Bath Salts: 8 Ways to Use Them

After a stressful day, a warm bath is just what you need to release the day's tension and relax your mind. Bath salts, dissolved in warm water, help tone the body and restore our psycho-physical balance. In this article, we will discover how to use them and how to make them easily and quickly at home.

Where to find bath salts

Bath salts can be purchased in all perfumeries, herbalists, and cosmetic stores. Although the product's composition is not complex, it is necessary to pay attention to the quality of the ingredients. Bath salts, in fact, are not all the same: they vary greatly depending on the type of salt and the essential oils added. Making them at home gives us the assurance of using a good quality and totally natural product: with a few simple steps, you will always have them available for your moments of well-being and relaxation.

What are bath salts for?

Adding a handful of salts to your evening bath will allow you to fully benefit from the properties of essential oils. You can choose a relaxing essential oil like Lavender or Ylang Ylang to relieve tension accumulated during the day, relax muscles, and sleep better at night. If you want to ward off mental fatigue and encourage breathing, you can add some balsamic and invigorating essential oils to your salts, such as Eucalyptus, Scots Pine, or Cajeput.

If you want to use the salts to improve circulation and detoxification from toxins, you can use Lemon, Cypress, or Juniper.

How to make bath salts at home

Making bath salts at home is easy and inexpensive. As we mentioned earlier, depending on the effects you want to achieve, you can choose different essential oils.

The necessary ingredients are:

• Preferably coarse sea salt (or Epsom salt, pink salt, or any other type of salt)
• A few drops of essential oil of our choice

In a bowl, add the salt, five or six drops of essential oil. Mix and let rest for a few hours so that the salt adequately absorbs the oil drops. When it's time for your bath, simply fill the tub with warm water and mix in a couple of spoons of salt. Once the salt has dissolved, you can immerse yourself, breathe deeply, and enjoy this small evening indulgence.

Are bath salts a drug?

Well, yes, bath salts can create a real addiction. For the intoxicating scent they release, for the softness they give to the skin, and for all the benefits they provide to our body, don't be surprised if you find yourself every evening wishing for a nice warm bath to relax and treat yourself to a few minutes.

For children

Mothers know it, the combination of children and bath time is not always easy. Adding a handful of bath salts to the tub water can be a way to transform bath time into a colorful and fun moment. The important thing is to choose the right ingredients: add 2 or 3 drops of Lavender or Chamomile, the most suitable essential oils for early childhood.

For dermatitis

Bath salts are a valid solution for all blemishes related to skin inflammation such as atopic dermatitis. In addition to having a calming action on the skin, they help rehydrate the hydrolipidic film, making the skin soft and free from redness. Choose Chamomile essential oil to soothe irritations; for an emollient effect, add a few drops of Patchouli or Ylang Ylang essential oil to the sea salt.

For muscle pain

Bath salts are an effective remedy for rheumatism, stress, muscle, and joint pain. These discomforts are very common, especially in the cold season. Sometimes, one is in a state of discomfort that cannot be deciphered, perhaps due to a cold snap or incorrect posture. Mix four or five drops of Clove essential oil with coarse kitchen salt for an analgesic action, while if you want something anti-inflammatory, camphor or lavender essential oil will be perfect for you.

For feet

Feet are the part of the body most subjected to daily stress, and a nice foot bath is what you need to make them softer and more hydrated. Since salt can sometimes dry out the skin, it is essential to additionally use very emollient essential oils in the tub, such as lavender and almond, which can also be used after the bath as a soothing massage. For a revitalizing foot bath, also try a few drops of peppermint essential oil to mix into the bath salts.

Bath salts for weight loss

Thanks to their high detoxifying power, bath salts help the body eliminate excess fat, facilitating weight loss. For this reason, combined with an adequate diet and moderate physical activity, their use contributes to whole-body weight loss. Just one bath a week will show improvements, which will be even more noticeable with the addition of cinnamon and ginger essential oils to the salts, which have antioxidant and stimulating properties.

Bath salts for cellulite

Water and salt are powerful allies in fighting cellulite and water retention. Diluted in bathwater, salt, based on the principle of osmosis, draws liquids retained in the tissues outwards, which are then eliminated through venous and lymphatic circulation. For a perfect anti-cellulite bath, pour a handful of bath salts into a tub of warm water. The best ones are those rich in essential oils with a draining effect such as Eucalyptus, Cypress, and Rosemary, while if you want to enhance the slimming action, choose Lemon and Bergamot. Stay immersed in the tub for at least twenty minutes. In addition to improving orange peel skin, you will also give yourself a pleasant moment of deserved well-being.

Bath salts for athletes

Fatigue and muscle tension are common for people who engage in fairly intense physical activity. For this reason, it is advisable to take a relaxing Epsom salt bath at least once a week to eliminate toxins and relieve muscle and joint pain. Epsom salt, in fact, is rich in magnesium, a very important mineral for all athletes. Along with the salt, we can also add essential oils with toning properties such as orange or rosemary essential oil, thus transforming our evening bath into a recharge of physical and mental energy.

Bath salts for circulation

A nice bath with scented salts is a godsend for those suffering from swollen and heavy legs, a common problem especially in women and which often becomes unbearable towards evening. The most suitable bath salts are undoubtedly those enriched with cypress essential oil, astringent and toning, and eucalyptus, which in addition to its draining properties adds refreshing ones and is perfect for reactivating circulation and removing excess water.

A fragrant greeting,

Barbara Pozzi and the Olfattiva team

And how do you use bath salts? Have you ever tried making them at home?

Comment on our article to share your experience!