How to make bath salts

What are bath salts?

Bath salts are a designer drug of abuse with reports of dangerous intoxication from emergency departments across the US. "Bath salts" are not a hygiene product used for bathing, as the name might imply, but are dangerous synthetic ("man-made") cathinones. Cathinones are stimulants found in the khat plant, grown in East Africa and southern Arabia.These mind-altering drugs are strong central nervous system stimulants that inhibit the dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake system (neurotransmitters in the brain).
Balt salts can lead to serious, and even fatal adverse reactions. The drug effect is a high or "rush" that is similar to methamphetamine (speed). They are often sold on the street as cheap substitutes for other stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine.

How to Make Homemade Herbal Bath Salts

Herbal bath salts are usually a combination of different salts, herbs, clays, and Essential Oils. This recipe is for a basic bath salt combination where you choose the herbs and essential oils based on what you wish the end results to be.

Equipment Needed to Make DIY Bath Salts

• Spoon for Mixing
• Measuring Cups
• Medium Mixing Bowl
• Pint Sized Mason Jar ( or another container for storage)

Ingredients to Make Homemade Herbal Bath Salts

• 1 Cup Epsom salt
• ½ Cup Himalayan or Dead Sea salt
• ¼ Cup Baking Soda
• ¼ Cup Dried Herbs
• 10-20 Drops Essential Oil(s) (optional)*

Add some bath salts to make your bath time more fun

*Note on essential oils: make sure you look up safety info on your selected essential oils before adding them to your bath salts. Essential oils are strong and you want to be sure to add only skin-safe essential oils to your bath.

Instructions on How to Make Herbal Bath Salts

1. In a bowl, add Epsom salt, your choice of Himalayan or Dead Sea Salt, and baking soda. Mix them well.
2. Once the salt and baking soda are combined add your dry herbs and mix again.
   Finally, add the (optional) desired amount of essential oils.
3. When all the ingredients have been combined, transfer your homemade herbal bath salts to your pint jar.

To use your homemade bath salt recipe, fill your tub with warm water and add a few tablespoons of your herbal salt mixture. When the salt appears to be mostly dissolved, start your relaxing soak.

If you don’t like bathing with loose herbs (it can be a hassle to clean up), you can also fill a good-quality muslin bag/sachet with your ingredients and toss it into your bath.

Salt bath benefits

Popping some salt in the bath comes with some wonderful benefits. Epsom salts and Himalayan salt are best, rather than grabbing your run of the mill table salt!
There are many benefits associated with using salts in your bath, including: 
1. Natural
Salt is, of course, an entirely natural product. Our oceans are full of it and bathing in the ocean has been a long-standing human preoccupation! Bearing in mind many bath products aren’t natural, and instead involve you submerging your body in a chemical concoction you’d probably avoid if you knew the real ingredients, choosing simple natural salt is preferable.
2. Detoxifying
Epsom bath salt benefits have long been hailed. One of the primary benefits of Epsom salt baths is that the minerals introduced to the water and absorbed by the skin help to detoxify the skin as well as reduce irritation and swelling . This is lauded for bringing numerous benefits from alleviating pain to even aiding weight loss. 
3. Magnesium
Another of the Epsom salt bath benefits is the high level of magnesium that you will benefit from as you soak in the tub. Magnesium is best absorbed through the skin, so getting it from a bath is wonderful and relaxing. 
4. Moisturising
It turns out that bathing in a bath filled with natural bath salts can actually improve the skin barrier function. This allows the skin to stay hydrated for longer. 
5. Muscle aches and pains
Muscle soak bath salts aren’t anything different from regular bath salts. Bath salts are known for relaxing tense muscles and reducing aches and pains. Indeed, there is some evidence that salt bath benefits extend to reducing inflammation which in turn eases pain.
6. Healing and wellness
Both the benefits of an Epsom salt bath and a Himalayan salt bath are gaining traction. More and more studies are emerging which show that salt baths can boost our immunity, perhaps through replenishing electrolytes, aiding cellular function and establishing balance. 
7. Soothing irritation and inflammation
Those with sore, dry or irritated skin will particularly benefit from a salt bath. Bath salts have long been used to calm irritation from skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
8. Natural scrub
Bath salts can be mixed into the warm water of a bath until they dissolve. Additionally, they can be used as the basis of a scrub used in the bath or even the shower. This way you can enjoy bath salt benefits and get the benefit of natural exfoliation. This will help your skin to look radiant and healthy. 
9. Lowers stress
Soaking in a bath can lower stress all by itself but add in bath salts and you have a potent de-stressing mix. The improved circulation helps you relax your body inside and out. Your muscles are eased. 
10. Sleep
Partly due to the magnesium, partly due to soothing aches and pains, and partly due to relaxing you and helping to regulate your temperature before bed, bath salt benefits extend to helping you sleep.