sealed container between uses. Sprinkle a few tablespoons into your bathwater and let it soothe your stress away. Enjoy! ^{[8]
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Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Customizing Bath Salts

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1
Make pain-relieving bath salts. The basic bath salt mixture can be spruced up for any occasion or for a personalized gift, and there are many options for adding new ingredients, extracts, and oils. To make a relaxing and soothing bath salt mixture, take your basic bath salts and gently stir in:
- One tablespoon (2.4 g) of fresh rosemary
- Two tablespoons (4.8 g) of lavender flowers
- Peppermint essential oil, 10 drops
- Eucalyptus essential oil, five drops
- Rosemary essential oil, five drops
- Lavender essential oil, five drops
- Cinnamon essential oil, five drops
2
Try citrus bath salts. For a refreshing and rejuvenating bath, try a citrus bath salt mix. Choose a citrus fruit (or combination), such as orange, lemon, or lime. Zest the fruit and add the zest to your basic bath salt mixture. Then, cut the fruit in half, extract the juice, and add this to your bath salt mixture as well. ^{[9]
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Research source} Complementary essential oils include:
- Bergamot
- Tangerine
- Grapefruit
- Orange, lemon, or lime
- Mint ^{[10]
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3
Experiment with herbal bath salts. Herbal bath salts for relaxing and refreshing baths can be made using a combination of essential oils, extracts, and one to two tablespoons (2.4 to 4.8 g) of dried or fresh ground herbs. ^{[11]
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Research source} Once you’ve added the herbs, rub the salt and herbs together in your fingers to release the oils. Some of the more popular bath-time herbs include:
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Mint or peppermint
- Basil
- Sage
4
Have a medicinal bath. When you are sick or feeling under the weather, a calming bath with medicinal bath salts might be exactly what the doctor ordered. To make a batch of cold-relieving bath salts that will help clear your sinuses, add in: ^{[12]
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- Five to 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
- Five to 10 drops of rosemary essential oil
- Two tablespoons of fresh or dried ground peppermint
5
Go floral. Similar to the herbal bath salt concoction, floral bath salts can be made with a combination of essential oils and fresh or dried flower petals or pods. Like with the herbs, if you are using fragrant flowers like lavender, rub the flowers or leaves between your fingers to release the oils after adding them to the salt. Popular flower choices are: ^{[13]
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- One-quarter cup (9.6 g) of rose petals
- One-quarter cup (9.6 g) of chamomile flowers
- One to two tablespoons (2.4 to 4.8 g) of lavender flowers or leaves
- Fresh vanilla or vanilla extract
- Ylang ylang essential oil
6
Create multi-colored bath salts. If you used coloring agents to give your bath salts different colors, you can mix and match layers in the same jar to create fun and unique rainbow bath salts. For instance, you could layer together a mint-green mixture and a pink grapefruit blend to create a minty, citrusy, morning bath salt mix.
- Pour in two to three inches of your first bath salt color choice. Shake the jar gently and tilt it so the salts settle on an angle. Then, add one to two inches of another color, and tilt the jar to help the new layer settle at the same angle. ^{[14]
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- Repeat with as many colors as desired. Be sure to slightly vary the thickness of each layer.

Community Q&A

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Question

Which essential oils go the best with these salts?

Community Answer

Lavender if you want something calming; citrus or peppermint for energizing; a combination of thieves, peppermint, eucalyptus and citrus when you feel ill.

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Question

Can I make these without using sea salt instead of Epsom salt?

Hannah Rose Mason

Community Answer

Yes! Substituting sea salt will not change the overall quality of the bath salts. Go with your preference.

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Question

Should I bake the salts before or after I add the color?

Community Answer

Bake the salts after everything has been added, including the color. If you add color in after the baking, your salts will blend together and partially dissolve, causing sticking in your container.

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Tips

For a relaxing bath, dim the lights or use candles instead. You can also burn incense for an additional ambiance, listen to relaxing music, and practice deep breathing while in the tub.

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If you are allergic to normal salt use Epsom salt.

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If you do not own Epsom salt, then use sea salt as a replacement.

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Warnings

Do not use for babies or very young children.

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In the high humidity of a bathroom, your salts may get lumpy. Use your scoop to break up lumps before using, or shake the jar often.

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Do not add too much essential oil, because it may irritate the skin.

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Women who are pregnant, especially in their 3rd trimester, should not use bath salts, nor should people with high blood pressure or edema (swelling).

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You might not wish to include the glycerin if you are experiencing problems with clumping. Glycerin while moisturizing the skin also draws moisture to itself and the result can often be rock hard bath salts.

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You should use caution when adding essential oils that may irritate the skin; most oils must be diluted in a carrier oil before use on skin. Oils such as lemon, lemongrass, peppermint and wintergreen may do this. Consult with a professional before using them.

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How to Make Homemade Bath Salts

Ingredients

Basic Bath Salts

Sea Salt Mix

Salt and Baking Soda Mix

Salt, Clay, and Borax Mix

Optional Additions

Steps

Making Basic Bath Salts

Sea Salt Mix

Salt and Baking Soda Mix

Salt, Clay, and Borax Mix

Customizing Bath Salts

Community Q&A

Tips

Warnings

You Might Also Like

References

About This Article

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