I wanted to know what is the best container to keep bath salts that
have essential oils added to them? I have heard that plastic and paper
are no good because the oils will wick out/ escape from the salt. What
is good to package bath salts with oils, besides glass jars? ~Jill
Hi Jill,
Glass is definitely the best material to package products that contain
Essential Oils. Since glass is not porous, it keeps the Essential Oils
from wicking out or eating away at the packaging. Unfortunately,
packaging products in glass can be expensive and sometimes dangerous.
For example, packaging a salt scrub in a glass jar can be dangerous if
it is dropped in the shower or tub.
I've found the next best alternative to glass packaging is high
density PET plastic. PET Plastic Jars and bottles can effectively
contain products containing Essential Oils for some time before they
begin to break down. (If they ever break down) These crystal clear jars
and bottles also showcase colored salts and other products quite well.
These are a great solution for bath salts, scrubs, and other products
that contain Essential Oil.
PET
cannot, however, serve as long term storage for pure Essential Oils.
PET can be used to temporarily store Essential Oils, but even high
density plastic will eventually be corroded by Essential Oil,
especially Citrus or Spice Oils.
Do you have another packaging option that Jill could use for her Bath Salts? If so, please tell us about it in the comments below.
I found out the hard (& expensive) way that paper is not a good way to store or sell bath salts in. They go rock hard!! I think they must draw moisture from the air into them which hardens them. I had even used dendritic salt which is supposed to stop this.
I have since then found really nice plastic ziploc bags with a little window in them so that you can see the salts. They come in all colors including black, gold and silver, and different sizes as well. I am waiting for a shipment to arrive to use them but am pretty certain they will work great for selling/storing bath salts.
How did the ziploc bag work ? I just ordered ( I believe it says foil) ziploc With a little window – black in color from Amazon hope it works without clumping
Thanks Robyn! Yes, bath salts tend to attract moisture if you don’t package them in airtight, moisture-proof packaging. Plastic bags will work well for bath salts as long as they are not made with essential oils. The essential oils may eat through plastic bags and would also evaporate through the plastic, leaving very little scent.
Hi,
I make a consistent line of natural beauty products, but have one lingering frustration: the loss of “red” in my colored bath salts. If I color the salts pink, they turn white within a month, and if I use purple, they turn blue – whether I use pre-mixed purple, or mix my own red/blue combination.
The colors I use are food coloring, either in liquid or in paste form. The pink salts are scented with fragrance, and the purple are scented with pure essential oil. The colors change whether I put them in plastic bags, or in glass jars. The only other ingredients I use (in addition to the salt) are dendritic salt, and a small amount of oil.
Does anyone have an answer to this phenomenon?
Hi Cynthia. Thanks for your question. I believe the culprit could be the use of Food Dyes. Food Dye, or DC and FDC Colorants are notorious for fading. Though they are easy to use, and produce bright, vibrant colors, they tend to fade and lighten over time. Try using a more stable Color Additive on your Salts instead. Pearlescent Micas are a favorite of mine for use in Bath Salts. They offer stable, bold color, and the slight shimmer that they add is very pleasant. Avoid the FDA Color Micas, as they may fade in a similar way to FDC Dyes. Some nice red Micas are Rouge Flambe, Sienna Lustre, and Red Heart. You can also try using Oxides or Ultramarines, but they are a little harder to work with than Micas.
Hi Cynthia. Try using Formica /mica Mineral Coloring or even beet powder to achieve that red
Hi! I’m trying to find a possible alternative recipe for bath salts. The one that I love to make has lots of issues clumping. I am currently trying the low temp baking process to get moisture out. But I am worried about storing the salts properly so they don’t get moisture in them.
The recipe I use has baking soda, and if I store it in an air-tight container, I run the risk of it exploding. (I had a glass bottle with a plastic cap, and the cap flew off and it sprayed salts EVERYWHERE from where the baking soda caused pressure to build up inside the container)
So, is there another recipe without baking soda that will still have a similar detoxifying effect like baking soda that I could use? Or is there a safe way I can store the salts I make so that it won’t clump, but will keep it from building up pressure? I was thinking maybe a cork would work?
Why would my bath salts with essentials go hard in a glass mason jar??????
I put them in when they are mixed and add the lid I am hot gluing the top disc to the cap for easy opening I don’t understand why it is doing this
I’m having same problems
Hello Debra, Did you find any of the suggestions to Connie helpful? Maybe we can assist with troubleshooting.
Hi Amber! Have you ever tried using Dendritic Salt in place of Baking Soda? Dendritic Salt can help keep powders and bath salts free-flowing by absorbing extra moisture. The best part is that it is non-reactive so it shouldn’t cause any explosions! Another thing to consider is the moisture level of the main salt in your recipe. Certain salts, (Dead Sea Salt being one of the most notorious) contain high levels of moisture and can be tricky to package for long term stability. You might want to think about switching to another variety of salt to see if it works any better.
Hi Connie. By nature, salts absorb moisture from the environment around them. Sometimes this can cause salts to clump together and harden. It sounds like moisture may be getting into your bath salts at some stage of production or that the salts may be holding a high level of moisture to begin with. Some formulators choose to dry out their salts before use by dehydrating them in a low temperature oven. Others blend Dendritic Salt into their mixtures to help keep their salts free-flowing. You may also want to try switching to another base salt if the one you are using is too moist to start. Dead Sea Salts can be particularly moist so if you are using this you may have better luck with Epsom Salt or a standard Sea Salt.
I am having a horrible time with packaging! I bought copious bags to store them (resealable pouches). The ones with powder milk, Epsom salt, dead sea salt and baking soda do fine. The ones without the milk make my bags expand! It’s scary. I don’t know what to use in place. Or what I can use to prevent this from happening? I don’t need exploding salts. Help!!
Hi Moria,
I wonder if the milk powder could be reacting with the baking soda – creating a sort of bath bomb situation!
Very helpful. thank you
Thank you for your feedback, Deborah. We’re so glad you found the content helpful!
Hi, I wanted some advice about when to pack the bath salts that I make with essential oils to ensure they stay dry for longer and don’t clump. My recipe includes Epsom salt 1.5 cups, dead sea salt .5 cup , baking soda, little carrier oil and essential oils. Should I pack them straight after mixing them or leave them overnight? Any advice will be most appreciated
Some suggestions are to dry out the mixture before use by dehydrating them in a low temperature oven or at room temperature over night. You can also blend in Dendritic Salt to help keep the other salts free-flowing. Dead Sea Salts can be particularly moist so you may choose to tweak the percentage back a bit if you continue to have moisture issues.
I recently made a couple of batches of bath salts with essential oils and found they clumped. So i tried baking another batch, at a low temp for 15 mins. I then let it cool and packed it in an airtight container – however after a few hours I noticed it seemed like the salts were sweating and in the end, the salts still got wet. I live in a bit of a humid climate, so just wondering, is there an alternative to baking to ensure the salts don’t get wet? Is dendritic salt the only real option or is there another way (such as making the salts in a different environment)? Would love to hear what has worked for others in a similar situation?
Could you slip a silica packet into your packaging?
Hello Kathleen, That’s a great suggestion! Yes, you can toss a silica packet to your jar. Just remember to remove it before pouring the bath salts into the water.
Hello, I’m new to making bath salts and heard about jars exploding. My recipe includes baking soda and I have glass jars to use. Does making them air-tight prevent the exploding issue? Or should I leave out the baking soda? I’m terrified of selling a jar and it explodes on a customer!! I have’t had any issues with clumping so far.