Pink Epsom Salt Soak Cubes Recipe

This tutorial is available as a DIY KIT due to customer requests! Purchase it HERE

As I wanted to take full advantage of the design of the Moon Cake disc pattern on the finished cubes, I used a coffee grinder to powder the Epsom Salts. It doesn’t take long, and you can get very economical ones at discount stores across Australia if you don’t already have one.  This is optional however and your cubes will still have some of the design should you omit this step.

The Trolley items make 2 batches.  If you feel you can mix a batch of 1600g together in one bowl, that is fine too!

Ingredients: (one half batch)

• 500g Epsom Salts
• 180g Bicarbonate of Soda approximately
• 30 - 35g/ml Distilled Water
• ¼ - ½ teaspoon Mica (I used Tangelo Mica)
• 2 teaspoons (5 - 10g) Polysorbate 80 - Optional*
• 3g/ml (approximately 30 – 60 drops) Pink Peach Prosecco Fragrance Oil
• Large Square Moon Cake Press

*Polysorbate 80 helps the colourant disperse and rinse more easily from the bath.

However, you can safely add up to 1.5% of Fragrance Oil or most Essential Oils. 1% is usually plenty: 1% = 5.5g/ml; 1.5% = 8g/ml

Heavenly Pure Essential Oil Blend or Relax Pure Essential Oil Blend also works well for more therapeutic benefits.

What to expect and helpful tips:

• The mixture should be fairly damp/wet compared to normal bath salt and fizzy products.
• When pressed out on the paper to dry, DO NOT TOUCH for 48 hours. Place the tray into a warm oven or cupboard to dry out and harden completely.
• I am using Mica as I had that at hand, but you can also use Liquid Pigment Dispersions or Liquid Lakes. I have not used Polysorbate 80 as I wanted to keep it simple, but you could add 5 – 10g PS80 for a cleaner rinse to the bath if preferred. This is included in the trolley items.
• You can add a light sprinkle of glitter in the pattern before adding the mixture to add something extra to the Zen-looking cubes.

Equipment:

Large bowl, jug or mixing bowl
Sieve – if you have lumps in the Bicarb Soda
Coffee Grinder – if you want a more distinct finish on the cakes
Moon Cake Press – assemble by fitting your preferred pattern disc into the mould by holding the mould upside down, handle away from you, and with the pattern facing on the disc, you carefully click the disc into the base – you can see pictures of this on the Moon Cake Press page.

Method:

Grind the Epsom Salts in small batches and then empty into the mixing jug or bowl.
Sieve the Bicarbonate of Soda into the bowl and stir through the salt.

Use a mixing spoon or spatula to mix well.
Add colour and work through the salt and Bicarbonate of Soda powders.

Now add Pink Peach Prosecco Fragrance or Essential Oil and Polysorbate 80 (if using) and again mix well through the dry mixture until all the lumps are dispersed.

Now add the water to make it moist; I tend to add in 2 or 3 portions.
Squeeze the mixture in your hand to ensure it is moist enough to hold together well.

Time to form the salt cakes:

Fill the mould cavity with mixture and firm down with the heel of your hand or the back of a spoon.
Using a swift movement, invert the press and sit onto the paper on the tray.

Now with two fingers hold the shoulders of the mould and hold in place on the paper. Press the handle down quite firmly – I give it a little wiggle.

Now lift the handle within the mould and then, holding the mould base, tap it once or twice and then give a slight jiggle of the press (not as big as a shake!). Slowly lift upwards and the salt cake will slide down onto the paper.
Finish all of the mixture and then leave in a warm, dry (no humidity) place to dry for 48 hours.
Check the cakes to see if they are hard, if not, a little time in a pre-warmed oven can help.
Then bag or package to keep safe from atmospheric humidity.
It will produce a beautiful cake, but do not touch yet!

After a day or two they will be paler in colour and dry, ready to use.

How much to use:

1 large or 2 small cakes per bath – the volume of 2 salt moon cakes is close to the recommended salt content to derive benefit from the Epsom Salts.

You can see all our Moon Cake Press Mould Designs Listed HERE