Home Spa Ideas

There is no need to spend a small fortune in order to enjoy some of the luxuries of a Spa. In fact I have previously written about some DIY beauty treatments such as homemade masks, skin cream, etc.

But today we are focusing on baths. Afterall, since the advent of humankind, bathing has been seen as both a necessity and a luxury. But for the frugal, a lavish bath does not mean an expensive bath.

First of all, you want to monitor how much water you are using in your bath. We are not trying to single-handedly wipe out the local water supply.

Next we are looking at scent and function. So for this let us dive into some homemade bath salts, oils and bubbles.

Bath Salts

Rejuvenating Bath Salts
Ingredients
1 cup Epsom Salts (usually about $2 for 5lbs)
2 teaspoons baby oil/mineral oil
1 drop Peppermint Essential Oil
1 freezer size recloseable bag
1 pretty seal-able container big enough to hold 1.25 cups
Method
Add your baby oil/mineral oil and essential oil to the bag and using your fingers, mix well. Carefully pour in your Epsom Salts to the oil mixture. Squeeze out extra air and seal bag. Ensuring recloseable bag is sealed, gently shake, toss and mix everything together. Once you are absolutely certain it is thoroughly mixed, carefully pour into your container and close container.
Use
Shake your wonderful bath salts into tub as you add water. Use as much or as little as you want.

Moisturizing Bath Salts
Ingredients
1 cup Epsom Salts
1 tsp Glycerin
1 tbs finely ground Slow Cook Oats
1 freezer size recloseable bag
1 pretty seal-able container big enough to hold 1.25 cups
Method
Add your Glycerin to the bag. Carefully pour in your Epsom Salts and finely ground oats to the Glycerine mixture. Squeeze out extra air and seal bag. Ensuring recloseable bag is sealed, gently shake, toss and mix everything together. Once you are absolutely certain it is thoroughly mixed, carefully pour into your container and close container.
Use
Shake your wonderful bath salts into tub as you add water. Use as much or as little as you want.
Optional
You made add a drop or two of your favorite scent as an essential oil. If doing so, mix the oil thoroughly with the Glycerin before adding salts and oats.

A Cleopatra Milk Bath
Ingredients
1/2 cup Epsom Salts
1 cup of powdered milk
1/2 cup of sea salt
1 Grease Pencil
1 freezer size recloseable bag
1 pretty seal-able container big enough to hold 2.25 cups
Method
Mix salts and powdered milk together. Once you are absolutely certain it is thoroughly mixed, carefully pour into your container and close container. Using your Grease Pencil, write on the bottom of the jar the use-by date/expiration date of the powdered milk after you have subtracted at least a month. Be sure to use by the date on the bottom of the jar.
Use
Shake your wonderful milk bath into tub as you add water. Use as much or as little as you want.
Optional
You made add a drop or two of your favorite scent as an essential oil. If doing so, mix the oil thoroughly with the salts and milk.

Bath Oils

Simple Unscented Moisturizing
1 tsp Mineral Oil/Baby Oil, unscented
Method
Add the tsp of oil to the bath as you add water.
Use
Soak yourself and enjoy.

Aromatic Moisturizing Bath Oil
1 tsp Tea Tree Oil
Method
Add the tsp of oil to the bath as you add water.
Use
Soak yourself and enjoy.

Flowered Oil
Just under a cup of olive or almond oil
Flower petals
1 regular old container where light can get through enough to hold 1.5 cups
1 pretty dark seal-able container big enough to hold 1 cup
Method
Add your flower petals, I use 2 flowers worth to your container. Gently heat your oil until warm. Carefully pour the warm oil into the regular container over the flower petals. Add lid/cover to the container. Place in a sunny spot/warm spot for 2-4 days. Strain the flower petals from the oil. Carefully add your scented oil to a pretty container that is dark. Refrigerate.
Use
Add a teaspoon to your bathwater as you are filling tub.
Note: All natural oils have a chance of going rancid. Check your Flowered Oil regularly to ensure it has not gone off.

Bubble Bath

Janna's Chocolate Indulgence
Ingredients
1 empty gallon jug (milk, juice, etc. is fine if it is clean)
1 quart warm water
1.5 oz Glycerin
1 bar Castille soap, grated
1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 Grease Pencil
Place to hide the jug ;)
Method
Mix the powdered milk, cocoa powder, Glycerin, grated Castille soap into the warm water until everything is blended and the soap has melted. Carefully pour your mixture into your empty jug/container. Using your Grease Pencil, note the expiration date of the powdered milk, subtract a month and put that on your jug. Hide the jug from the world to stop the oils in the cocoa powder from going rancid.
Use
Add about a cup of the mixture to your tub as you are adding water.
Note: You will have to rinse off once done soaking your cares away. Do not add powdered milk and cocoa powder for a basic bubble bath. Do not eat/drink the delicious smelling mixture, no matter how much tempted!

Finally, when setting up your bath, don't just add your salts, oils, etc. and call it a day. Put aside at least 20 minutes, light some candles, dim the lights (safety first!), put on some relaxing music or background noise. Make your bath a stress relief spa visit. Enjoy your time soaking. But most of all, enjoy something wonderful our ancestors never thought we would abandon.

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Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Stay frugal!