A homemade aromatherapy bath salt can transport you into a spa without the usual high price tag. You might even have all the ingredients you need in your kitchen. If you have some sea salt and a favorite essential oil, you're in business!

Bath Salts

The most basic type of aromatherapy bath salt just involves mixing a couple cups of either sea salt or Epsom salts with about 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. To use, drop a handful into a running bath. Keep the remaining mixture in an airtight, opaque container to maintain the fragrance of the oils.

Bath Bombs

A bath bomb is an aromatherapy bath salt that goes 'fizz' when dropped into water. You'll need baking soda, cornstarch, and citric acid, which can be ordered online or found at specialty kitchen stores. Make the basic bath salt, and then add about twice as much baking soda as citric acid and cornstarch. You might want to mix the dry ingredients together first before combining with the aromatherapy bath salt.

Dash of Pizzazz

Add color to your aromatherapy bath salt by using a few drops of soap dye, available at any craft store, to a salt that already contains the essential oil blend. Let the entire mix sit overnight in a closed container to give the dye time to spread evenly.

A handful of dried herbs or rose petals are also a nice touch, particularly if you're making an aromatherapy bath salt as a gift. If it is meant for a present, wrap the bath salt in a fine white mesh that you can buy at craft stores for low prices and knot with ribbon. The netting will keep the herbs from clogging up the bath drain.

You can also use soap molds to turn your bath salts into fanciful shapes. Pat your mixture into the mold and dampen slightly with a spray of essential oils and rubbing alcohol. Let dry overnight. In the morning you should have a nicely shaped bath salt.

Essential Oils to Skip

Some essential oils don't belong in an aromatherapy bath salt or any other concoction that will be in contact with the skin for long periods. Avoid using oils derived from most of your common kitchen spices, like oregano and clove, and particularly bergamot, which can react with sunlight on your skin to create a burn.