Bath salt not only provides relaxation and rejuvenation, it can promote healing and skin benefits as well. Affordable and easy to create blends at home, bath salt is a staple for soothing aches and pains away while experiencing the sensory benefits of aromatherapy.
Types of Bath Salt
There are many different variations of bath salt in various grades, types, and scents. Some of the most common salts for the bath include:
- Dead Sea Salt: Procured from the body of water known as the Dead Sea, this white, mineral-rich salt is used for a variety of ailments. It is also popular as a bath addition.
- Himalayan Salt: This clean crystal salt ranges in color from sheer pink to dark red. Among its many minerals are traces of iron.
- Mediterranean Sea Salt: The salt from the Mediterranean Sea is a low-moisture, highly mineralized pure white salt.
- Organic Sea Salt: Organic sea salt comes from various locales and is usually light grey in color. It is not processed or refined, which helps it to retain its vital elements. As a result, its grade is usually coarse.
- Bali Reef Salts: Salts from the Bali Sea are usually sheer grey and porous. The natural dual-drying process used to obtain these salts makes them a good base for absorbing scents and oils.
- Pacific Sea Salt: Similar to the salts of the Mediterranean Sea, these are high-mineral, white salts that are also an economical choice.
- Epsom Salt: Epsom salt is another economical choice. It is derived from salt-rich pools of water and is actually the distilled crystal form of the mineral magnesium sulfate.
There are many other locations that produce excellent bath and sea salts, including Hawaii, France, and the Andes Mountains.
Grades
Bath salt comes in fine, medium, and coarse grades. Most dissolve quickly in water. The grade is simply a matter of personal preference. If you display your salts, the medium and coarse grades have an especially attractive texture for packaging and displaying. The finer grades are an excellent texture for exfoliating.
Scents
The range of scents for bath salt is incredible. Whether you are looking for a calming lavender or an energizing citrus, you can find virtually any scent you desire. Plain salts are also available for those who want to make their own salts or prefer an unscented bath product.
Many salts are also enhanced with color to give a pleasing appearance and complement the scent of choice, such as light green salts for a rosemary blend.
Some popular scent choices are:
- Lavender
- Juniper
- Citrus or Orange Blossom
- Rose
- Herbal scents such as Thyme, Rosemary, and Mint
- Chamomile
- Eucalyptus
- Apple
- Peach
- Cucumber Melon
- Vanilla
- Strawberry or Cherry
- Coconut
- Honeysuckle
- Jasmine
- Floral scents
There are hundreds of additional scents and scent blends. Many blends combine several scents, such as a wholesome milk and honey, a fall harvest blend of apple and cinnamon, a forest scent of pine and wildflowers, a garden scent from various flowers, or a tropical blend of coconut and pineapple.
Benefits
In addition to helping promote relaxation, soaking in salt provides a surprising number of skin benefits. For example, it helps:
- Exfoliate the skin
- Restore moisture
- Enhance skin with restorative minerals
- Ease minor skin irritation
It also helps skin disorders such as eczema or rashes.
Poor circulation, stiff muscles, and painful arthritis are other ailments that can benefit from the use of salt water.
Making Your Own
Simple to make, affordable, and pretty, do-it-yourself bath salt is a popular pampering item. Whether it's for yourself or to give as a gift, you need only a few simple ingredients to create something both useful and elegant.
To make basic bath salt, combine one cup of your choice of salts with one-quarter cup baking soda (adjust as needed for larger quantities). Add your favorite essential oil and food coloring if desired. Store in an airtight jar or container.
Shopping
There are many places to buy bath pampering items like salts -- these range from local department stores and specialty bath and body shops to discount stores and drug stores. Online shops that sell them include:
