Inexpensive Tips for Pamering Your Loved Ones This Valentine's Day

This Valentine’s Day, forget the chocolate and flowers and go with something that’s less expensive and shows you really care: an at-home spa. It’s easy to do, all you need is some candles, soft music and Epsom salt.

With Epsom salt, you can create an at-home spa that’s perfect for the two of you. Some specific tips are below, but start by creating personalized bath salts and candles. Then run the bath water and begin the pampering. Grab your loved one’s favorite drink and see why beauty experts say Epsom salt can brighten the skin and, most importantly, make you and your loved one feel relaxed.

Epsom salt — actually magnesium sulfate — is easy to use and easy to find in your local pharmacy or supermarket, and it costs just a few dollars. Here are some tips:

Homemade Bath Crystals

Mix two cups of Epsom Salt with a few drops of fragrance to create a custom bath crystal. Add a few drops of food coloring or ½ TSP of glycerin if you like. Store in an air-tight container.

Glistening Candles

Using a foam brush, paint a candle with a light coat of glue. Spread Epsom salt on a cookie sheet or another flat surface, then roll the candle onto the Epsom salt. (You can also paint the top of the candle with Mod Podge and then pour Epsom salt on top, shaking off any excess before the candle dries, or you can coat the candle three-quarters of the way up with first glue and then Epsom salt.) Allow the candle to dry, standing straight up, for at least an hour before handling.

Stress Relieving Soak

Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent.

Glowing Skin Exfoliating Treatment

Mix 2 cups of Epsom Salt with ¼ cup of petroleum jelly and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Use the mixture to gently scrub away dry skin patches.

Microdermabrasion Facial

Mix ½ TSP of Epsom Salt into cleansing cream for a deep-pore cleansing. Massage on skin. Rinse with cool water. Pat dry.

Pedicure Perfection

Dissolve a half cup of Epsom Salt into two quarts of warm water. Pour the water into a container and soak your bare feet for 15 to 20 minutes. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent. Massage the entire foot with Epsom Salt concentrating on the heels and ankles to remove any dry, rough spots. Then, rinse your feet off with clean tap water and dry them thoroughly.

Natural Hair Volumizer

Combine equal parts warm conditioner and Epsom salt, work the mixture through your hair and leave for 20 minutes.

About Epsom salt

Epsom salt – actually magnesium sulfate – is one of the most versatile household products, with uses ranging from creating at-home spa treatments to soothing achy muscles to helping start or improve gardens. It’s been used therapeutically for hundreds of years, and it’s gaining a new generation of fans looking for a safe, economical alternative in a sea of expensive, over-the-counter remedies. Epsom salt is easy to use, easy to find in your local pharmacy or grocery store and it costs about the same per use as a cup of coffee. For more information, please visit either www.epsomsaltcouncil.org, www.facebook.com/epsomsalt, or contact Peter Smolowitz, (704) 916-6163, psmolowitz@mower.com.