Who doesn’t enjoy a warm, relaxing bath—especially one enhanced with the therapeutic aroma and benefits of essential oils? I certainly do.
That’s why I love making homemade bath products like floral bath salts. Below are a few other DIY essential oil bath recipes I make often:
- bubbling bath salts (a blend of bubbles and Epsom salt for a detox soak)
- moisturizing bath melts
- lavender & oatmeal milk bath soak for dry skin
- easy bath bombs
- 15 recipes for relaxing bath salts
Why I use and gift floral bath salts
Benefits at a glance
- They’re beautiful—flowers add color and charm.
- Customizable—create blends exactly how you like them.
- Simple and quick to make.
- Make impressive, natural gifts.
- All-natural ingredients with no synthetic fragrances.
- Contain essential oils for aromatherapy benefits.
- Provide minerals and trace elements through dermal absorption.
- Can help draw impurities from the skin.
- Promote relaxation and reduce stress.
- May improve sleep quality.
- Can reduce inflammation.
- Temporarily soothe sore muscles.
- May lift mood and ease anxious feelings.
- Can support circulation temporarily.
- Rejuvenating and soothing for dry, irritated skin.
One lovely variation uses dried rose and jasmine buds. It’s visually appealing and offers calming aromatherapy while supporting skin health.
Supplies you’ll need
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Coarse Himalayan salt — rich in minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. Regular soaks can support detoxification, reduce inflammation, ease muscle tension, support circulation, and improve relaxation.
Epsom salt — a natural source of magnesium and sulfate. Epsom salt baths are known to help relax the body, ease stress, reduce inflammation, and support nutrient absorption through the skin.
Coarse Dead Sea salt — contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium, sulfur, bromide, iodine and potassium that can help balance skin moisture, support circulation, and assist detoxification.
Baking soda — a mild alkaline agent that helps soften skin, aid detoxification, and leave skin feeling silky.
Dried flowers — both decorative and therapeutic. Popular choices include:
- Rose buds & petals — relaxing and rejuvenating for skin
- Jasmine — mood-lifting and skin-refreshing
- Chamomile — calming, sleep-supporting and soothing for skin
- Cornflower — eases anxious feelings and soothes irritated skin
- Lavender — calms nerves, improves sleep and soothes skin
- Calendula — reduces redness and inflammation and helps dry skin
Essential oils — easily absorbed through the skin in a warm bath. Choose oils based on desired benefits:
- Relaxation: lavender, jasmine, patchouli, chamomile, bergamot, orange, ylang ylang
- Grounding: patchouli, sandalwood, frankincense, vetiver, cypress
- Sleep support: lavender, chamomile, cedarwood, ylang ylang
- Skin health: tea tree, geranium, rose, frankincense, jasmine
- Aches & pains: peppermint, lavender, helichrysum, rosemary, eucalyptus
- Circulation: grapefruit, lemongrass, cypress, juniper
- Respiratory relief: eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint, fir
Apricot kernel oil — a light carrier oil that dilutes essential oils and moisturizes skin.
Cotton muslin bags — useful if you prefer to contain salts and flowers while the tub fills.
Wooden scoops — handy for gifting and measuring.
How to make floral bath salts
Step 1: Combine salts
Add to a large glass bowl:
- 1 cup coarse Himalayan salt
- 1 cup Epsom salt
- 2 cups coarse Dead Sea salt
- 1/2 cup baking soda
Mix well until the salts and baking soda are evenly distributed.
Step 2: Prepare oils
In a small glass bowl, mix 2 tablespoons apricot kernel oil with 25 drops of your chosen essential oil blend. Add this oil mixture to the large bowl of salts and stir thoroughly so the scent is evenly distributed.
Step 3: Add dried flowers
Stir in 1/2 cup dried flowers. You can use a single flower type or a blend chosen for the benefit you want—lavender and chamomile for sleep, calendula for dry skin, or cornflower for calming effects.
Essential oil blend ideas
- Relaxation: lavender + jasmine + orange
- Grounding: patchouli + cypress + sandalwood
- Sleep: lavender + cedarwood
- Skin health: geranium + frankincense
- Aches & pains: peppermint + lavender + helichrysum
- Circulation: grapefruit + lemongrass
- Respiratory relief: eucalyptus + cypress + rosemary
Making multiple varieties
To create different scented batches, divide the dry salt mix into separate bowls before adding oils and flowers. For two bowls, use ~12–13 drops of essential oil and 1 tablespoon carrier oil per half. For three or four portions, reduce the oil amounts proportionally (about 8 drops with 2 teaspoons carrier oil for three portions, or 6 drops with 1.5 teaspoons carrier oil for four portions).
Step 4: Store and package
Transfer salts to airtight jars or tins. Wooden scoops and muslin bags make attractive presentation for gifting.
How to use floral bath salts
- Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup per bath, depending on tub size.
- You can sprinkle salts directly into the tub—flowers floating on top look lovely—but remove the flowers before draining to avoid clogging the drain.
- Or place the salts in a cotton muslin bag and hang it from the faucet so hot water passes through the bag as the tub fills; the bag can then be dropped into the bath if desired. Muslin bags are reusable—wash between uses.
- Be careful when exiting the tub: the carrier oil can make surfaces slippery.
- Pat skin dry gently with a soft towel instead of rubbing.
- For extra hydration, follow with a light body oil or whipped body butter after bathing.
Where to find supplies
Most ingredients and packaging supplies are available online or at health food stores. Dried flower mixes, salts, carrier oils, muslin bags, and scoops are commonly sold through major retailers and specialty shops.
Printable recipe
Step-by-step summary:
Step 1: In a large glass bowl, mix 1 cup coarse Himalayan salt, 1 cup Epsom salt, 2 cups coarse Dead Sea salt, and 1/2 cup baking soda.
Step 2: Stir together 2 tablespoons apricot kernel oil with 25 drops of essential oil, then add to the salt mixture and blend thoroughly.
Step 3: Add 1/2 cup dried flowers and mix. Package in airtight containers.
More DIY essentials
If you enjoy this recipe, you might also like DIY lavender oatmeal milk bath, bath melts for moisturized skin, bubbling bath salts, bath bombs, and whipped body butter.
Please note: Products and information in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult a medical professional for personal medical advice.