This DIY milk and honey floral bath soak is moisturizing, soothing and incredibly appealing to the senses. Powdered milk and honey deeply hydrate dry skin, while organic flower petals provide aromatherapy and luxury to your bath experience. Your daily bath will feel like a rejuvenating day at the spa with this homemade milk and honey soak.
Bathing in milk and honey — what could be more luxurious? How about adding 4 different types of flowers to your bathwater!
It’s probably not a secret that we love our DIY bath products around here. Homemade milk and honey bath soaks have a variety of benefits. These include:
- Being quick and easy to make
- Utilizing customizable all-natural ingredients
- Providing nourishing, skin-softening properties
- Helping you save money, as homemade bath products are more economical
- Providing you with your daily dose of magnesium (if Epsom salts are added)
- Avoiding the irritating preservatives or artificial fragrances found in some store brands
Not to mention, making your own bath soaks can provide you with a relaxing at-home milk bath experience to help you unwind after a long or stressful day.
I added a plethora of colourful flower petals to this DIY milk and honey floral bath soak for added beauty. And while the petals can only offer a few skin benefits, due to the small quantity used, the main purpose of the flowers in this milk and honey bath recipe is for the aromatherapeutic benefits they provide.
Most of the skin benefits of this recipe are provided by the combination of powdered milk and honey. Together, they create a hydrating milk and honey bath that’s ideal for dry skin.
Ingredients for DIY Milk and Honey Bath
Powdered honey
Honey is a natural humectant that is rich in antioxidants. It attracts and binds moisture, making it a moisturizing treat for your skin. And when added to a milk bath, powdered honey will give your bathwater a smooth, silky feel.
The enzymes in honey can also help to gently exfoliate while you bathe, leaving your skin softer, smoother and more radiant.
Thanks to its low pH and antimicrobial properties, honey can help soothe dry, red or irritated skin. It’s even shown promise in helping to mitigate the discomfort associated with eczema, psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
By using powdered honey in this milk and honey bath recipe, you can reap the benefits of liquid honey while ensuring your bath soak is easier to use. And if you make a large batch ahead of time, it will stay fresh longer thanks in part to the addition of honey powder.
Powdered milk
Rumour has it that Cleopatra kept her skin soft and youthful by indulging in milk baths sprinkled with rose petals. Perhaps there’s some truth to this often shared legend!
Milk contains lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). Lactic acid has exfoliating properties, but only when used at a low pH. When added to bathwater, lactic acid instead acts as a natural humectant that helps to hydrate and soften the skin.
Whole milk powder is also very rich in nourishing saturated fatty acids. While the humectants in milk help pull moisture into your skin, the fats will create a barrier to help keep it there. The combination of lactic acid and fat in the milk will leave skin supple and moisturized.
If you’re vegan or allergic to dairy, you can also substitute the powdered milk for organic coconut milk powder in this honey bath recipe. While not quite as moisturizing as milk, it will give you the skin hydrating benefits of coconut oil.
Lavender, hibiscus, rose, and calendula petals
Again, the lovely flower petals contained in this milk and honey bath recipe are primarily for aromatherapy purposes, and can impart a calming and relaxing effect to your bathing experience. The quantities however, are likely far too small to offer any drastic skin effects.
That said, hibiscus flowers contain a small amount of vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help protect the skin against free radical damage.
Rose petals are are known for their lovely fragrance as well as their astringent, moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties. And since they’re associated with romance and luxury, adding them to your bath is a wonderful way to pamper yourself.
Lavender is often correlated with sleep and relaxation. This is why it’s frequently an ingredient in natural sleep sprays or in calming aromatherapy products. If you struggle with insomnia, bathing in lavender flowers before bed may help to promote a more restful sleep.
Calendula is a healing herb that is often found in pain-relief salves. It has both soothing and antioxidant properties that make it perfect for adding to a relaxing homemade milk and honey bath soak. As well, its bright colour is due to the high flavonoid and carotenoid content of its petals.
DIY Milk and Honey Floral Bath Soak
This DIY bath soak is moisturizing, soothing and incredibly appealing to the senses. Powdered milk and honey deeply hydrate your skin, while organic flower petals provide aromatherapy and luxury to your bath experience. Your daily bath will feel like a rejuvenating day at the spa!
Materials
- 2 cups organic whole powdered milk (or coconut milk powder for a vegan option)
- 1 cup honey powder
- 1/4 cup dried organic lavender
- 1/4 cup dried organic rose petals or rose buds
- 1/4 cup ground hibiscus flowers or hibiscus powder
- 1/4 cup dried calendula
Tools
- Mason jar, milk bottle, or other glass container for storage
Instructions
- Grind the hibiscus petals in a coffee grinder, or use a mortar and pestle such as the one pictured above. Hibiscus petals tend to be quite sharp if not ground. Set aside the ground petals. If using pre-made hibiscus powder, skip this step.
- Combine the powdered milk and honey powder in a glass bowl. Mix well, then add the flowers petals and mix again.
- Use a small spoon or funnel to transfer your milk and honey bath to a milk jar, mason jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid. Honey powder will draw moisture from the air if not kept sealed. Keep in a cool, dark cupboard.
- To use, sprinkle approximately 1/2 cup of the floral bath soak in a warm bath. Disperse it by swirling it around in the bathwater with your hands and enjoy. If your petals are large, be sure to scoop them out before draining the bath water to avoid clogs.
Notes
You can also add Epsom salts to this bath soak to help meet your daily magnesium requirements. Magnesium deficiency can lead to many unpleasant conditions such as migraines and other health issues, so it's important to get enough. Trauma or chronic stress can also delete the magnesium stores in the body.
Epsom salts can also benefit achy muscles by easing the inflammation caused by minor injuries or arthritis.
Please refer to our DIY chocolate and roses tub tea post for a handy epsom salt dosing chart.
As always, this website is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical issues, so please consult with your doctor before using any home treatments.
Recommended Products
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This milk and honey floral bath recipe is also wonderful for gifting! Just add a lid, a bow and a homemade label, and you’ve got a lovely housewarming gift, Mother’s Day gift or a gift for your best friend.
Remember to store your milk and honey bath soak in a container with an air-tight lid in a dark cupboard or drawer, away from high heat, bright light or extreme humidity. For more milk bath packaging ideas, see this post on the best containers for homemade skincare.
If you try this milk and honey bath recipe or have any questions, feel free to comment below!
More DIY bath recipes
Looking for more natural homemade bath recipes? Check these out:
- Himalayan Salt Bath Recipe
- DIY Pink Lemonade Tub Tea
- Green Tea Bath
- Pumpkin Spice Bath Salt Recipes
- DIY Chocolate & Roses Tub Tea
For even more DIY bath and body ideas, follow us on Pinterest! You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24305429
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15022655
Renee
Sunday 8th of May 2022
Made this looks do pretty but it never says how much to put in each bath please tell me I’m gifting it and need to say how much
Kim
Sunday 8th of May 2022
Hi Renee, I recommend approximately half a cup per bath but they can use a little more, depending on how full the bathtub is. Hope that helps and I hope they enjoy your gift!
Rebecca
Tuesday 15th of March 2022
Thank you for the recipe How much Epsom salts would you recommend if you wanted to use it for this recipe.
Kim
Wednesday 16th of March 2022
Hi Rebecca! You can find a handy chart for Epsom salts by body weight in this post. https://alifeadjacent.com/diy-chocolate-roses-tub-tea/
Karrie Alexander
Thursday 26th of November 2020
What size are the milk jars you use?
Kim
Thursday 26th of November 2020
Hi Karrie, the one pictured is 500 ml or 16.9 oz.
Sandy
Thursday 12th of November 2020
Can you tell me how much of the finished product to use per bath?
Kim
Friday 13th of November 2020
Hi Sandy, we use approximately half a cup per bath but you can use more, depending on how full your bathtub is. I'd start with half a cup though. Hope that helps!
June Eaton
Monday 21st of September 2020
Hi is there any substitute to honey powder please? Thanks
Kim
Tuesday 22nd of September 2020
Hi June, unfortunately, I can't think of a substitute for honey powder in the recipe. But you could just omit it and it would still be a floral milk soak. Hope that helps.