Hand made bath oils are becoming quite popular, either for personal use or to give as gifts. Of course, if you are making them for your personal use, you may not be as particular about the container that they will be stored in. But if giving your home made bath oils for a gift, presentation may be everything. So let’s start out with the type of containers that work well for giving bath oils as a gift.
Are you perhaps a wine drinker, and have no use for the leftover bottles, well you do now. Also discount stores have a variety of decorative bottles that will work well for this purpose. For a dollar or two, you can have a lovely glass bottle in which to place your home made bath oils. You will need bottles with corks, this is generally how decorative bottles are sold, but if you happen to be using recycled wine bottles, new corks can be purchased very inexpensively at hardware or department stores.
First wash your bottle well with hot soapy water, particularly if you are recycling old bottles. Let them dry, then fill your bottle with a selection of dried flowers. I have also seen people use silk flowers in this instance. But the dried flowers will add a little extra scent to your bath oil. Do not use fresh flowers in the bottles, they may mildew.
The essential oils that you will need for any of the following recipes can be purchased at either a health food store or craft shop. Some department stores may even carry some essential oils if they happen to have a craft department. There are also many places online for you to purchase different essential oils, anyplace that specializes in herbs or aroma therapy will carry a wide variety of oils.
The first bath oil that I am going to give you the directions to make is a Soothing Type Bath Oil, this one is perfect for a rough day, to help relieve a bit of tension.
What you will need for this bath oil is;
A 16 ounce decorative bottle that has been filled with dried flowers, and a cork to seal the bottle
(some flowers that will look attractive and help with the scents of this oil are lavender, globe amaranth, Queen-Anne’s Lace, or rosebuds)
16 ounces of almond oil
24 drops of lavender essential oil
8 drops of rose essential oil
8 drops of ylang-ylang essential oil
8 drops of apricot essential oil
8 drops of vanilla essential oil
8 vitamin E capsules
a funnel
paraffin wax- this can be purchased at any grocery store, it is generally found with the canning supplies
a large coffee can and a saucepan, or an old double boiler
raffia or ribbon
In a separate container, blend the oils together. Break open the vitamin E capsules and empty them into the oil mixture. Stir this mixture. Now, smell your oil mixture. You may need to add a little more of the essential oils here to get a scent that you are happy with. As always, it is easier to start out with not enough and add more as you go along.
After you are happy with the scent of your oil, using the funnel, pour the mixture into your decorative bottle. Next cork your bottle.
I am now going to give you instructions on sealing your decorative bottle with wax to keep the oil in the bottle. If you are using this for your own personal use, and will be using the bath oil immediately you can of course, skip this step. But if you are giving the bath oil for a gift, it is best to seal the container well, to keep any of the bath oil from leaking out of the bottle.
Melt your paraffin, either in the coffee can over a pan in which there are several inches of water, or in the top of the old double boiler. Bring the water to a simmer and let the wax slowly melt. While it will depend on how many bottles you are planning on sealing at one time, you will want to be sure that the cork and part of the neck of the bottle will be able to be submerged in the melted wax.
Once the wax is melted, dip the cork end of the bottle into the melted wax to seal it. Let the wax harden for several minutes, then dip again. You may have to repeat this step several times to make sure that the seal is good enough to not allow any leakage.
Lastly decorate the bottle on the outside, by adding a decorative hand lettered label and a few more dried flowers. Tie all of this to the bottle with the raffia or ribbon.
I highly suggest here also to add a list of ingredients to your label, that way if any of your gift recipients have any allergies, they can make sure there is nothing in your bath oil that will cause them an allergic reaction.
This next bath oil is a Stimulating bath oil, this one I recommend to use in the morning when you are trying to wake up a bit, or if you just need a little pick me up anytime.
For this bath oil you will need;
A decorative 16 ounce bottle, with a cork, and dried flowers added
16 ounces of soy, sunflower, olive, wheat-germ, or safflower oil, or a combination of any or all
8 vitamin E capsules
24 drops of rosemary essential oil
8 drops of juniper or pine essential oil
8 drops of jasmine essential oil
8 drops of peppermint essential oil
8 drops of grapefruit or any other citrus essential oil
Place your base oils in a container and add the vitamin E capsules, again by breaking them open. If you have used wheat germ oil for one of your base oils, you will not need to add the vitamin E, since it will already be there. Vitamin E is a component of wheat germ. Next add your essential oils, again check on the scent to make sure you are happy with the smell. And follow the remaining instructions for pouring the bath oil into the bottle and sealing.
While these are just two basic ideas for bath oils, you can most certainly experiment a bit with different essential oils to get a scent that you are happy with. Most places that you will be able to visit directly should have samples out of the different essential oils that you can smell. It will be much easier to make a scent decision if you are able to smell ahead of time, what you will be adding to your bath oils. Now after all of your hard work, just try your home made bath oil in a hot bath, relax and enjoy!
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