Soaks & scrubs are the perfect pampering gift for the holidays. Your friends will enjoy the thoughtfulness of a spa break complete with relaxing bath and exfoliating scrub. Add a cleansing pad and a dry brush to make your spa kit complete. Always make sure you label your gifts with the ingredients and usage directions.SoaksAfter the hustle and bustle, it is nice to take some time to pamper ourselves and those we love. Soaks can be used as either bath salts or foot soaks with the same basic recipe for both. When you are making soaks, it is important to remember that salts are not a carrier that will dilute the essential oils. The essential oils coat the salt but when the salt dissolves, the essential oils will float undiluted in your bath. You should always use an unscented liquid soap base like our Body Wash or Castile soap to dilute the essential oils before adding them to your salts. We like to use coarse grain Pink Himalayan Salt for the soak recipes, but you can substitute, Dead Sea Salt or Epsom Salt if your prefer those.There are some oils we avoid using in the bath because they are too skin sensitizing and could cause irritation in sensitive areas. Remember your pores are open in a bath and you are more likely to have a sensitization issue. We do not recommend using the following oils in bath salts: Cinnamon, Clove, Lemongrass, Oregano, Peppermint*, Thyme (thymol), Tulsi Basil. The other spice oils (Black Pepper, Cardamom, and Nutmeg) can be used in small quantities, but I would limit them to 1 or 2 drops per ounce of liquid soap used. *Peppermint can be used in a foot soak recipe because that will only be in contact with your feet and will not result in sensitization to delicate skin areas. If you know someone with tired, achy feet, Peppermint is the perfect choice for a relaxing foot scrub.Basic Soak Recipe4 oz. Pink Himalayan Salt1 oz. Unscented Body Wash10 drops Essential Oil of your choice4 oz. Glass JarIn a glass or metal bowl, combine the essential oils and the body wash in the jar and mix well. Stir in the salt until well coated. Spoon into the glass jar. Add 1 ounce to bath water or 1/2 ounce to foot soaks.ScrubsYour friends will love the wonderful exfoliating properties of scrubs. During the winter months, we run our heating systems and the dry air tends to leave our skin dry as well. Scrubs are a great way to slough off that dry skin and leave your skin renewed. They are also a great way to get your feet in shape for sandal season and make a wonderful addition to a pedicure.We recommend using fine grain Pink Himalayan Salts or Ultra-Fine Sugar (sometimes called Superfine). These will dissolve quickly and are easier on the skin. Sugar has fewer facets than salt, which makes it the ideal choice for scrubs. The fine grain Pink Himalayan Salts are a great choice if you want a cohesive look with your soaks and scrubs. We use Jojoba Oil as the carrier oil in the scrub recipe because it is similar to your skin's natural sebum and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth.Basic Scrub Recipe4 oz. Fine Grain Pink Himalayan Salt or Ultra-Fine Sugar1 oz. Jojoba Oil10 drops Essential Oil of your choice4 oz. Glass JarIn a glass or metal bowl, combine the essential oils and the Jojoba Oil in the jar and mix well. Stir in the sugar or salt until they are well coated. Spoon into glass jar. Scoop out a small amount of scrub and massage it all over your skin. For best results, massage until all the salt is dissolved.Suggested Essential Oils Blends for Soaks and Scrubs:Relaxation - 10 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)Relaxation - 10 drops Rosalina (Melaleuca ericafolia)Relaxation - 10 drops Ho Wood (Cinnamomum comphora ct linalol)Breathing and Spiritual - 5 drops Frankincense (Boswellia carteri) & 5 drops Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)Breathing - 5 drops Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) & 5 drops Lime (Citrus aurantium)Breathing and Pain - 5 drops Black Spruce (Picea mariana) & 5 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) substitute any conifer for the Black Spruce (White Spruce, Scotch Pine, White Pine, Balsam Fir, Siberian Fir, or Hemlock)Relaxtion and Grounding - 5 drops Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) & 5 drops Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)Relaxation and Skin nourishing - 7 drops Balsam Copaiba (Copaifera officinalis) & 3 drops Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum grandiflorum) or Neroli (Citrus aurantium var amama) or Rose Absolute (Rose damascena) or Sandalwood (Santalum paniculatum) for an extra special treat!
