Giving the Gift of Relaxation

Giving a gift made from the heart and hand mean the most! Salt scrubs are simple and easy to make. They make wonderful gifts for everyone and are useful in the bath and kitchen. All is needed is salt, a carrier oil and an essential oil or two. Salts and some carrier oil can be purchased at local pharmacies, general stores, or grocery stores. Essential oils can be ordered online and found in some stores. More on the importance of essential oil quality later. The amount used to make the scrubs is the most important step! Use caution when using salt scrubs around children. Here is a basic recipe for salt scrubs.

There are so many different types of salts and oils, which one is the best? There is no right or wrong answer.

Salt scrubs can be made out of Epsom salt, sea salt or a combination of both. Sea salt is exactly that... sea salt. It is evaporated seawater which is not processed or has any additives. It exfoliates the skin and leaves the skin soft. Note, if sensitive skin is an issue, brown sugar is a great substitute. Sea salt is available in a fine or coarse grind. For more exfoliation, use a coarse grind salt. Coarse ground salt can be ground finer: this way you only have to purchase one type.

Epsom salt is technically not a salt but is made up of magnesium sulphate. Epsom salt is mainly used for its muscle soothing benefits. This salt is particularly good for people with skin conditions or those tough areas that require extra scrubbing such as knees and elbows. Epsom salt is more coarse than sea salt.

Carrier oils keep the salt scrub together and will also moisturize your skin. Choose a then carrier oil to prevent slips in the shower.

• Jojoba oils are thin and have a very faint aroma
• Sweet almond oil has a medium consistency and a mild aroma
• Coconut oil is medium and has a very strong, sweet aroma

There are numerous essential oils available to make scrubs. They are classified as citrus, floral, spice, herbs, leaves, etc. The products are labeled as authentic, genuine, and pure. Authentic oil means the oil composition is equal to the plant. Genuine means the essential oil is 100 percent natural and contains no additives, but has been extracted through distillation. Pure essential oils may contain a variety of closely related plants causing this oil to be less quality.

The quality of essential oils is very important when making salt scrubs. Essential oils should be cold pressed or steam-distilled. These two processes do not use solvents or other chemicals to extract the oils from the plants. Know how the essential oil is processed before using it in scrubs or diffusers. Fragrance oil are not the same product: they are man-made in a lab with chemicals to mimic the fragrance of the plants. This is why it's important to read the label of the products.

A few of the most common essential oils are eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, and citrus ones, such as orange, grapefruit and lemon. Blending oils is common but the specific characteristics of each oil can make it difficult to get the right combination. It takes practice.. sometimes its easiest to purchase blends of your salt scrubs. Some essential oil companies host classes to teach users how to blend oils... do some research before blending oils.

Eucalyptus is one of the ingredients in vapor rub and also aids in relieving sore muscles. It is a refreshing and uplifting scent which gives the skin a cooling sensation. It is great for opening up sinuses too. It is often used in spas and massages.

Peppermint. This one we all know! Peppermint oil makes salt scrubs uplifting and cooling. Of course, it also gives the scrub a sweet minty aroma.

The most common essential oil is lavender. It provides a calming and relaxing feeling when used in scrubs. Lavender also aids in helping get a great night's sleep too!

Citrus essential oils, such as orange, grapefruit, and lemon are great for an uplifting and cleansing scrub. These make excellent salt scrubs for the kitchen as they clean scents away from your skin.

Salt scrubs make great gifts! Be creative and wrap up a few for family and friends!