Bath Oil Beads

Oil beads for bathing are made by agglomerating aromatic bath salts with the help of oils. They are increasingly used, not only to soothe the skin with bath oils, but also to relax the mind with the wonderful aroma released by these bath beads. The commercial bath beads come in different sizes and shapes including, round, and rectangular, star-shaped and heart-shaped bath beads to name a few. These beads can truly give a rejuvenating or refreshing bathing experience, besides making your skin beautiful. You can also gift them to your friends. However, the bath beads available in the market can be a bit expensive. But, you can also make them at your home with a few ingredients that you can easily find in drug or health stores.

Making Oil Beads for Your Bath

This is not very difficult, all you need is a little bit of patience. The ingredients that you will need for this purpose are:

• Epsom salt (about 2 teaspoons)
• Sea Salt or mineral salt (1 teaspoon)
• Baking soda (2 ½ to 3 teaspoons)
• Cornstarch (2 teaspoons)
• Powdered milk or goat milk powder (1 ½ teaspoon)
• Coconut oil, preferably virgin coconut oil (about ½ teaspoon)
• Essential oil 15 to 22 drops)
• Cocoa butter (about 1 ½ teaspoon)
• Citric Acid (1 teaspoon)

Along with these ingredients, you will need a small saucepan and bowls for mixing the ingredients.

First of all, grind the epsom salt and sea salt in a coffee grinder. Then mix the ground salts with baking soda, citric acid and cornstarch. Also add the powdered milk or goat milk powder, whichever you prefer to this mixture. Mix all these ingredients properly. Then put cocoa butter and virgin coconut oil in a saucepan and heat this mixture over low flame. Be sure to keep stirring the mixture, till it melts completely. Now, take about 7 tablespoons of the dry mixture, (the mixture of salt, baking powder and powdered milk) in the mixing bowls, slowly add the cocoa butter and coconut oil mixture to it and mix them thoroughly.

Now, it is the time to add essential oil to this final mixture. While choosing an essential oil, be sure to do some preliminary research on various types of essential oils, and use them according to your skin types. For example, lemon oil is good for oily skin. It can remove dead skin cells and cleanse oily skin to clear up acne and pimples. It can also be used for rejuvenating dull skin. On the other hand, people having normal skin can go for lavender oil. Lavender essential oil is one of the most commonly used aromatherapy oils. It may provide benefits in several skin conditions like, acne, sunburn, eczema, and psoriasis.

For dry skin, you can use rose oil, rosemary oil and also lavender oil. Rose oil is beneficial for dry and sensitive skin, while rosemary oil can improve skin tone and remove dryness. So, the type of essential oil that you are going to use in making these beads is completely a personal choice, and depends on your skin type. In place of one essential oil, you can also go for a combination of essential oils in order to combine their therapeutic benefits. However, be sure to not add too much of essential oils in your bath beads. Just add 15 to 20 drops of essential oil of your choice to the final mixture, and then mix thoroughly.

The final step is to form the mixture into small beads with your hands. You can store these bath beads in a lidded glass jar. But, be sure to secure the lid tightly, and place it in a cool, and dry corner of your bathroom. Just put 2 to 3 beads in slightly warm bathwater, and let them dissolve completely. Then soak in the tub to enjoy the refreshing fragrance of these beads. Apart from being a relaxing element to your bath, they can make an excellent gift with a personal touch, which your friends will surely appreciate.