A hot bath relaxes mind and body for a soothing interlude in a busy life. Adding bath salts to bathwater increases the therapeutic element of this relaxing tradition. Infusing bath salts with scented oils gives your bath the benefits of stress relief, a healing spa and an aromatherapy session.
Your skin absorbs water when you bathe or shower. Adding salts to bathwater infuses the tub with minerals that the body absorbs. Therapeutic minerals heal surface skin problems and soothe deeper muscle aches and pains. Bath salts also soften hard water making it gentler on your skin. Adding 2 to 3 cups of salt to bath water improves water quality and infuses it with healing minerals.
Sea salt is packed with minerals.The salts dissolve in the bathwater infusing it with soothing minerals. Sea salt contains magnesium, potassium and calcium. These minerals improve circulation, sooth pain and inflammation and energize the body, according to Amy K. McNulty, Ph.D. Some of the highest quality sea bath salts come from the Dead Sea. The high concentration of minerals in Dead Sea salt increases the therapeutic benefits of a salt-water soak.
Epsom salt's therapeutic benefits include easing muscle pain, stimulating detoxification in the body, improving skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis and improving blood and circulatory health. Health benefits are attributed to the high concentrations of magnesium and sulfates. Two cups of Epsom salts added to bathwater is sufficient for infusing the whole bath with therapeutic properties. Epsom salts come from a salt spring in England. Salt mineral content changes depending on the minerals in the surrounding environment.
Bath salts act as a medium for scented bath oils. Added directly to the bath water, essential oils clump and sit on top of the water. Added to bath salts, the oils dissolve along with the salt, infusing the water with their scent. Aromatherapy uses scented oils to stimulate physical healing and mental relaxation. One to 2 cups of bath salts combined with four or five drops of essential oils makes your bath a soothing aromatherapy session.