So after a week at the beach, with all the sunscreen and salt water and sweat, my skin is a MESS. I have been thinking that I need to use some sort of exfoliating scrub to help, and thought I would check online to see if I could make one. It opened up a whole WORLD of possiblities concerning  do-it-yourself bath products, using many products you have at home or can procure quite easily from drugstores, natural food stores, and craft stores. Even better, the cost per use of these items is very low, AND many of them would make GREAT and heart-felt gifts. Since you control the ingredients, those with sensitive skin need not fear harsh chemicals and long product lists. Here are some of my favorites! Have fun!

Bath Salts
Fill a small jar with Epsom salts so that you know how much you need. Dump them out in a bow, and then add a couple of drops of food coloring. Stir until mixed. Then add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil (you can buy these at health food stores). Mix again. Spread out on a baking sheet and let dry for a couple of hours. Pour back into the jar. You can use these right away, but the scent will be stronger if you let it sit for a week or two. 

Bubble Bath
Use 1 cup of baby shampoo, 1/3 cup glycerin (can be found at most craft stores), 2 tablespoons of water, and essential oil. Mix first 3 ingredients, and then add 10-25 drops of oil (depending on how strong you want the scent to be!). 

Bath Fizzies
Sift together 1 cup baking soda, ½ cup cornstarch, ½ citric acid and 1/8 cup Epsom salts. Add 10-20 drops of essential oils and stir. Spritz with witch hazel (a spray bottle works best) and mix, spritzing until the mixture starts to clump together (but don’t overspray and make it wet! It needs to be dry!). Press into ice cup trays or soap molds and let sit for 1 minute, then remove and let sit for 24-48 hours, covered, until totally dry. 

Shampoo
Basic recipe: Mix ¼ cup distilled water, ¼ cup liquid castile soap (found at natural food stores), and ½ tsp. jojoba oil. For dandruff relief, add 10-20 drops of tea tree oil to basic recipe. For extra clean and bouncy hair, add 4 tsp. of baking soda to the water before mixing with other ingredients. For dry hair, use avocado oil instead of jojoba, and add 1 tbsp of liquid honey while mixing the basic recipe. For oily hair, use 6 drops of lavender essential oil and 2 tbsp of witch hazel to basic recipe.  

Deep Conditioning Treatment
Mash 1 peeled avocado, 1 egg yolk, and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Leave on damp hair for 30 minutes, rinse, and then shampoo normally.  

Chocolate Body Scrub
Mix 3 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 cup of brown sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract or oil. Add olive oil, a little at a time, until it forms a thick paste. Apply on moist skin after bathing, rub in a circular motion. Rinse off with warm water.  

Chocolate/Coffee Body Scrub
Use 2 cups of coffee grounds, ½ cup raw sugar (or sea salt if preferable), 1 tbsp of cocoa, and enough olive oil to make a paste. Apply on moist skin after bathing, rub in a circular motion. Rinse off with warm water.  

Chocolate Lip Gloss
You can find small containers for this at most craft stores. Use enough petroleum jelly to fill up the container. Put the petroleum jelly in a microwavable bowl and nuke for 30 seconds. Stir. Keep nuking in 30 second intervals until it is totally melted. Add 1-2 tbsp (or more, depending on taste) of cocoa powder and stir until totally mixed (no lumps!). Nuke for another 30 seconds and then pour into container. Let cool completely. If you don’t want chocolate, you can use fruit drink mixes instead! 

Deodorant
I found a very interesting recipe here. Go check it out and see what you think!

Different essential oils have different health properties and aromatherapy benefits. Here is a great chart listing many of these benefits by category.
Here are some great combinations to use in the above recipes:

Relaxation/Sleep-Inducing: 6 drops of lavender and 4 drops of patchouli
Cold Relief: 6 drops of eucalyptis, 3 drops of spearmint, and 3 drops of peppermint
Energizing: 6 drops of orange, 4 drops of lemon and 3 drops of grapefruit
Romantic: 6 drops of jasmine, 6 drops of ylan-ylang, and 3 drops of vanilla

You can use any scents that smell good to you! Be advised, however, that there are some oils that pregnant women are supposed to avoid. Ask the salesperson at the natural foods store if you have any questions.