They’re perfect as gifts, but you will want to pamper yourself as well with these luscious ideas for making your bath time better with citrus. The scents will enliven your senses as the good-for-you ingredients nourish your skin.
Note: If you’ve got a couple of weeks for this project, you can find out how to make your own lemon and orange essential oils here.
DIY Citrus Bath Bombs
3 oranges, zest only
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup citric acid
1/2 cup Epsom salt
1 cup baking soda
1/2 teaspoon orange essential oil
2 1/2 tablespoons almond oil
1 tablespoon water
5 bath bomb molds
Note: 1 teaspoon Mica powdered soap dye is optional – it depends on how much orange you want in your bath bombs.
About 1 hour before:
- Zest the oranges. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread out the zest in a single layer.
- Place in the oven at 200°F for about 20 to 30 minutes. The peels should feel slightly hardened, and be curling at the edges when they’re ready.
- Allow the peels to cool, and process in a blender or food processor until powdered. You can also do it with a mortar and pestle by hand.
When the powder is ready:
- Measure the Epsom salt, baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch, and dried orange peel into a bowl. If you are using the mica powdered dye, you’ll add it now as well. Stir together to blend thoroughly.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the orange essential oil, water, and almond oil.
- Drizzle the wet mixture into the dry mixture little by little to minimize fizzing.
- The final mix will feel and look like wet sand.
- Spoon it into the bath bomb molds, and twist until the molds are closed tight.
- Allow them to dry for at least 24 hours.
- To remove from the molds, tap very gently from the outside, and twist a little until it begins to give.
- Wrap in plastic, and store in an airtight container.
- To use, just drop it into your bath for a fizzle of delicious citrus.
Citrus Bath Salts
Dash a spoonful or two of these fragrant bath salts into your next bath for an invigorating scent and a cleansing solution.
1 cup Epsom salt
1/3 cup Himalayan salt
2 1/2 tablespoons baking soda
1 lemon, zest only
1 orange, zest only
3 drops lemon essential oil
3 drops orange essential oil
- Finely zest the lemon and orange, and refrigerate the fruit for use in something else.
- Combine the zest with the Epsom and Himalayan salts, and baking soda.
- Stir together well so that the zest is well incorporated into the salt mixture.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the salt onto it in an even layer.
- Let it dry in a cool place for at least 24 hours.
- Return to a bowl, and add the drops of essential oils.
- Store in a clean bottle with a cover for up to 2 weeks.
