DIY Foot Soak with Tea Tree Oil & Epsom Salt

I recently read a snippet from a Mom who’s parenting advice can be summarized as: got a problem? just add water.  Run the sprinkler, turn on the kettle, draw a bath, wash the dog, water the garden.   I love this.

Wellness through water — sanus per aquam — spa.

In this category, the humble foot soak may be the most underrated 10 minutes you’ll ever spend.

I’ve also come to discover over the past 8 years (we don’t have a bathtub), that you can set it up anywhere — outside perched under your favorite tree (you can pretend you’re in ancient Greece), on the fire escape with steam rising from the hot city streets below, or in front of Netflix (!) preferably with a big bowl of popcorn beside you; the versatility is endless.

Equipment

Any pot large enough to house your feet will do!  Of course you can always invest in something fancier but it’s not necessary to enjoy the benefits.

In fact, you don’t need these salts either.  The big benefit comes from taking a load off and soaking your feet in warm water even for a few minutes — the relief is almost instant and I’m always amazed how well it soothes and comforts weary bones and achy muscles.  And, how that sense of relaxation radiates through the entire body.

The salt mixture is a bonus.  So let’s explore.

THE SALTS

For this foot soak recipe,  I’m using a base of epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) and adding therapeutic essential oils and some pretty flowers — the flowers do add a touch of fragrance but are mostly there because they make me happy.

ESSENTIAL OILS IN A NUTSHELL

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that retain their essence and are an excellent way to capture the signature fragrance of botanicals; these aromas can support our psychological and physiological wellbeing when harmonized with our particular response system.

I always say, the most important thing is to work with your individual response. 

Although essential oils have certain properties and typical associations, each person reacts differently to aroma and it’s really important to work with oil essences that elicit the desired response for you and avoid those that may cause adverse reactions (headaches, nausea, etc).  This may also mean using different aromas at different times of day and in different seasons.  Experimentation is helpful.

What is Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is an essential oil that comes from the leaves of the Australian tea tree.  It has a characteristic camphor smell (menthol-like) reminiscent of delicious woodsy eucalyptus.

Tea tree oil has been used topically for over a century and is known for its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties showing promise in diverse areas of skin health – studies have shown it to be an effective treatment for acne, athlete’s foot and nail fungus (onychomycosis) without the troubling side effects of medications.

I especially like this tea tree oil from Naturenics — chemical free, steam distilled, certified organic and it comes with a travel sized roll-on for topical use as well.

Peppermint 

With its cooling properties (the opposite of inflaming) and penetrating fragrance, peppermint complements tea tree oils camphor-like characteristics, offering an aspect of clearance — helping to ease tension, alleviate congestion and support respiration.  As an anti-nauseant, peppermint also offers grounding, steadying properties that can be especially helpful in turbulent times.  Peppermint oil is like the noble stalwart of my goodie bag, holding it down in the heart of the storm.

Lavender

Revered for its beautiful, delicate fragrance and mood enhancing properties, lavender has been shown to help reduce anxiety and depression while also improving sleep quality.

A perfect way to wind down at the end of the day — or a refreshing interlude in the middle of it!

And Moms (& Dads) foot soaks are not reserved for adults; you can absolutely get your littles in on the action — a fun activity and a few moments of rest and reprieve for all.   This is also a really nice hands-on (footsies-in) way to show young ones the importance of self care and whole body wellness.  Bet they’ll love it — and you will too!

4.8 from 4 reviews

DIY Foot Soak with Tea Tree Oil & Epsom Salt

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

A soothing and aromatic foot soak featuring healing tea tree oil, lavender and epsom salt

Author: kelly

Serves: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 500 g (2 cups) epsom salt
• 1 Tbsp sweet almond oil or other carrier oil such as:
• olive oil, fractionated coconut oil, jojoba or grapeseed
• 16-20 drops essential oil of tea tree
• 6-8 drops essential oil of peppermint
• 4-6 drops essential oil of lavender
• 1 Tbsp dry lavender flower (or any flower of choice! I've also mixed in some red plum flower) optional
• nb: the drops are a suggested range - use the potency that feels right for you

Instructions

1. In a roomy mixing bowl combine: epsom salt, carrier oil of choice (I like sweet almond oil in this preparation), tea tree oil, peppermint oil, lavender oil and dried flowers (if using).
2. Mix ingredients together and then transfer to store in a covered container away from direct light. You can also transfer into a pretty glass jar for gifting. I found mine here.
3. To use, fill a foot bath (tub of sorts) with warm water to heat preference and then add two generous scoops of the salt mixture (about ¼ cup). Enjoy!

3.5.3251