I came across this recipe in a favorite cookbook of mine, The American Country Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook, Volume 1, by Kitty & Lucian Maynard. It makes for a wonderfully fragrant, silky soak, but you must remember to be very careful about slipping when adding water softener and/or oils to your bath water!
*I do not know if you can still buy Calgon water softener, but I do know you can still buy their bath beads, which are scented, and also have moisturizing properties, so they would probably work as well.
The addition of the essential oil is something I've not tried, because I enjoy the scent of the Calgon, but it might be a nice addition. I got the idea from The Mamas Girls blog.
The Queen's Bath Salts
From The Queen Victoria Bed & Breakfast, Cape May, NJ
Makes 6 cups, enough for 12 baths
3 cups Epsom salts
1½ cups baking soda
1½ cups Calgon powdered water softener, in the laundry aisle*
10-20 drops essential oil, optional
Combine Epsom salts, baking soda & water softener in a mixing bowl. If desired, drop in the essential oil, and whisk until well incorporated.
Pour a half cup of bath salts into your bath water, and enjoy! (Be careful of slipping!)
Keep bath salts in a closed container.
