Learn the quick steps to make stress-relieving lavender bath soak using Epsom salt, magnesium flakes, and oils—the perfect spa night DIY!
Make Stress-Relieving Lavender Magnesium Bath Soak
There’s really nothing better than a good, relaxing bath, and I always supplement the water with some sort of soak. Typically, I mix Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate—read more about why magnesium is so important here) and sea salt with a few drops of essential oil. The Epsom salt mends muscle aches while the sea salt goes to work on your skin. It’s a great combination. But when I’ve had an especially long day, I swap out the sea salt for magnesium flakes.
You’ve almost certainly heard of Epsom salt, but have you heard of magnesium flakes? They’re both called magnesium, but they aren’t made of the same compound.
- Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, and each granule has a crystalline structure that looks like salt. You can absorb the magnesium from Epsom salt transdermally (i.e., through the skin), which makes it ideal for bath soaks. According to the National Institutes of Health, Epsom salt contains 10 percent magnesium available for absorption.
- Magnesium flakes are magnesium chloride, which is a type of salt derived from sea water. It typically comes in the form of solid flakes that are much larger the Epsom salt granules. According to the National Institutes of Health, magnesium chloride has approximately 12 percent magnesium available for absorption.
One reason I mix the two is because magnesium flakes are more expensive, so supplementing them with Epsom salt helps to stretch out a bag. For my stress-relieving, lavender-magnesium bath soak, I use the following:
- 3 cups Epsom salt
- 2 cups magnesium flakes
- 1/8 cup carrier oil (I used sweet almond oil because it has great benefits for the skin that I didn’t want to lose by cutting out sea salt)
- 10–20 drops lavender essential oil
- Gallon-sized Ziploc bag and measuring cups
And here’s how to make it!
(Don’t use any ingredients you’re allergic to, and always spot test new ingredients to make sure you don’t have a reaction to them. Do not use any homemade products without consulting with an appropriate medical professional first.)
It’s so easy to make that I don’t even need to break it out by steps. First I dump my Epsom salt and magnesium flakes into the bag. Then, I dump my oils. I seal tightly and mix up well by mashing around the contents in the bag. That’s it! 🙂
Like this DIY? Check out my DIY eucalyptus salt scrub recipe, my baked bath salts recipe, and my DIY honey and beeswax lip balm!
