Bath Bombs and Bath Salts

I have begun trying my hand at bath bombs and bath salts. Lavender is a natural relaxant, so it seemed a natural addition to a luxury in our fast paced society- a soothing bath.

While visiting the Calgary Stampede, I picked up a booklet on “Crafts in the kitchen with kids”, with bath bombs as one of the activities.
I followed the recipe, making the mini bath bombs, and ended up with 3 ping pong sized balls (makes 2-3, the recipe said). After allowing them to dry, I took a bath, dropping in the bath bomb. To say the recipe “bombed”, would be putting it lightly. The ball sank to the bottom of the tub, and sort of melted there. The bath water was okay, but it didn’t react as a bath bomb should. There was nothing explosive about it.

My next attempt, I decided, needed a little more research. So I went to my search engine and did some homework. After discovering other people’s mistakes, I found enough information to make a second attempt. At fizzing lavender bath salts, this time.

The recipe I had discovered suggested putting the salts into organza bags to keep the lavender from plugging up the tub. So after mixing together the fine ingredients, I poured them into an organza sack. The powder sifted right through. I found a tighter weave of organza and tried it. Again, it sifted right through. I found the tightest weave of organza I had. Again, it sifted through. Frustrated, I made a small cotton sachet and filled it.

Success!

The salts stayed in the bag. I sewed up the top. Looking over, I saw my muslin material. I wonder… I thought to myself. I poured in the bath salt mixture. A little leaked through, but mostly it stayed in place. Satisfied, I sewed up the top of the bag.

A couple days later, I decided it was time to test them out. Unable to find someone to watch my little girl so that I could have a long, luxurious bath, it was decided she would join me. She loves baths, and I figured it couldn’t hurt, as all the ingredients are natural and safe.

I noticed the salts had hardened in their sachets, but as I dropped them in, both the cotton and muslin sachets began to bubble and fill with air, floating around the tub. My daughter thought it was great fun to play with the little sacks. They were strangely cool to the touch, and floated on top of the water. Also, as promised, the lavender stayed in the sachets instead of going down my drain.

The cotton sack released the air much more slowly, but both bubbled quite satisfyingly. As for the lavender added to the bath, it was definitely the most relaxing bath I have ever taken with an active 20-month-old.

I tried out another test sample after a day with 2 long bike rides, and the combination of hot water and lavender did wonders for my sore muscles, even relaxing a pulled muscle in my neck better than the lotions and massages had managed to. It’s not completely better, but it’s a lot better.

So it’s still a trial in motion. I am waiting on some specialty salts to try a new recipe, and I’m going to try moulding my fizzing bath salts into bath bombs.

Next week, our blog will feature something special – our new heating pads and an encounter with Mike Holmes!