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The holidays are only a few months away. Now is the time to start thinking about gifts, especially if you like to make them yourself. Herbal gifts are great ideas. I know I always enjoy receiving them. Best of all they are easy to make and you can personalize them for each person on your list!

Today, I am going to talk about bath and foot soaks. There is something luxurious about soaking in a nice warm bath immersed in soothing herbs and relaxing fragrances. Perhaps you may enjoy pampering your tired aching feet in a wonderfully aromatic and calming foot bath. Below are easy instructions on how to make these herbal bath bags. They are perfect for gifts, but be sure to make some for yourself too!

To make these gifts you will need reusable muslin cooking bags. Your gift recipients will appreciate the bags because they keep all the herbs together in the bag, making clean up afterward so much easier than if you have herbs floating around in your water. They can also be emptied, rinsed out or washed and used again. This lets you make a large batch of herbal mixture that you can gift in a decorative jar, along with the muslin bag for them to enjoy again and again. 

Muslin Bag Sizes:

• When using for a Bath:  6” x 8 “ size is the most beneficial
  
• For a Shower:  4” x 6” size is the easiest to use
  
• A Foot Bath:  3” x 5” size fits in most foot spas.
  

Herbs to use:

Below are some suggestions of herbs to use. These will give you a good start, but feel free to use any herb that you like. One note of caution: Some herbs can aggravate allergies, so be sure to not use an herb or flower that you or your gift recipient is allergic to. To be extra safe you may want to list the ingredients on a cute label on the jar. You don’t need to give an all body rash to anyone! Yikes!

Calendula Flowers: soothes the skin and promotes cell repair.

Chamomile: helps to ease pain and insect bites, soothes the nerves and skin.

Elder Flowers: relieve inflammation, tones and cleanses the skin.

Eucalyptus: the potent fragrance helps to your breathing.

Grated Ginger: stimulates circulation.

Hops: promotes relaxation to help you sleep.

Lavender: promotes relaxation and calmness, freshens and cleanses the skin.

Lemon Balm Leaf: promotes relaxation to help you sleep and calm the nerves.

Orange Peel Granules: promotes relaxation and my benefit blood pressure

Parsley: helps with bruises.

Peppermint : stimulates the skin, adds a refreshing scent, cleanses the skin and may promote skin repair.

Rose Petals & Buds: promotes relaxation, refreshes and tones the skin and may help with inflammation

Rosemary: promotes relaxation, relieves fatigue and cleanses the skin.

Sage: helps with sore achy muscles.

Stinging Nettle: benefits circulation and sore achy joints

Bath Bags:

Makes approximately 3 - 4 cups

Ingredients:
3 cups Any combination of herbs that you like

1 cup Optional ingredients

• Epsom Salts – Helps to draw out toxins and soothes achy muscles and joints.
• Oatmeal – helps to soothe dry itchy skin and rashes
• Powdered Milk – Milk helps to moisturize and exfoliate the skin and soothe inflammation.

Combine your desired ingredients in a bowl and place in a decorative jar with a lid. Fold a 6” x 8” muslin bag and place on top of the herb mixture, seal with the lid. Create a cute label or card telling your gift recipient what it is, the ingredients and how to use it.

How to use a herbal bath bag.

Fill the bag half full of the herb mixture. You want to leave enough room for the herbs to expand and water to circulate through.

Method #1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the filled culinary bag into the boiling water. Turn off the heat and let it steep for 1 or more hours. Then dump the water & bag directly into your warm bath water.

Method #2: Using the strings from the culinary bag, hang the bag on the bath tub faucet so that the water will run through it. Run your bath as usual. When the tub is filled let the bag soak in the water. (To release more of the oils in the herbs, place the bag in the tub and run the water very hot, once full let the water cool at least a ½ hour or more until it is cool enough for you to get in.)

Shower Bag

Makes approximately 2 ½ cups.

Ingredients

1 cup any combination of dried herbs

½ - 1 bar grated unscented soap

¾ cup ground regular oatmeal

Grate the soap using a kitchen grater. The oats can be ground in a coffee grinder, food processor or blender – be sure to just pulse your machine choice. You want smaller pieces of oats, not powder.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Place in a decorative jar with a lid. Fold a 4” x 6” muslin bag and place on top of the herb mixture, seal with the lid (or tie to the jar with a pretty ribbon). Create a cute label or card telling your gift recipient what it is, the ingredients and how to use it.

How to use a herbal shower bag.

Using the stings on the muslin bag, hang the back so that the water from the shower head will run through the bag or soak the bag for 5 – 10 minutes in warm water. Once in the shower massage the bag a few times and then use it like a scrubby or wash cloth on your body.

Foot Bath Bags

Makes approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup of Epsom Salts

¾ - 1 cup of Desired herb mixture

Combine your desired ingredients and place in a decorative jar with a lid. Fold a 3” x 5” muslin bag and place on top of the herb mixture, seal with the lid (or tie to the jar with a pretty ribbon). Create a cute label or card telling your gift recipient what it is, the ingredients and how to use it.

How to use a herbal foot bath bag

Fill the bag half full of the herb mixture. You want to leave enough room for the herbs to expand and water to circulate through.

Method #1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the filled culinary bag into the boiling water. Turn off the heat and let it steep for 1 or more hours. Then dump the water & bag directly into your warm bath water.

Method #2: Place the herb bag in your foot bath, fill ½ full with warm water and let the bag soak for about 15 – 20 minutes. Add more warm water as desired. Then enjoy!

If you like bubbles try mixing in this mixture. I would recommend 1 part bubble mixture to 3 parts herb mixture or up to 2 parts bubbles to 4 parts herb mixture  I would recommend trying different amounts until you find your desired bubble level.

Bubbles

½ cup Epsom salts

1/8 cup Himalayan pink salt

1 tbsp. vegetable, canola or safflower oil

1 cup gentle unscented liquid soap

                                                                         This is what can happen if you get to bubble crazy.
                                                                         They went up past my knees!  Learned my lesson!