Thyme and Lavender Fizzing Bath Salts are a soothing blend that melts away stress after a long day. As an herbalist, I’ve crafted this recipe to be both relaxing and safe, and perfect for homemade gifts. Keep reading for tips on mixing, storing, and packaging your own luxurious, fizzy bath experience.

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Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching an online bath salt workshop where we make traditional bath salts and milk baths, but I’ve always wanted to dedicate a whole class to fizzing bath products. Fizzing bath salts truly are the most fun.

Unlike fizzing bath bombs, fizzy bath salts don’t require any molding, shaping, or long drying time. This fizzing bath powder comes together quickly, and is a great recipe for gifting or stress relief.

Call them fizzing bath seeds, fizzy bath salts, fizzing bath salts, or bubbling bath salts—no matter what you call them, the method is the same. And you likely already have everything you need: Epsom salt, baking soda, and citric acid (the same ingredient traditionally used in canning).

And if you enjoy this blend, try my peppermint fizzing bath salt recipe next—it’s festive, fun, and perfect for holiday gifts.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fizzing! :

When the bath salts hit the water, the baking soda and citric acid react instantly, creating a fun, bubbly fizz.

Relaxing & Soothing:

The bath salts help relieve stress, tension, and tired muscles.

DIY & Customizable:

Easy to make at home with ingredients you can tweak to your liking (herbs, scent, and intensity).

Natural & Gentle:

Made with simple, skin-friendly ingredients like Epsom salt, baking soda, and dried herbs.

Perfect for Gifts:

Ideal for homemade holiday presents, get well gifts, birthdays, Mother’s Day, and self-care packages.

Aromatherapy Benefits:

Lavender soothes the mind, and thyme brings a fresh, calming clarity.

Budget-Friendly:

Inexpensive to make compared to store-bought spa products.

Ingredients

Epsom Salt:

I used standard Epsom salt, but coarse or fine grains work too. I like adding Dead Sea salts for extra magnesium and deep relaxation. Epsom salt also helps soothe tired muscles.

Baking Soda:

Added to a bath, it softens and smooths skin, and combined with citric acid, it fizzes delightfully. Adjust the amounts for more or less fizz.

Citric Acid:

Combined with baking soda, it creates the fizzy reaction. Food-grade citric acid works best.

Dried Lavender:

Grind dried lavender to release its natural oils and soothing aroma. Lavender is both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, making it perfect for relaxation, general relief, or soothing skin irritations and injuries.

Dried Thyme:

Grind dried thyme to release its natural oils and boost its benefits. Like lavender, thyme is anti-inflammatory, and its mineral-rich profile makes it a perfect addition to bath salts to support overall health and wellbeing.

Optional Essential Oils:

Ground lavender and thyme provide wonderful natural aromas, but adding 5–10 drops of lavender essential oil can take the bath experience to the next level.

Optional Add-Ins:

Add a few drops of your favorite carrier oil for extra moisture. I like to include castor, or jojoba, and evening primrose oil for menstrual wellness.

Thyme and Lavender fizzing bath salts in a glass jar with a cork lid on a white table and white wall background.

Tools You Will Need

Large mixing bowl:

Use a metal or ceramic bowl to combine all your ingredients.

Mixing spoon (Optional):

Nothing fancy is needed other than a metal or wooden spoon.

Measuring cups:

Use your favorite measuring cups to easily measure ingredients, and keep a set just for homemade bath and body products.

Funnel:

Optional, but makes it easier to pour the finished bath salts into their storage containers.

Airtight containers:

I like to store my salts in glass airtight containers. Plastic lab tubes, mason jars, and metal cosmetic containers also work well.

A metal spoon adds citric acid to a mixing bowl full of baking soda. — Add the baking soda and citric acid to the mixing bowl.

A bowl full of baking powder, citric acid, Epsom salts, with a metal spoon sitting in the bowl ready to mix. — Add the baking soda and citric acid to the mixing bowl.

Step-by-Step Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: Epsom salt, baking soda, and citric acid. Whisk everything together to ensure even distribution.
In the mortar and pestle, or your choice of herb grinder, grind the dried lavender and thyme into a fine powder. Once ground, add the powder to the other dry ingredients.
Stir the mixture until all of the ingredients are well combined. The consistency should resemble dry pancake mix. If you are adding a few drops of carrier oil or essential oil, add them at this stage.
Test the fizz! Take a small amount of the bath salt mixture and drop it into a cup of hot water. If it fizzes vigorously, you’re good to go! If not, add a little more citric acid, a teaspoon at a time, and test again until you get the desired fizziness.
Once you’re happy with the consistency and fizz level, transfer the bath salts to the airtight containers. This recipe makes four 4-oz jars or two 8-oz jars worth of bath salts.

Tips for Success

If you don’t have Epsom salts, substitute them with a large chunk of sea or Himalayan pink salt.
For even more luxury and relaxation, include Magnesium Dead Sea Salt flakes.
For a more luxurious feel, substitute a tablespoon of melted coconut oil for the carrier oil. Let it cool slightly before adding it to the dry ingredients.
These bath salts make wonderful gifts! Package them in decorative jars or tins and add a label with instructions for use.
Store your bath salts in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for up to 9 months.

Mortar and pestle on a white table. Dried thyme and lavender have been ground in the bowl of the mortar and await being mixed into the other fizzy bath salt ingredients.

How to Use Your Thyme and Lavender Fizzing Bath Salts

Use as a Bath Soak

The best part? This recipe is as easy to make as it is to enjoy! Simply add ¼–½ cup to a tub of warm water and watch the bath salts fizz for a fun, sensory experience.

Use as a Foot Soak

You can also use them as a soothing foot soak: in a one-gallon basin half-filled with hot water, add ¼ cup of bath salts and soak your feet for up to 20 minutes.

Storing Your Homemade Fizzy Bath Salts

The best way to store any bath salts, especially fizzy ones, is in airtight containers. Choose glass, metal, ceramic, or tightly sealed plastic to keep moisture out and prevent clumping. For larger batches, sturdy freezer bags work well, too.

Variations & Substitutions

Variations + Substitutions

Mix and match the included herbs. Replace lavender and thyme with rosemary, rose petals, or any other fragrant herb variety that appeals to you.
If you prefer to make bath salts that don’t fizz, simple omit the citric acid.
If you wish to add color to your bath salts, include a few teaspoons of natural colorants like beet powder for pink, tumeric for yellow, or ground cone flower for purple and blue.
Epsom salt can be swapped for other salts, all of which soothe the body and gently exfoliate the skin.

a marble stone mortar and pestle sitting on top of a white table. Lavender buds are in the bowl of the mortar and pestle waiting to be ground.

FAQ’s

Are fizzing bath salts safe for kids and people with sensitive skin?

Yes! Fizzy bath salts are generally safe for children and those with sensitive skin when made with gentle ingredients. To be extra cautious, you can reduce or skip the use of essential oils and dried herbs. Keep soak times short—about 10–15 minutes—and rinse off afterward if desired. These simple tweaks let everyone enjoy the fun, bubbling bath salts experience safely.

How much bath salt should I use per bath?

For a standard tub: use ¼–½ cup for children and ½–1 cup for adults. For a foot soak: ½–1 cup works best. Smaller tubs: Use about half the standard amount.

How long do fizzing bath salts keep their fizz?

When stored in an airtight container, bath salts will fizz indefinitely. The herbal aroma, however, may fade after about 9 months.

Overhead view of the completed Thyme and Lavender fizzing bath salts on a white table.

Let’s Be Friends!

If you tried this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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More Herbal Bath & Body Recipes

Thyme and Lavender Fizzing Bath Salts

No time for bath bombs? Try this Thyme and Lavender fizzing bath salts recipe! Easy to make with simple ingredients and a delightful, bubbly sensory experience.

Prep Time10

Active Time20

Yield: 4 4 oz jars

Author: Julia

Cost: $20

Equipment

1 Mixing bowl
1 Mixing spoon or whisk
1 Funnel optional
1 Set of measuring cups
4 storage containers jars for gifting
1 set of labels to label the jars and add use instructions.
1 Mortar and Pestle or other preferred herb grinder like a coffee grinder or spice mill

Materials

1 cup Baking soda
1 cup Epsom Salt
1/2 cup Citric acid
2 tabelspoons Dried lavender buds
2 tabelspoons Dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon castor, jojoba, or evening primrose oil optional

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: Epsom salt, baking soda, citric acid.
Whisk everything together to ensure even distribution.In the mortar and pestle, or your choice of herb grinder, to grind the dried lavender and thyme into a fine powder. Once ground, add the powder to the other dry ingredients.
Stir the mixture until all of the ingredients are well combined. The consistency should resemble dry pancake mix. If you are including a few drops of carrier oil or essential oils, add those ingredienth of bath salts.
Test the fizz! Take a small amount of the bath salt mixture and drop it in a cup of hot water. If it fizzes vigorously, you’re good to go! If not, add a little more citric acid, a teaspoon at a time, and test again until you get the desired fizziness.
Once you’re happy with the consistency and fizz level, transfer the bath salts to the airtight containers. This recipe makes four 4-oz jars or two 8-oz jars worth of bath salts.

Notes

If you don’t have Epsom salts, substitute it with a large chunk of sea or Himalayan pink salt.
For even more luxury and relaxation, include Magnesium Dead Sea Salt flakes.
For a more luxurious feel, substitute a tablespoon of melted coconut oil for the carrier oil. Let it cool slightly before adding it to the dry ingredients.
These bath salts make wonderful gifts! Package them in decorative jars or tins and add a label with instructions for use.
Store your bath salts in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for up to 9 months.