[en español]

contributed by Leanne Guenther

The recipe assumes you are making this with a few children or if you're making the project to package as gifts for a couple of people.  You can half or quarter it if you are only want one batch.

Materials:

• One large bowl (ex:  empty margarine container) per color for mixing
• 4 cups Epsom Salts (purchase at the drug store)
• 2 cups coarse salt or 1 cup table salt  - I prefer coarse salt -- we actually used pickling salt because it's inexpensive.
• 1 cup baking soda
• food coloring
• jars with wide mouths and lids (baby food jars and small jam jars work well)
• spoon
• tissue paper or scraps of cloth
• ribbon or wool.
• Optional:  sea shell for scooping
• Optional:  1/2 tsp glycerin  (purchase at the drug store).
• Optional:  essential oil  (scented oils like vanilla or citrus) -- available at most craft stores (I also use them for candle making)
  OR
• Optional:  a few drops of strong perfume (erm, this is a good use for some of the perfumes you might get for mother's day that you don't really wear much *grin*)
  OR
• Optional:  leaves or petals of scented plants - lavender, scented geraniums, honeysuckle, jasmine and rose petals all work well.
   
  Note:  If making them for men (Grandpa Bob likes to bath!), use male scents - ask to use a few drops of dad's cologne!

Instructions:

• Mix the two kinds of salt and baking soda together in one large bowl
• Optional:  Add 1/2 tsp glycerin and about 10 drops essential oil (or about 5 drops of perfume) to the big batch of salt. If you have a nice herb garden you can also chose some nice smelling plants to chop up and put in your bath salts, I used lavender and citronella (scented geraniums).
  • Sprinkle it all over instead of dumping in one spot so it's easier to mix.
  • Mix well.
• Split the salt into as many batches as you need for the colors you want (for example, if you want pink, blue and white you'd use three bowls and split the salt into three batches).
• Add two to six drops of the color you have chosen and mix well with the spoon. 
   
  • Don't get too carried away with the food color -- keep it pastel -- we don't want to turn grandma's skin blue!
  • Note:  Put each drop in a different spot so the mixing is easier
• Carefully spoon the salt into the jar.
• If you want to add a nice touch put a small seashell at the top of the salts for scooping.
• While spooning, you can alternate colors to give a nice pattern.
• Tightly seal the jar.
• Tie a ribbon around the jar and add a gift tag if you like.
• Use up to 1/2 a cup of the salt per bath

Free Custom Printable Gift Tags from DLTK-Cards

Printable Version of this Recipe