Homemade Gift Idea: How to Make Scented Bath Oil

This bath uses whole milk and honey, and makes a great gift for a bridal shower, mom, or good friend’s birthday. From Homemade: The Heart and Science of Handcrafts by Carol Endler Sterbenz.

Mix it just before you use it or make it a few hours ahead and store it in the refrigerator so it stays fresh. Add 20 drops of essential oil to the 4 1/2 cups of milk and honey.

Yield: One bath

Ingredients
1 quart (0.9 L) whole milk
1/4 cup (59.1 mL) honey
Essential oil*
16 drops chamomile
2 drops bergamot
2 drops vanilla
*See Health and Safety Precautions below

Equipment**
Glass or stainless steel measuring cup
Eyedropper
Large glass bowl
Stainless steel spoon
**Do not use copper, aluminum, cast-iron, or Teflon finishes.

Step 1
Combine the milk and honey.
Combine the milk and honey in a glass bowl. Stir with a stainless steel spoon.

Step 2
Blend in the essential oil.
Add the essential oil with an eyedropper. Stir the ingredients with the stainless steel spoon until well blended.

Step 3
Make a milk bath.
Pour the mixture into a tub full of warm water, swooshing the water with your hand to blend.

Bath salts are added directly to the bathwater. They do more than add fragrance; the minerals have a drawing effect that detoxifies the skin. After you bathe, apply a moisturizer, as bath salts have a slightly drying effect on the skin.

Health and Safety Precautions
Essential oils are potent and should be treated and stored like any other medicine. They should be kept out of the reach of children. If you are pregnant and in your first trimester, avoid all essential oils. Thereafter, pregnant women and the elderly should consult a doctor before using them.