By Katie Vance
One of my favorite ways to pamper myself is with a long soak in the bath. Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, I wanted to make myself an extra special recipe.
I like to make custom bath soaks based on my mood and skin needs. It is so easy and quick to make your own bath soak.
Ingredients for a Homemade Oatmeal Bath Recipe
There are so many ingredients you can use in a DIY bath soak. Salts, dried herbs, oats, and oils are good additions to any bath based on your preferences and needs.
Epsom Salt
My favorite bath soak recipes often include Epsom salt. This salt is actually minerals made up of magnesium and sulfate. It is great for soothing sore muscles and aches and pains, as well as drawing toxins from the body. I turn to an Epsom salt bath when I am stressed out or if I’ve been putting extra stress on my body. It always makes me feel wonderful!
Oatmeal
I love to use this homemade oatmeal bath recipe to soothe dry, itchy skin in the winter. Since oats are wonderfully emollient and help moisturize skin, I’ve known people who suffer from eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions to use a homemade oatmeal bath weekly for relief. I often use oats in my children’s bath to condition their skin. In addition, I like the comforting aroma that warm oats create. It’s very soothing!
Dried Herbs
Dried herbs work great in any bath soak. They give a lovely aroma to the bath in addition to imparting some other great properties. Since it’s nearly Valentine’s day, I decided to pull out my dried rose petals. They smell floral and sweet and leave my skin naturally scented. You could also use dried lavender, calendula, chamomile, eucalyptus, mint, rosemary, or even sage. There are quite a few herbs that make wonderful aromatic and soothing baths. (Find a variety of different organic dried herbs here.)
Essential Oils
Essential oils can also be added to a bath if they are properly diluted in a carrier like liquid castile soap, or a carrier oil (jojoba, castor, fractionated coconut oil, etc.). It’s important to note that not all essential oils are suitable for baths, particularly the “hot” oils or oils that have low dermal maximums like peppermint, lemongrass, cinnamon, and thyme (among others). Many times I’ll choose herbs over essential oils in my bath because essential oils can be a little overpowering in the tub for long periods of time.
Homemade Oatmeal Bath Recipe with Roses
This easy DIY recipe took me 5 minutes to make. It would make a beautiful gift or decoration to place in your bathroom.
Ingredients & Supplies
- oats (rolled or instant will both work)
- Epsom salt (find it here)
- dried rose petals (find organic dried petals here)
- glass jar with lid (find nice ones here or use a mason jar)
- muslin drawstring bag (find them here)
Directions
- Layer oats, Epsom salts, and dried rose petals in a glass jar in equal amounts.
- Cap tightly and store until you are ready to use.
(I deliberately didn’t measure this recipe because I was hoping to get a nice balance of the ingredients in my jar. My only guideline in measuring was to not overwhelm the scent by using too many rose petals.)
To Use
- Measure 3-4 tablespoons of bath salts into a muslin drawstring bag.
- Turn on warm bath water and place the muslin bag under the water.
- Relax in the bath for 30-40 minutes.
- When you are ready to get out, pat skin dry (don’t rub!) so it doesn’t lose moisture.
I like to follow my bath with a soothing moisturizer or body butter. It helps my skin stay smooth and silky for days to come. This Ultra Moisturizing Three Ingredient DIY Body Butter is one of my favorites!
You can also use this Rose and Oat bath soak as a decoration on your counter or as a way to freshen any room. When company is coming over, I open the top of my container to use as a natural bathroom freshener. After my company leaves, I replace the top to preserve the aroma.
Do you have a homemade oatmeal bath recipe? If so, what were your favorite ingredients?
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