Today we are making, in reverse order, Bath Salts, Bath Bombs and Massage Oil Bars to give as gifts to teachers and friends.
Bea’s been wanting to make these massage oil bars for months! They’re amazing!
DIY Massage Oil Bars
Supplies
Beeswax
Cocoa or Shea Butter
Coconut Oil
Essential Oil [or flavoured extract in a pinch]
[Optional Spice or dried flowers/herbs]
Silicone Molds
Method
In a saucepan, melt equal parts: Beeswax, Cocoa or Shea Butter, Coconut Oil.
Add several drops of Essential Oil.
Dust a bit of spice or drop some dried herbs into the silcone molds if desired.
Pour hot mixture into silicone molds.
Cool or Refrigerate.
Enjoy a good massage!
These bars are best stored in the refrigerator or a cool, dry place.
Next up, we’re revisiting our famous Mini Fizzy Bath Bombs, sans the Pop Rocks!
DIY Bath Bombs
makes 20-22 small bombs
Supplies
1 c baking soda
.5 c cornstarch
.5 c epsom salts [finer grind works better, you can always pulverize them in a food processor or coffee grinder]
.5 c citric acid [you can source this at your local bulk or health food store]
2 tsp essential oil or “pure” extract [We divided this recipe in two, using 1 tsp peppermint essential oil in one batch and 1 tsp pure orange extract in the other. Feel free to “mix” oils and extracts – vanilla/almond? eucalyptus/orange? rosemary/peppermint? ]
3 tsp pure coconut oil or other light oil [vegetable oil, baby oil, almond oil, Neutrogena Sesame body oil]
2 tsp water
6-16 drops food colouring [we divided this recipe in two and used 8 drops blue in the mint batch and 6 drops of yellow in the orange.]
Optional: 4 tsp total glitter, dried herbs, spices, or flower petals]
a small spray bottle [the finer mist the better, full of water
nonstick mini muffin tin
mixing bowls
whisk
wax or parchment paper
Method
Whisk all dry ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
Stir all wet ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.
With the whisk still in the dry ingredients bowl, add the wet ingredients to the dry bowl and continue whisking vigorously.
Some fizzing may occur. Don’t worry. Aim your whisk at the fizzy bits and whisk away!
Whisk until the mixture becomes like wet but not mushy or gloppy sand.
How do you tell? Start checking the mixture with your hands! Squeeze a bit in your palm! Can you make a small wonton?
If necessary, mist the too-dry mixture with 1-2 squirts of water and stir quickly. [We used 6-8 mists per half-batch.]
Again, the mixture should be mouldable but not mushy. [See visual DIY below!]
With your clean, dry hands, press the bath bomb mixture firmly into the cavities of a nonstick mini-muffin tin.
Let the tin sit for 5-10 minutes.
Quickly reverse the tin onto a large sheet of wax or parchment paper.
Remove tin carefully, and gaze at your beautiful bath bombs! But don’t touch them yet!
Allow the bombs to dry out in a cool, dry place for 1-3 days.
[If you’re super impatient, you could try to put the oven on as low a temperature as possible [150F, if your oven goes that low, or 175-200F with the oven-door cracked, the way you would with a homemade fruit roll-up] and “dry” the bombs on a parchment lined cookie sheet for a couple of hours. But patience is a virtue…And you’re better off using your low and slow oven for healthy fruit leathers.]
To use the bath bombs, plop one or more into a tub full of warm water and enjoy the fizzy goodness.
For our summer pop-rocks version, see our sister site: Kids DIY Mini-Glittery Pop Rocks Bath Bombs.
And, finally, the easy-peaziest, last-minutest….
DIY Bath Salts
Ingredients
Epsom Salts
Coarse Sea Salts [Optional: We did not use them]
Baking Soda
Essential Oils [Or extracts, in a pinch]
Dried Herbs such as lavender, cloves, star anise, vanilla pods [Optional]
Food Colouring [Optional – use the cheap stuff, not the gel colours for confections]
Method
Mix seven parts epsom salts [or a mix of epsom and coarse sea salts] with 1 part baking soda.
Add several drops of essential oil and food colouring [if desired] and stir well.
If desired, add dried herbs such as lavendar, cloves, star anise or spent vanilla pods and mix in.
Store in a well-sealed container until use.
Pour salts into hot bath water and enjoy a long hot bathe.
Now, how about a few printable labels or graphics??
Advent Day 8… Out of the Park!!!
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