Thank you Yahoo! for sponsoring this post. While this was a sponsored opportunity from Yahoo!, all content and opinions expressed here are my own.
The wonderful thing about Christmas giving is that it gets everyone thinking about what their loved ones want and need. Maybe you have someone on your list who spend her whole year thinking about others. A nurse? A mom? A teacher, caregiver, or other thoughtful person? Do you know what that caring person really needs this time of year? A minute to relax!
Gifts that encourage you to take some time for yourself are sure to be appreciated. After I checked out this video on Yahoo! on how to DIY your own bath teas, I got the urge to make some spa gifts of my own. I love the idea of a week’s worth of bath teas and I think homemade soaking salts would be a fun accompaniment gift.
The base of the soaking salts is Epsom salt which can be purchased at most grocery stores, pharmacies, and even at the dollar store. It’s an inexpensive ingredient but Epsom salt baths are wonderful for relaxing sore, tense muscles.
Combine 1 cup of Epsom salt, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 10 drops of essential oil. I added a few drops of food coloring to my bath of salts, but that step is totally optional. The dye gives the salts a pretty color, but the small amount I used will not stain skin or the bathtub. As far as the oils go, you can choose whatever scent you would like, but scents like lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint are common spa-like scents.
Pour the soaking salts into a sealable container like a mason jar or apothecary jar and a pretty card. I created the card and you can download it for free here.
A few tips for using soaking salts:
- People diagnosed with high blood pressure should consult with their doctor before soaking with Epsom salts.
- After soaking, rinse off in the shower to remove any salt residue because it can be drying on your skin.
- Drink lots of water after finishing your soak.
When you have some downtime, check out Yahoo!’s DIY content. The #YahooDIY website features great ideas and project tutorials for everything from home décor to gardening.
I never knew how easy it was to make soaking salts… this looks easy and I bet it smells lovely! Thanks for the recipe!
Great gift idea! Love!
I need to make these for my youngest daughter. She loves anything spa and has opened her own spa in our house. As her main client, I think she needs these for her spa clientele. 😉 Thanks so much for the great idea!
A personal spa in your own house? That's a pretty good gig! 🙂