New Moon Herbal Salt Detox Bath - Bath Blend of the Month

The time of the lunar cycle when the Moon goes dark — not visible in the sky at all — is known as a New Moon.  This is the perfect opportunity to discard things in your life you do not want.

2015 NASA photo

The day of the New Moon — the day before and the day after also — is a fortunate, rejuvenating time.

It is a time for:

+renewal
+making positive changes
+turning inward
+clearing false perceptions
+tapping into our inner knowing
+embracing fresh opportunities

+ a time to set new intentions

+ also a wonderful time for cleansing

Because at the time of the New Moon (as well as the Full Moon) our body’s capacity for detoxification and toxin removal is at its best. Just like the oceans’ tides — that ebb and flow with the electromagnetic effects of the Moon — our bodies are comprised mostly of water and are also naturally affected by this lunar influence.

One of the vital elements to cleansing with the New Moon, is the detox bath. And today I want to share a recipe for renewal on the New Moon. It’s a wonderful way to increase the energy on the night of the New Moon and/or the day(s) before and after.  The New Mon is set of Dec. 7th

New Moon Herbal Salt Detox Bath

Makes: three (3) large tea bags 

2 tablespoons dead sea salts

2 tablespoons Himalayan pink salt

1 tablespoon calendula flowers

1 tablespoon lavender flowers

1 tablespoon lemon balm

1 tablespoon rose petals

1 tablespoon jasmine flowers

essential oils of lavender (3 drops), jasmine (2 drops), and rose absolute (4 drops), optional (for a more budget-friendly option, simply use lavender)

Directions: Add all ingredients to a quart-sized glass jar. Place lid and shake gently until well combined. Allow jar to sit overnight Measure 1/4 cup of mixture into a draw-string muslin bag or one large tea bag and seal with the use of a household iron or as recommended. Store tea bags in a glass jar or brown kraft bag.

Best Bath Procedures:

1.      Prepare a hot bath.

2.      Add one bath tea bag to the tub.

3.      Dry brush the skin while waiting 2-3 minutes for the bath infusion to prepare

4.      Bathe for 20-30 minutes.

5.      Be sure to drink plenty of water before, throughout, and after the bath.

Warm Milk and Cookies Bath Salts - Monthly Bath Recipe

This bath salt mixture looks as lovely as it smells and makes for a silky-scented bathing experience. Great for a foot soak too! The recipe mixes up in just minutes and is easy to multiply if you want to make a bunch to give as several gifts.

1 cup Epsom salts
½ cup Dead Sea salt
½ cup dry nonfat milk powder
1 Tablespoon Orange peel, dried
1 Tablespoon Ginger Root, dried
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon chips
5 drops organic Orange essential oil
5 drops Ginger essential oil

Combine the salts, milk powder, and dried herbs in a glass or stainless steel bowl. Add essential oils and stir well to combine. Store in a jar or bottle with a cap.

To Use: Add 1/8 to 1/4 cup of mixture to a cotton muslin drawstring bag, hang bag over faucet, and run warm water through for a soothing bath. You can also toss the bag into the water while you soak.

Calendula and Rose Sea salt - Bath Blend of the Month

Last moth I suggested a Calendula Tea for the bath.  You can also make a soothing blend of softening herbs and sea salt that includes calendula.

Calendula and Rose Sea Salt 

Rose petals

Rosemary

Calendula petal

½ cup sea salt

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients together.  The amount of flowers and herbs is up to you, the more the merrier.  Place them all in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shape well.  Allow them to meld for two weeks before using.  

To Use: Place a large handful of the mixture in a muslin bag and place in a filling bath.  Soak and enjoy.

Rose is soothing to skin and calendula will relieve dry itching and irritated skin. Rosemary is lightly astringent and is rejuvenating and stimulating.

Relaxing Herbal Bath Mixture - Bath Recipe of the Month

Aromatherapy and Health Benefits of Certain herbs

Lemon balm: calming and soothing

Lemon peel: increases immunity from disease

Calendula: healing to skin cells, reduces inflammation and heals injured skin

Rosebuds: increase happiness with the release of endorphins; soothe irritated skin

Lavender flowers: reduce stress and relax large muscles

Chamomile: healing to skin cells

Catnip: mild sedative

Sea Salt: adds needed minerals to promote skin cell health

Relaxing Healing Herbal Bath Mix

Enjoy a relaxing bath with this fragrant mixture of dried herbs especially formulated to relax tense muscles and soothe the soul. The warm water releases the healing properties of the herbs which are then absorbed by your skin. The therapeutic effect of a relaxing bath will result in 20 minutes. Light a candle, sip a cup of herb tea and relax in a warm bath. A spa treatment right at home!

6 Tbls. lavender

6 Tbls. lemon balm

2 Tbls. Chamomile

2 Tbls. Roses

2 Tbls. lemon peel

2 Tbls. calendula

2 Tbls. catnip

2 Tbls. sea salt 

Directions:

Mix herbs in container and store in a tightly lidded jar.  Makes roughly 1 ½ cups

To Use: Place one tablespoon of relaxing bath mix into a muslin bag, coffee filer or even a tea ball and close securely. Add the bag to warm tub water and infuse while tub is filling. Remove bath sachet from tub and allow to drain. Therapeutic effect of a relaxing bath will begin to be seen in about 20 minutes.

Monthly Bath Blend - Fizzy Beer Salts

Beer baths have been popular in Europe for years, costing up to $60 a bath.  They claim the beer will soften the skin, make it more elastic, and promote tissue metabolism.  It is touted as great for psoriasis, eczema, and itchiness. Personally, I think it’s fun and definitely a novel & unique way to enjoy an intoxicating soak!  In our house beer is for making Belgian waffles so there is often an extra bottle or two from the last batch of waffles for me to use for this bath recipe.

There are many good aspects to this blend.  The ingredients are filled with minerals, vitamins and nutrients your skin and body need.  Always remember that the skin is your largest organ and can absorb many health nutrients. 

Citrus essential is chocked full of vitamins, enzymes, and nutrients that promote vibrant, clear skin. It’s exfoliating properties leave your skin brighter and silky smooth.  The Sea salts and Epsom salts in a bath can replenish the body’s minerals and soak away minor aches and pains.

“Fizzing” in this recipe comes not just from the beer, but from the combination of Baking Soda and powdered Citric Acid. When dry, they can be stored together with no reaction. Put them together in bath water and you have an effervescent delight, especially with some lime essential oil added to delight the senses!

Epsom salts and Sea salts can be obtained from a drug store, grocery store, or health food store. Look in the pharmacy section, or the baking section. Lime essential oil can be found in a health food store.  Powdered citric acid can be found in the “canning” section of grocery stores or hardware stores, or you can get some from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Your final product can be stored in canning jars but you can use empty, dry beer bottles for a great theme.

Fizzy Beer Bath Salts

1 cup Epsom slats

1 cup sea salts

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup powdered citric acid (optional, delete if you don’t need the “fizz”)

10-20 drops lime essential oil

Mix the above ingredients and place in dry, waterproof container.

To Use:

Slice a lime in half and set on tub edge.  Add one can or bottle of beer to hot bath. Add 1 cup “Fizzing Beer Bath Salts” to bath, slip in.  Rub lime halves all over your face, arms, hands, anywhere you want to exfoliate your skin. Let sit on your skin a few minutes then slip under the water to rinse off and feel the fizz.

Bath Blend of the Month - Scented Bath Salt Blends

Bath salts are some of my easiest and most popular recipes to make. They are wonderful presents for just about everyone, and you can tailor their scents and colors for each recipient. Besides soothing tired bodies and softening skin, these salts are also easier on the bathtub than many other products.

They actually keep your tub clean, and they do not clog the pipes as other bath products can. Bath salts also soften hard water and help keep your water temperature warmer longer. Natural salts are found easily at the grocery store. 

Start with a basic salt mix of one cup Epsom salts and one cup rock salt (you can use kosher salt, sea salt or rock table salt).  Most can be found in the cooking or cleaning aisle of the grocery store.  Sometimes I find them at the dollar store too!

To craft a scented salt you want to use 100% natural essential oils.  Avoid perfume oils or potpourri oils as these can cause an allergic reaction when they come in contact with the skin.

You only need a few drops to scent a batch of salts. I use 10 to 12 drops for a 2 cup batch.  You also may combine scented oils to create your own special blends. For example, create bath time tranquility with a blend of sweet orange oil, vanilla oil and carnation oil. Or increase your relaxation with a lemon oil and lavender oil combination.

 To condense this all down into a recipe try this:

1 cup Epsom Salts
1 cup kosher salt (or rock table salt or sea salt)
10 to 12 drops of essential oil
1 Tbls. dried herbs to match scent (optional)

Blend all items together and place in a tightly lidded jar.

To USE: Add about 1/2 cup of bath salts to your tub under running water. Store your salts in dry, airtight containers.

Bath Blend of the Month - Honey Bath Tablets

This is the second month of sharing Bath Recipes from the Vault. As I sort through my files of saved recipes, I am sharing those that are perfect for the bath.

If you enjoy making your own blends for the bath, I suggest taking a look at Natural Beauty at Home or Natural Beauty from the Garden by Janice Cox.

I think this recipe may have originated in Janice's book: Natural Beauty for All Seasons: 250 Simple Recipes And Gift-Giving Ideas For Year-Round Beauty published in 1996.  I had a copy of the book back when I first started working with herbs in the 90s.  It was left out in the garden and rained on in a monsoon, so all I have left are a few pages I tore out of the book before I disposed of the moldy carcass.

This recipe created molded tablets you can dissolve in the bath.  The honey in the recipe will bring moisture back to your skin.  These tablets must be molded while warm, so unless you have help to get them molded quickly, I suggest making them one batch at a time.  This is a great gift idea as you can mold the salts into any shape and can make them holiday specific if you want.  There are many variations you can create with the recipe, just use about 1/2 Tablespoon of herbs in the recipe.  I chose a combination of lemon herbs and scents, but you can use calming herbs like lavender, or skin soothing like rose, or even marjoram for relaxation.

HONEY BATH TABLETS

Yield: 8 ounces, 6 to 8 bath tablets

(depending on the size of your molds.)

1/2 cup fine-grained sea salt

1 tablespoon white clay

3/4 teaspoons lemon thyme

3/4 teaspoons lemon verbena (or lemon peel)

2-3 drops lemon or grapefruit essential oil (optional)

1/2 cup pure honey

Place salt, clay and herbs or flowers in a ceramic bowl.  Heat honey to 300 degrees. This can be done in the microwave, checking the temperature in 1-minute intervals (should take 3 to 4 minutes total); or on the stove top, stirring honey until temperature reads 300 degrees. Pour hot honey over dry ingredients and stir well with a large plastic spoon. .

Spoon the mixture into your candy molds, pressing mixture into molds with the back of your spoon. Let the tablets cool completely. They can be placed in the freezer to speed up this cooling process. 

Un-mold your tablets onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Store them in an airtight container. 

To use: Place one in your bath as you are filling it.