How to Make Bath Salts as Handmade Christmas Gifts

Want to give a gift but are not sure what to do? You looking to save a few dollars this Christmas season? Looking for the perfect gift for that bath lover on your list? Why spend big bucks on scented bath salts when you can easily make them at home. Little packages of bath salts make great stocking stuffers and handmade Christmas gifts.

Things You'll Need
1 cup epsom salts
1/2 cup sea salt (course or fine)
essential or fragrance oil
liquid colorant

STEP 1: You will need a clutter free, clean work surface to mix your bath salts. A kitchen table covered with a plastic garbage bag for protection works perfectly.

STEP 2: Measure out your Epsom and sea salts and pour into a large, metal mixing bowl.

STEP 3: Add your essential or fragrance oil and your colorant (optional) and begin mixing the salts thoroughly with your hands. It will take some time for the scent and coloring to incorporate with the salts so be patient.

STEP 4: Once you are satisfied that all the salts have been coated pour your bath salts out onto your wax paper lined baking sheet. Use your hands to spread the salts out to as thin a layer as possible for quickest drying time. Allowing your bath salts to dry before placing them in a bottle with lessen their likelihood of clumping in the jar. Allow them to dry for at least six hours.

STEP 5: Once your salts have dried they are ready to be packaged. The best container for bath salts is a glass jar with a tight closure. You want to seal your scented bath salts as tightly as possible to avoid excessive exposure to the air. Exposure can cause clumping from humid air, which is common in a bathroom, or can cause premature fading of the scent. You don't want your handmade Christmas gifts to be unscented clumps so be sure and find proper glass jars for storage. Dollar stores usually have little jars that are perfect for this.

STEP 6: Using a spoon or a large necked funnel, carefully pour the scented bath salts into the jars. Seal the jars immediately and label them so your friends and family will know what they are and that this handmade Christmas gift is from you

An alternative is Flower petal salts - After mixing your ingredients together, put the salts in a jar about 1/3 of the way up. Place pressed flowers along the sides of the jar so they peek out. Gradually add more salts and flowers to the top of the jar and enjoy!

*It's best to coordinate the color of the flower petals to the color of the salts