DIY Epsom Salt Herbal Muscle Spray

When my Plantar fasciitis plays up I soak my foot in a bowl of warm water that I've added a handful of Epsom salts (Magnesium sulfate) and a few drops of lavender oil to and it helps ease my foot, and when my back aches from too much exercise or from a long session in the garden I have a warm bath, this time with a couple of handfuls of Epsom salts and essential oils of my choice, I use oils that have warming properties like rosemary, ginger and black pepper which are good for easing muscles aches and pains.

I have a bath blend to share a bit further on, but a lady in a group I belong to wanted something she could use to help ease her aching muscles without having to have a bath or shower, so enter my Epsom Salt Muscle Spray which can be carried around and used whenever you need to. A small caveat before you make and use this spray, if you get it on your clothes the Epsom salts will leave a powdery residue when they dry, it will wash out but it will be noticeable until the garment is washed.

Epsom Salt Muscle Spray

The base for your spray will always be a 1 part water to 1 part Epsom salt mix and you can add your choice of beneficial essential oils, I give two versions below that I find best.

250ml Bottle
125ml Boiling Water
125g Epsom Salts

Then either: -

15 Drops Lavender Essential Oil

15 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Or: -

15 Drops Rosemary Essential Oil
15 Drops Ginger Essential Oil

Method: Boil your water in a kettle and place your Epsom salts in a jug or glass bowl that is suitable for boiling liquids and stir until the Epsom salts are dissolved. Once they are completely dissolved set the mixture aside to go cold, once its cold add your essential oils of choice, don't be tempted to add the oils whilst the mixture is hot, the oils with evaporate in the heat and lose their beneficial and aromatic properties.

Pour the mixture into your spray bottle and label it with name and date, then use it to spritz your aching muscles e.g. arms, legs, neck or shoulders.

You can make this spray in any quantity you like the key is to always use 1 part boiling water to 1 part Epsom salts. So if you only have a 100ml bottle 50ml water and 50g Epsom salts. A 500ml bottle then 250ml water and 250g Epsom salts, you get the picture?

Epsom Salt & Herb Bath Muscle Soak

Back pain and muscle problems seem to occur in our house rather a lot these days, a sign of our ageing bodies methinks, and when the lighter days come around and garden activity increases the aches and pains increase as well. Usually after several hours of gardening, I have a nice long soak in the bath with my favourite herbal bath blend from a jar I keep of this bath soak recipe I make up at the start of the gardening season, but its now being used to soak muscles after a long walks and runs (my husband not me, I'm not fit enough to run yet lol).

The mix makes enough to fill 18 bath bags containing 25g per bag, alternatively have one bag and store the rest of the mixture in a sealed jar and add 25g of the mixture to a muslin bag at each bath time.

Ingredients:

15g Dried Thyme
30g Dried Rosemary
30g Dried Lavender Flowers
25g Dried Cramp Bark
25g Dried Peppermint Leaf
150g Oats
200g Epsom Salts
12 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
12 Drops Rosemary Essential Oil
12 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Method: Mix all the dry ingredients together, stir in the essential oils and put in a large, well-sealed, glass jar such as a kilner jar. To use, put 25g of the mix into a muslin bath bag or into the centre of a circle of muslin tied up with string or ribbon and hang over the bath tap. Relax in the bath and let the herbs and Epsom salts soak away the aches and pains.

If a long soak doesn’t help and there's pain rather than just aches going on, then make an appointment to see your GP.

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to source the most up to date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that remedies in our articles are effective, when in doubt, consult your GP or a qualified Medicinal Herbalist. Remember also that herbal remedies can be dangerous under certain circumstances therefore you should always seek medical advice before self-treating with a homemade remedy, especially if you suffer from any known illness which could be adversely affected by self-treatment.

A Diffusion of Fragrant Findings

Not Craft Related, but it kind of is because what I'm about to say is an extension of my crafting, I like making things like room sprays, homemade pot pourri and things like foot soak fizzies and bath melts and I love making natural scented things for the home, that sentence made me think that I haven't shared some makes for herbal first aid goodies that I gave as gifts to friends and family a few years ago, despite promising some of you that I would, so I think I will very soon!

Before I get distracted, on to my reason for posting this, many of my friends know that I'm a big Yankee Candles fan, but I think that from now on I will not be buying anymore scented candles or wax melts of any description! That sounds like an epic statement to make and I guess it kind of is, but since I got an Aromatherapy Oil Diffuser its made a big difference to my well being on several levels.  I was actually looking at apps and gadgets that work with Alexa and noticed some Diffusers amongst the gadgets.

They are Smart devices, with WIFI built in so I can control the diffuser from an app on my phone, you can get none smart versions, I'm just a gadget geek lol! If anyone is interested the one I picked up is made by a company called Renpho and cost £16.99 Wifi Smart Diffuser it only holds 120ml's of water, when we get the next one I'm going for its bigger brother that holds 300ml.

I did a lot of research and discovered that a diffuser could maybe help with my chronic sinus problems, I was in the midst of yet another bad sinus attack and when they flare up they usually last 3-6 weeks sometimes less and sometimes more. So Si treated me to one,and within two days of using the diffuser the sinus infection was cleared up! I couldn't believe it I was expecting the usual weeks of misery and after just 2 days I have no pain above the bridge of my nose, the inside of my nose doesn't feel dry and irritated and the nasty smell I get (like a used ashtray) has gone!

I'm so happy with this little misting maestro that we're going to get one for the bedroom and one for the living room and the candles and oil burners that use candles will be going once they have been used up and I won't be buying them anymore, sorry Yankee candles, its been good but the romance is over. With all my years of working with essential oils, I didn't know that using a traditional oil burner (one with a tealight underneath) isn't such a clever thing to use with essential oils, the heat changes essential oils chemical construction and it burns away their therapeutic benefits as well!

Cold diffusion doesn't destroy the therapeautic complex constituents in essential oils like heating them up does, instead it distributes them into the atmosphere of the room so they can work their micro particle molecular magic and you get 100% of the benefits of the oils. They don't just make a room smell nice though, here are some of the benefits I've discovered...

Diffusing oils like Chamomile, Lavender, Cedarwood and Sweet Orange 20-30 minutes before bedtime can dramatically improve and support the body’s natural sleep cycles and combat sleep issues like insomnia, racing thoughts, and stress.

One of my favourite blends mixes the deep 'earthy' aromas of Vetivert EO with the florals of Lavender and Roman Chamomile, its a deeply relaxing blend that will help soothe your mind before sleep.

Diffusers are also great for use during times of cold and flu because they put much-needed humidity into the air which can help relieve dry sinuses and cough. Try Eucalyptus and Thyme blends during cold and flu season!

Not that anybody snores in our house, no sireeeee! But in the event that any body did, I've read that a diffuser in the room can help with snoring, it moistens the dry membranes on the nose that can contribute to snoring.

If it doesn't stop the snoring at least the person being kept awake has some pleasent smells to try and help them fall back to sleep. If I find any evidence that it works for this reason I'll update this post.

If like me you suffer from brain fog and fuzzy thinking (thank you Mrs Menopause) then essential oils like Rosemary, Basil, Lemon, Cypress, Lavender, and Frankincense can help to promote deep concentration, mental clarity, and improved focus. Oils that are high in sesquiterpenes like Frankincense and Sandalwood are especially good for increasing oxygen and blood flow in the pineal, pituitary, and hypothalamus glands which help support mental health and acuity, these essential oils are also known to help clear brain fog.

Another benefit of a diffuser can be witnessed during hot weather and boy could I have used this nugget of information a few months ago, diffusing oils like Peppermint, Spearmint and Lavender and other oils with refrigerant properties - refrigerant means that the oils have a cooling effect; and can help bring down external body heat - can keep you cool! And speaking of hot weather, a diffuser can help keep those pesky flying bugs at bay, diffuse essential oils like Citronella, Lemongrass, Geranium, Eucalyptus and Lavender can help keep pests at bay.

There are so many other benefits, the main one being you don't get carcinogens in the air you breath in like you do with candles. I'm using only 100% pure essential oils in my diffuser, no artificial fragrances in sight, and just plain old cold water from the tap. If you're unsure about what is in your tap water used filtered water or bottled spring water to fill up your diffusers tank.

Keep an eye on quantities, too much essential oil can cause headache, migraines, dizziness and nausea so don't put too much in, the old adage less is more is worth keeping in mind.

For your blends add the following per 100ml of water: -

100ml - 3-5 Drops
200ml - 6-9 Drops
300ml - 9-12 Drops
400ml - 12-15 Drops
500ml - 15-20 Drops

You can add a few more drops but don't add too much, its also beneficial to mix heavy aromas with light ones so if you're using Patchouli oil then add something to lighten it like Sweet Orange or Rose Geranium oils takes the heaviness away as some of the heavier scented essential oils can be rather over powering on their own.

This week's blends since I got my diffuser have included: -

Peppermint and Lavender EO's - That combo was diffused when I had a headache and the cooling vapour really did help.

Rose Geranium, Sweet Orange & Lavender EO's - I was a tad stressed at the beginning of the week and that blend really helped me destress and relax. A bit of music and lovely aromatic wafts of fragrance and I was chilled in about 30 minutes.

Pine Needle, Clove, Cinnamon & Sweet Orange EO's - There has been some slight sniffling going on and both Si and I have woken with a scratchy throat so I've been diffusing this blend with all its anti-viral and anti-bacterial goodness today to help purify the air from any nasties that may have got in lol! The bonus for this one is it smells like Christmas which along with some xmas tunes in the background is going along with my Xmas card making rather nicely :)

I love that I can select colours as well I'm finding that I'm gravitating to the deeper pink and purple hues at the minute, my happy colours. I've actually enjoyed writing this, I got to put my herbal hat on and tap in to my knowledge of essential oils and herbs, if anyone is interested in more recipes and combo's leave a comment and I'll add something to the blog soon. I'm off for a spot of CraftAroma Therapy now in my yummy smelling room, enjoy the rest of your day 😁

Making Homemade Beauty Treats for Gifting - Part 2

A little later than planned, here's part two of my article, these fragrant bath bombs and melts went down a storm, I also did a version of the bath fizzes in smaller sizes and used peppermint and lavender foot fizzes, which I've taken to using myself, they leave the feet soft and refreshed.

Lavender & Geranium Bath Melts

These bath melts are so fragrant and you can make them in a variety of fragrances see the suggestions below. The main ingredient in these fragrant and moisturising bath melts is cocoa butter which has several benefits to help keep your skin healthy it contains several fatty acids including oleic, palmitic and stearic acids which have antioxidant properties that can help to reduce the signs of ageing, cocoa butter can also help to reduce inflammation on the skin and soothe skin conditions such as eczema.

Makes 18 – 36 melts depending on the size of case you use.

200g Unrefined Cocoa Butter – You can use refined but the smell is better from unrefined.
100g Sweet Almond Oil
100 Drops Geranium Essential Oil
50 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
18 – 36 Pink Rose Buds for decoration
2g Beetroot Powder – Which will act as a natural colouring to give a pink colour to your melts. N.B. you can buy cosmetic grade dyes in a variety of colours.
Foiled Petit Four Cases or Cupcake Cases
Cosmetic Grade Colouring (Optional)
Large Heatproof Mixing Bowl
Large Pan – Big enough for the bowl to sit in and be supported by the pan rim
Wooden Spoon Heatproof
Measuring Jug

Method: First a note about essential oils, how much oil you add is up to you anything from 50 drops (2.5ml) – 150 (7.5ml) drops per 300g of combined cocoa butter and sweet almond oil. Bear in mind that if you use highly scented oils like clove, cinnamon, patchouli, peppermint you need to use a little at a time, these oils can quickly over power a blend.

These melts are very easy to make, place enough water in your pan to come 2” below the base of the heatproof glass bowl you’ll be using to make the melts, put the bowl on the pan and turn on the heat, it will take a few minutes to start to get warm.

Whilst you’re waiting for the water to heat up take about 1 teaspoon of your almond oil and place it in a cup, add the beetroot powder and stir to make your colouring. Once the water is at a steady simmer put the cocoa butter, the rest of the sweet almond oil and the colouring in to the pan and stir gently until the cocoa butter has melted and everything is thoroughly mixed.

Cocoa butter melts at around 93–101°F (34–38°C), turn off the heat and using oven gloves lift the bowl off the top of the pan. Then add your drops of essential oil, build up the layers a little at a time, remembering the important rule that you can add it, but you can’t take it away. Once you have the fragrance you like then pour the contents into a heatproof jug, you can skip this stage but I find it easier to pour the liquid into the little moulds than trying to spoon it in.

Leave the melts to set overnight, if you’re in a hurry as soon as the mix is cool, you can pop them in the freezer to harden. Note that these melts will melt at temperatures over 75°F (24°C) so don’t leave them near a radiator or in sunlight etc where the temperature can raise above this.

To Use: If you’re making mini melts then add 2-3 to the bath, simply pop into the bath just under where the hot water is running in to the bath. If you make cupcake sized melts then add 1 melt to the water. Bear in mind that when you’ve finished bathing the bath will be slippery from the cocoa butter and oil so be careful when you stand and in getting out of the bath. It should also be noted that some natural and artificial colour pigments may stain the bath, but the staining should be temporary and should clean off easily.

Geranium & Patchouli Bath Cupcakes

A twist on the bath bomb that doesn’t require you to have to buy an expensive bath bomb mould, these super fizzy bath ‘cupcakes’ not only look pretty they provide moisture for the skin and the citric acid can help even out skin tone, unclog the pores, help reduce ageing spots caused by pigmentation and can be soothing to the skin of people with mild acne.

The bicarbonate of soda is a natural alkali which also has antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The Cupcake Fizzes are quick to make, require no heating, just mixing, and make an ideal project to do with children to give to aunties and grandmas. Not to mention they’re fun to watch them fizz!

Makes 12 Fizzes

400g Citric Acid aka C6H8O7, Sour Salt & Sodium Citrate
800g Bicarbonate of Soda aka Baking Soda
100 Drops Geranium Essential Oil
50 Drops Patchouli Essential Oil
20ml Jojoba Oil
Pink Rose Buds for decoration

Method: First place the cupcake cases in to a metal cupcake tray, this will help shape the fizzes later. Next put the citric acid into a bowl, then using a sieve, sieve the bicarbonate of soda on top of the citric acid and stir to combine, add the jojoba oil and the essential oils and mix with a metal spoon. Once the oils are mixed in, dampen your hands very slightly and shake a few drops of water in to the bowl, not a lot or you’ll start the fizzing will start! You want to have the feel of just damp sand.

Note that the mix will look very powdery, it won’t form a dough it will just look like dampened citric acid initially. Using a metal teaspoon, spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, keep adding teaspoons of the mix and pressing down until the cupcake case is level with the top and firmly compressed. Do this for all 12 cupcake cases then press your rosebuds in to the top of the cupcake and leave them to dry out for 24-36 hours. At the end of this time your bath cupcakes will have set very hard and can be tipped out of the mould and packaged for giving.

Other Fragrance Combinations to Try:-

Lavender & lemongrass – Sprinkle dried lavender buds on to the surface of the cupcake for additional scent and decoration.
Mandarin & Chamomile – Decorate with dried chamomile flowers.
Patchouli, Pine Needle & Cedarwood – A Good earthy fragrance suitable for men.
Lime & Ginger – A unisex scent that is both refreshing and invigorating.
Rosemary, Lemon & Sweet Marjoram – Another combination perfect for men.

Making Homemade Beauty Treats for Gifting - Part 1

I thought today I'd write about something a little different and share some of the things I made for friends and family last Christmas which went down extremely well, so over the next few days I'll post a few recipes and methods, these kind of gifts appeal to the herbaholic in me, I love playing with herbs and essential oils to make a vast array of things from balms to pot pourri...

Because let's face it at some points in our gift giving endeavours we hit a brick wall deciding what to get for some people at Christmas and we end up resorting to buying flowers, potted plants or chocolates, the poor men folk get a worse deal receiving alcohol, socks or the dreaded Christmas jumper. It doesn’t have to be that way, with a little careful planning and a little time sourcing your ingredients you can make a selection of fabulously fragrant goodies for bath and body to give as gifts to 6 people and more if you’re so inclined!

I’m talking all 4 items in the photo above a sugar scrub, lip balm, bath melts and bath fizzers which will appeal to chocoholics and fragrant bath pampering addicts alike and they can all be made in just 1 day! My future daughter-in-law commented recently how much she loved her body scrub and said it was nicer than the ones you can buy, which made me smile. As this post would be huge if I added all the recipes at once, I thought I'd split it in to a few parts and start with the lip balm and body scrub today.

The beauty though of all these homemade gifts, is they contain no chemical nasties, they can be tailored to favourite flavours and preferred perfumes of the recipients and you can make gifting goodies for the ladies on your gift list and the men folk as well, because contrary to popular belief, men like to be pampered to, in a ‘blokey’ kind of way of course ;)

As gifts go, these items can be made any time of year for giving for birthday presents, a thank you gesture, to say get well soon, or for occasions like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. The Bath fizzers can also be made in small petit four cases and packaged in organza bags, then given as wedding favours to female guests, they can be coloured and fragranced to echo wedding décor and make a very personal and fragrant gift.

Remember when you give your gifts to include a list of ingredients either on the product or in a little booklet that you can give with your gift, and if you know that a recipient has an allergy, then don’t make items using things they need to avoid e.g. nut allergy, avoid nut based oils and use sunflower or grapeseed oil instead, dairy free don't add any dairy products! I know that part isn't rocket science but you'd be surprised how many people forget that allergens like nuts and dairy products can be in cosmetics and so many other things.

Chocolate, Ginger & Orange Sugar Scrub

Giving sugar scrubs and lip balms with chocolate box flavours will appeal to the recipients with the added bonus that they won’t pile on the pounds when they indulge in their chocolatey gifts. For several years we’ve made homemade sweet treats for giving as presents, but some of the recipients, although very appreciative of our gifts, made comments about weight gain. We took the hint and last year I decided that we’d give none edible goodies, so we weren’t giving too much temptation.

This deliciously scented sugar scrub is perfect for friends and family who are partial to chocolate orange and chocolate ginger chocolates, but are watching what they eat, it contains real organic cocoa powder as well as some of fragrant essential oils and smells heavenly.

To make it you'll need: -

300g Dark Muscovado Sugar – You can use demerara but the fragrance won’t be the same
100ml Jojoba Oil
2 Tbsp. Organic Cocoa Powder e.g. Green & Blacks
2 Tsp Orange Essential Oil
5 Drops Ginger Essential Oil

Method: This is so easy to make, place sugar in a mixing bowl and sieve the cocoa powder on top then stir, once the cocoa and sugar are evenly mixed, add the jojoba oil and essential oils, lick lips, but do not taste ;) Put into decorative jars and label.

To Use – First dampen the skin in the shower, then take a golf ball sized blob of the sugar scrub in to the palm of the hand and massage in to the wet skin, rinse off with warm water and pat the skin dry.

Try experimenting with fragrances, adding Lime Essential Oil will give you the smell of the old fashioned sweet ‘Chocolate Limes’, a little Geranium Essential Oil or Rose Oil and you have ‘Turkish Delight’, Lavender and Chocolate also work well together. If you want to use cosmetic grade fragrance oils you can make ‘Bounty’ style sugar scrubs by using coconut fragrance oil. Strawberry, mint and coffee are also heavenly variations. If you have time you can manufacture a whole chocolate box full of bath time delights.

Tip - If your recipient has skin that is dry or prone to flaking or itchiness then using Avocado Oil instead of the Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil can be very soothing and moisturising for dry/irritated skin.

Chocolate Peppermint Lip Balm

This lip balm is really wonderful, make sure that you only use food grade essential oils to make sure they are safe for using in beauty items that may potentially be consumed. The hemp seed oil and cocoa butter are both very moisturising and contain antioxidants, they will help sooth dry cracked lips caused by winter winds.

To make 10 x 30ml Jars you'll need: -

100ml Hempseed Oil
60g Dark Chocolate (at least 70% Cocoa Solids – I used 85%)
30g Organic Unrefined Cocoa Butter
30g Beeswax
16 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Method: Place all ingredients with the exception of the peppermint oil in to a heatproof glass bowl over a pan of water that comes about 2” below the base of the bowl. Stir slowly until all the ingredients are melted and the resulting mixture is smooth and dark glossy chocolate brown. Pour the mix in to a heatproof glass jug - you can skip this stage but it’s easier to pour in to the pots from a jug. Add the drops of peppermint oil and stir with a metal spoon to combine everything together, then pour in to your jar or tins.

To Use – Use a lip brush or the tip of your finger to apply a little of the lip balm to the lips. N.B. Because this lip balm contains real chocolate it may stain clothes if it gets on them, it will also give the lips a slight chocolatey look if too much is applied.

You can experiment with other ‘flavours’ by following the suggestions in the sugar scrub recipe above, substituting the cosmetic flavouring or food grade essential oil of your choosing.

That's all for today, tomorrow I'll share my recipes for making bath melts and bath cupcakes!