How to Make Bath Soaks: Plus DIY Detox Bath Soak for Cold Relief

6 Materials
$15
5 Minutes
Easy

Runny noses and chest congestion are always a challenge. Whether you have a cold or are suffering from seasonal allergies, this DIY detox bath soak is a natural way to enjoy symptom relief. Discover the different types of cosmetic bath salts used to create salt soak recipes. Learn how to make a detox soak. Plus, explore my other natural bath soak recipes that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

What Is A Natural Bath Soak?


Natural bath soaks are natural way to care for skin, while also taking time out to relax and unwind. These bath time products make consist of herbs and essential oils their aromatherapeutic benefits. However, they may also contain soaking salts such as Epsom salt or magnesium flakes. The ingredients used when learning how to make bath soaks determine the benefits the bath will have.

What Types of Cosmetic Salts Are Used to Make Bath Soaks?


There are several types of cosmetic salts that are commonly used to make DIY bath soaks: Epsom salt, Dead Sea salt, sea salt, Pink Himalayan salt and Magnesium Flakes. Following you’ll find an overview of these popular ingredients and their skin care benefits.


This information can help you when you are formulating your own bath soak recipes. As you’ll have the information you need to know which salt works best for the type of bath soak you want to make — a healing bath recipe, a pain relieving bath soak, a soak to help you unwind, or a DIY detox bath soak.


Dead Sea Salt


Dead Sea salt is a common ingredient used to formulate spa day recipes for natural skin care. This cosmetic salt is extracted from the saline and mineral rich marshes of the Dead Sea, then solar dried As a result this salt is extremely rich in nutrients and contains an abundance of numerous key elements. As such, it is widely renowned as the best therapeutic salts available.

Himalayan Pink Salt


Himalayan pink salt is one of the purest salts available and is used both therapeutically and in cosmetic preparations. Derived from ancient sea salt deposits, Himalayan pink salt provides many essential minerals and trace elements. In addition, this salt balances electrolytes, supports proper nutrient absorption, eliminates toxins, balances the body’s pH, and increases circulation. Therefore, this ingredient is a great choice for a detox bath soak.


Epsom Salt


Epsom salt is a common ingredient used to make both bath salts as well as detox bath soaks and pain relieving bath soaks. This is because this cosmetic salt possesses properties that help sooth, relax, and relieve sore muscles. Comprised primarily of magnesium and sulfates, Epsom salt won’t leave your skin feeling dry. Rather, skin soaked in a bath containing Epsom salt will have a soft and silky texture after a long soak.


Sea Salt


Sea salt is essential to good health and is used by the human body to function properly. The sodium in sea salt serves as an electrolyte and assists with regulating the electrical charges within our cells while chloride supports potassium absorption, enhances carbon dioxide transportation, regulates body fluid levels, and is an essential component of digestive acids. Sea salt is great for softening and rejuvenating the skin as well as relaxing muscular aches, pains, sunburns, rashes, and irritated skin. Therefore, this salt works well when used as an ingredient in pain relieving bath soak recipes.

Magnesium Flakes


Like Epsom salt, magnesium flakes have a high magnesium content. Also known as magnesium chloride, this salt is more easily absorbed by skin. Thereby, including this ingredient when learning how to make bath soaks will ensure your product provides pain relief of sore muscles and helps alleviate stress more effectively than other choices. Choose this salt for both detox baths as well as pain relief bath soaks for an incredible relaxing experience.


Bath Soak Benefits


Natural bath soaks provide numerous skin benefits. When using the product made from this recipe, you’ll experience relief from a number of common issues.


  • Using Epsom salt or magnesium flakes in the bath provides skin soothing benefits. These salts not detox skin and help you relax and unwind, but they also assist with pain relief from sore muscles or arthritis.
  • Soaking in water that has been enriched with cosmetic salts and herbs is an easy way to hydrate skin and reduce body inflammation.
  • Sea salt baths are a simple way to improve circulation in your body and reduce swelling.
  • Detox baths made using salt and baking soda can help with a variety of skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis and generalized dry skin.


How Do You Make Bath Soaks with Essential Oils?


Essential oils are not water soluble. Therefore, when adding to a bath, they will float to the top of the water. This allows undiluted essential oils to come into contact with skin. For safety, essential oils should always be diluted prior to skin care applications. As such, to make bath soaks with essential oils, you will need to dilute the oil prior to adding it to your bath.


While you can dilute essential oils in a carrier oil, these too will float on the surface of your bath water. To avoid this, you will need to use a product that acts as both an emulsifier and a solubilizer. Both polysorbate 20 and polysorbate 80 work for this application. Polysorbate 20 is best suited for liquid products. While polysorbate 80 works best in semi-solid products such as body scrubs and bath bombs. However, either will get the job done.


If you prefer not to use a synthetic ingredient, you may use vegetable glycerin or this natural solubilizer instead.


To add essential oils to this detox bath soak, dilute 10 drops in a Tablespoon of the solubilizer of your choice. Then thoroughly mix into the baking soda and salt mixture prior to adding to warm bath water.


Essential Oil Bath Soak Blends for Detox


Here are some essential oil blends that you can use to make a detox bath soak recipe:


Detox Bath Soak


If you enjoy a long soak in the bath, then you’re going to love this detox bath soak recipe for colds. Made with natural herbs and botanicals, this easy DIY helps with the relief of colds and seasonal allergy symptoms. Formulated with a long luxurious soak in mind, this spa day at home recipe is also perfect whenever you want to relax and unwind.


If you’re suffering from seasonal allergies and nasal congestion, or just caught that cold going around the office, then this relaxing recipe is a must! There are two ways to make this DIY bath soak. One choice is to create an herbal bath soak similar to a bath tea. This option is made using only a combination of dried herbs and botanicals with properties that help open nasal passages and alleviate cold and allergy symptoms. The other alternative is to include baking soda and a cosmetic salt in addition the the botanicals. If desired, essential oils may also be added for a more intense aroma.

Detox Bath Soak Recipe


This detox bath soak recipe can be made with simply or herbs or with both the dried botanicals and a combination of any of the optional ingredients listed. This natural product is ideal for natural relief of cold and allergy symptoms in addition to skin detox.


Ingredients


These are the ingredients necessary to make a basic herbal bath soak for cold relief:


  • Lavender flowers: Lavender is often used to help the body relax and relieve stress. A common ingredient in sleep remedies, lavender also has anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, this herb can also fight fungal infections and promote healing.
  • Rosemary leaves:This herb is rich in antioxidants. Like lavender, it also possesses strong anti-inflammatory properties when used for skin care applications. It helps to ease stress, increase circulation and fight bacteria.
  • Ginger root powder: Ginger is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Like the beauty benefits of ginger essential oil, ginger root powder is also a natural way to relieve pain symptoms.
  • Dried eucalyptus leaves: Eucalyptus has a number of benefits when used both in the shower or the bath. Not only does this dried botanical relieve stress, but it also provides pain relief and promotes respiratory health. Inhaling eucalyptus is a common remedy for colds as it helps clear mucus from nasal passages and relieves coughs. This makes it especially beneficial when tackling the symptoms resulting from sinus congestion, colds and sinus infections.


Optional Ingredients


To add detoxing skin care properties to this recipe, then you will want to include a combination of baking soda and salt. You may use any salt or combination of salts that you like to make this DIY detox bath:


  • Epsom salt or magnesium flakes: Both of these cosmetic salts contain magnesium which has been shown to not only relieve stress and anxiety, but also assist with the relief of pain symptoms. Like other salts, these ingredients also naturally detox skin.
  • Baking soda: Baking soda is an excellent choice for a DIY detox bath soak. This ingredient is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Therefore, it works to prevent acne breakouts and ease pain. In addition, this ingredients also helps to tighten pores. As baking soda may cause irritation or dry out skin, you may omit this product. Alternately, you can also swap out the baking soda with colloidal oatmeal, goat milk powder or another cosmetic salt of your choice. Another option for a detox bath soak recipe, is to use a cosmetic clay based on your skin type.

How to Make a Bath Soak


Here are the steps to follow to learn how to make a detox salt soak recipe:


  1. Begin by measuring out the dried herbs.
  2. Combine the ingredients in a glass bowl, then mix together with a spoon or other utensil.
  3. Now measure out the baking soda and cosmetic salt of your choice into a separate bowl. Mix to combine.
  4. Add the salt and baking soda mixture to the dried botanicals, then mix well.
  5. Next, divide the herbal bath soak mixture between two large cloth muslin bags. Then tie off to close.


How to Use a Detox Salt Bath


To use this natural bath soak, tie the bag onto the faucet of your tub. Then, fill the tub with warm water, allowing the water flow through the herbs. Once you sink into the bath, squeeze out the bag and place it behind your neck as you bathe. You also may use it to scrub your body with a bit of soap the same way you would a loofah.


Enjoy soaking in the tub for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. After this time, exit the bath and pat dry. Follow your bath by applying a best body moisturizer to further hydrate skin and lock in moisture. If you want to make your own moisturizers, I recommend this chocolate body butter as well as this rose body butter with anti-aging frankincense essential oil.


Tips for Usage


Here are some other ways to use this detox bath:


  • If desired, you may also add fresh eucalyptus leaves to float in the bathwater for a true spa quality experience at home.
  • Should you wish to add essential oils to this mixture for their aromatherapeutic benefits, combine 10 drops of essential oil or an essential oil blend with the solubilizer of your choice. Then combine with the salt and baking soda prior to mixing in the herbs. This breathe essential oil blend is excellent if you are suffering from a cold.
  • You can also use this natural recipe to make a delightful bath tea. To do this, simply omit the salt and baking soda. Then combine all the herbs in a single muslin bag. Follow the same directions for use.


Bath Soak Recipes

If you enjoyed this detox bath soak recipe, then be sure to give these other bath soak recipes a try:

  • Mineral Bath Soak Recipes: These relaxing mineral bath soak are formulated with essential oils to soothe sore muscles and ease away the stress of the day. Formulated using mineral rich sea salts for the ultimate self care experience, this spa day recipe is perfect to enjoy after a long day at work.
  • Herbal Bath Soak Recipe: Crafted using natural herbs and essential oils, this fragrant bath tea makes lovely addition for a spa day at home. Gift the finished product as relaxing homemade gift for someone special. Or treat yourself to long soak in the tub with this easy herbal recipe.
  • Pain Relieving Bath Soak: This easy pain relief bath salts recipe is made with Epsom salt and essential oils to soothe sore muscle pain. Formulated to safely and naturally ease muscle pain, detox skin and promote a sense of calm, this bath salt soak DIY is a great way to relax and soothe sore muscles and arthritis pain.
  • Essential Oil Bath Soak: This natural salt soak is made with a combination of eucalyptus and orange essential oils. Like my DIY detox bath soak, this recipe also assists in clearing nasal passages and common cold symptoms. While the aromatherapeutic blend of the essential oils aids in lifting your spirits.
  • Herbal Calendula Bath Soak: Upgrade your bath time routine with this chamomile calendula herbal bath soak recipe. This relaxing salt bath uses simple ingredients that help to relieve stress, condition skin and ease sore muscle pain.
  • Cold Support Bath Soak: This bath soak recipe is wonderful not just for boosting immunity to fight off illnesses, but it also can help with sore muscles and body aches associated colds and flu. It’s also effective at calming your body as well as relieving nausea or a distressed digestive system. Made using amyris essential oil and magnesium flakes, this homemade detox bath soak recipe also contains Epsom salt and lavender buds.


I hope you enjoyed my detox salt bath recipe as well as the information provided on the ingredients used to formulate natural bath soaks. For more natural body care recipes, be sure to follow Soap Deli News online. You can find and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram as well as on Pinterest. You can also subscribe via email.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
  • 2 tablespoons dried rosemary leaves
  • tablespoon dried ginger root powder
  • 2 tablespoons dried eucalyptus leaves
  • 1 Cup Epsom salt or magnesium flakes
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
Instructions

To make this detox salt soak recipe, begin by measuring out the dried herbs.
Combine in a glass bowl, then mix together with a spoon or other utensil.
Now measure out the baking soda and cosmetic salt of your choice into a separate bowl. Mix to combine.
Add the salt and baking soda mixture to the dried botanicals, then mix well.
Next, divide the herbal bath soak mixture between two large cloth muslin bags. Then tie off to close.
Suggested materials:
  • Lavender flowers
  • Rosemary leaves
  • Ginger root
See all materials

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Rebecca D. Dillon
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