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Teens make bath salts and sugar scrubs at Mill Creek
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
The first teen program offered at the Davis Center in Mill Creek Metroparks taught girls how to make their own products for their beauty regimes.
Participants made bath salts, a sugar scrub and bath bombs at the program Jan. 25.
The ingredients used can be found in a household kitchen or grocery store, said Mandy Smith, horticulture education manager.
She discussed various ingredients that can be used in homemade bath products, including Epsom salts, honey, baking soda, citric acid and olive oil.
“I feel any time you start working with something, you should know what the ingredients are,” Smith told participants.
Epsom salts softens skin, as does baking soda. Honey is good for bee stings and works well in products meant for sensitive skin. Citric acid can be used to maintain a youthful appearance because it helps regeneration of skin tissue. Smith often uses olive oil on her hairbrush to nourish her hair.
“Our skin is our largest organ,” Smith said. “We can take in a lot of things through our skin.”
Smith also showed the group some essential oils.
“Essential oils give things their fragrance,” she said.
They also add to the bath products in other ways, she added. For example, lavender is calming.
The girls worked in small groups to create their bath products.
Samantha Nicholson and Danielle Mendenhall worked together. The class was a birthday gift from Mendenhall to Nicholson.
“It’s interesting,” Nicholson said. “I’m excited because I love this kind of stuff.”
As the girls mixed ingredients for bath salts, Alyssa Householder noted the oils smelled strong.
“It is very pretty smelling, actually,” she said. “But very strong.”
They made lavender bath salts, peppermint candy cane sugar scrub and bath bombs to take home. They decorated the containers with ribbon and raffia. They also took home a list of ingredients and recipes.