I may receive compensation from links on this site. As an Amazon Associate I also earn from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure policy.
peppermint foot soak with Epsom salt

Homemade Foot Soak with Epsom Salt with Essential Oils

Naturally care for hot tired feet and remove dead skin and calluses with this Epsom salt foot soak recipe with essential oils. Learn how to make this DIY foot soak with peppermint essential oil for your natural skin care routine. Plus, discover the benefits of using Epsom salt to rejuvenate tired feet and alleviate foot pain.

peppermint foot soak with Epsom salt

Homemade Foot Soak with Epsom Salt

Give this all natural, homemade foot soak with Epsom salt a try to soothe achy, tired feet after a long, hot summer day! This easy DIY foot soak is a great way to remove dead skin and calluses as the first step in your foot care regimen. You can use this peppermint salt soak to simply refresh and cool tired feet. Use it anytime feet need to be refreshed.

This Epsom salt foot soak recipe is formulated to soften and soothe skin. When used in conjunction with other foot care products, this soak is highly effective at removing dead skin and calluses. Not only does hydrating walnut oil nourish and moisturize feet, but it also contain cooling eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils to rejuvenate tired skin.

If you have hot, tired or aching feet, this homemade foot soak recipe with Epsom salt is your answer! Give your overworked and tired feet a break! Simply add this DIY foot soak to warm water and soak. Then follow with a pumice stone or pedicure foot scrub for cracked heels. Once you exfoliate feet, apply a cracked heel salve to moisturize and protect skin. Or massage a natural foot cream or other body moisturizer onto feet and heels.

This DIY foot soak with essential oils really is the perfect addition to your weekly, self care beauty regimen.

DIY Epsom Salt Foot Soak

Epsom Salt Soak Benefits for Feet

Epsom salt provides a number of benefits for feet when used to make a homemade foot soak. Following are the Epsom salt bath benefits for feet you’ll achieve when soaking feet:

  • Epsom salt is naturally exfoliating and therefore can assist in removing dead skin from feet. It can also help soften rough calluses and cracked skin.
  • This salt is often used to treat the symptoms fungal infections to keep feet healthy by drawing out the infection.
  • Due to the natural magnesium content of Epsom salt, this ingredient helps relieve foot pain when used in a foot soak.
  • Epsom salt can help to draw out splinters as well as detox pores by removing dirt and grime.
  • It helps to reduce inflammation that causes pain in sore, overworked feet. Likewise it also reduces inflammation and pain caused by ingrown toenails.
  • The magnesium content in Epsom salt can relieve body stress.

Foot Soak Essential Oils

I used a combination of peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils to make this homemade foot soak with Epsom salt. However, you can also use other essential oils for feet when making this skin care product. Following are the best essential oils for a natural foot soak recipe:

  • Patchouli Essential OilPatchouli is one of my favorite essential oils for cracked heels. It’s renowned for its ability to promote healing — and for its potent, earthy fragrance. This essential oil is amazing for cracked heels and dry skin as well as dermatitis and acne. This oil is anti-inflammatory, analgesic (meaning it has pain-killing properties,) and antibacterial. It also performs as a fungicide and antiseptic. While its antioxidant properties help to benefit aging skin.
  • Tea Tree Oil: Prized for its ability to promote healing, this essential oil also helps to soothe and calm irritated skin. A powerful, all natural antioxidant, tea tree essential oil works as a natural foot deodorizer and antiseptic. It is also both antibacterial and antifungal making it popular choice for healing balms and foot repair creams.
  • Manuka Oil: Like tea tree oil, manuka essential oil comes from a plant in the Myrtle family. This small flowering shrub, however, is indigenous to New Zealand. Whereas tea tree is harvested in Australia. Both essential oils are possess antifungal and antibacterial properties. However, there are some major differences between tea tree oil and manuka essential oil. Unlike tea tree oil, manuka essential oils is a non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing essential oil. Its benefits also extend beyond those of tea tree oil. Manuka essential oil is 20-30 times more active than tea tree oil against gram positive bacteria. It is also several times more effective against strains of fungi and viruses. This makes a manuka salve especially beneficial for a foot repair balm.
  • Peppermint Essential Oil: This refreshing essential oil provides a soothing cooling sensation for feet. It also helps to cleanse skin, unclog pores and reduce skin redness and inflammation.
  • Lavender Oil: Lavender’s ability to promote healing, especially where burns are concerned, is unsurpassed. Not only does it assist in detoxing skin, but it also has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties when used in skin care. This gentle essential oil for cracked heels also calms redness and skin irritation and rashes and is great for dry skin and eczema. Lavender essential oil also blends well with tea tree. Therefore, you can purchase a powerhouse blend of these two ingredients here.
  • Spearmint essential oil: Another refreshing essential oil for DIY foot care, this oil cools and refreshes skin while also helping to relieve itching and dryness. It’s also a wonderful cleanser that aids in promoting skin’s resilience and elasticity.
  • Eucalyptus Oil: Like peppermint, eucalyptus essential oil also has anti-inflammatory properties when used in skin care. It can help reduce redness and increase circulation, detox skin and assist in removing dead skin cells from feet.

epsom salt foot soak recipe

Epsom Salt Foot Soak Recipe

© Rebecca D. Dillon

This homemade foot soak with Epsom salt contains eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils for a natural cooling effect. It is also made with walnut oil to hydrate and moisturize dry skin and cracked heels. While the Epsom salt helps to soothe soreness for foot pain relief. This easy, refreshing foot care recipe yields approximately 4 oz. of product. 

If desired, you may decrease or increase this recipe by either halving or doubling the ingredients.

DIY Foot Soak Ingredients:

These are the ingredient you need to make an Epsom salt foot soak recipe:

  • Epsom salt: Epsom salt is primarily made up of magnesium and sulfates and is prized for for its therapeutic benefits to sooth, relax, and relieve sore muscles. Unlike other salts, Epsom salt won’t leave skin feeling dry. Instead, it leaves skin with a soft and silky texture.
  • Walnut oil: Walnut oil is naturally high in antioxidants which are known to fight free radicals and in turn help to fight the effects of cell damage and aging. It also is comprised of essential Omega 3 & Omega 6 fatty acids and Vitamins B, C and E. In addition walnut oil is highly hydrating and possesses natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Alternately, you may replace the walnut oil called for in this skin care recipe for another carrier oil of your choice.
  • Peppermint essential oil: This essential oil provides a cooling sensation for feet. It also helps to cleanse skin, unclog pores and reduce skin redness and inflammation.
  • Eucalyptus essential oil: Like peppermint, this essential oil also has anti-inflammatory properties when used in skin care. It can help reduce redness and increase circulation, detox skin and assist in removing dead skin cells from feet.

Equipment and Tools

Before you make this DIY foot soak for dead skin and calluses, you will need some basic kitchen tools to complete this project. Here is what you’ll need to whip up this skin soothing foot soak recipe:

  • Mixing bowls: You will need two medium-sized mixing bowls to combine and mix the ingredients. I prefer to use glass bowls as you will be working with essential oils to formulate this salt soak. Alternately, you may also use large glass Pyrex measuring cups.
  • Digital scale: A digital scale is necessary to weigh out the Epsom salt and carrier oil called for in this foot care recipe.
  • Fork: I used a fork to mix the salt and oils together to form this peppermint foot soak DIY. However, you can also use another kitchen utensil of your choice.
  • Graduated transfer pipette: A graduated transfer pipette with mL markings will be used to measure out the eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils called for in this foot soak recipe. Alternately, you can also use a dropper to add the essential oils to the ingredients one drop at a time.
  • Container: You will need container that holds at least 4 oz. of product to package and store your homemade Epsom salt foot soak. I used a 4 oz. clear glass French square bottle with a cork stopper from SKS Bottle & Packaging. However, low profile jars also work well for this application.
  • Spoon: Use a spoon or funnel to fill the containers with your DIY salt soak.

How to Make a Homemade Foot Soak to Remove Dead Skin:

To make this homemade foot soak for dead skin and rough heels, follow these steps:

  1. Begin by using a digital scale to weigh out the Epsom salt into a glass bowl or medium to large glass Pyrex measuring cup.
  2. Next, weigh out the walnut oil, or other carrier oil of your choice, into a separate container.
  3. Use a dropper or a separate graduated transfer pipette for each of the essential oils. Add either 20 drops each, or 1 mL each, of the peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils to the walnut oil.
  4. Mix the walnut oil and essential oils thoroughly to combine.
  5. Then drizzle the oil mixture into the Epsom salt.
  6. Now use a fork to whisk the oils into the Epsom salt. Combine well to ensure all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
  7. Finally, use a small spoon or funnel to fill your container with the homemade foot soak.
  8. Label this DIY foot care product as desired for personal use or homemade gifts. Store in a cool, dry location until ready to use.

how to soak feet in an Epsom salt foot soak

How to Use a DIY Epsom Salt Foot Soak

Here is how to use this peppermint foot soak with Epsom salt for dead skin or foot pain:

  1. Combine 1/2 cup of the product in a large bowl or pot. The container should be large enough that your feet are able to fit inside. Then add warm water to the bowl with the salt soak until it covers your feet.
  2. Soak feet for 12 minutes to address ingrown toenails or foot pain. To remove dead skin and soften calluses, soak feet for 20 minutes.
  3. While soaking , massage some of the salts over your feet to help to exfoliate and cleanse skin.
  4. Once done, rinse feet and pat dry. Then follow with a DIY foot balm stick or your favorite peppermint foot cream.
Yield: 4 oz. foot salt soak

Epsom Salt Foot Soak Recipe

Try this all natural, homemade foot soak with Epsom salt and cooling essential oils to soothe achy, tired feet, hydrate skin & soothe foot pain.

Learn how to make an Epsom salt foot soak as part of your foot care regimen to remove dead skin for healthy looking feet. This DIY detox foot soak with peppermint essential oil helps to improve the appearance of dry, cracked skin. Use this natural salt soak as the first step in your routine before exfoliating and moisturizing feet.

Active Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Materials

  • 3.75 oz. Epsom salt
  • .25 oz. walnut oil
  • 20 drops (1 mL) peppermint essential oil
  • 20 drops (1 mL) eucalyptus essential oil

Tools

  • Mixing bowl
  • Digital scale
  • Fork or other utensil
  • Graduated transfer pipette
  • 4 oz. container
  • Spoon or funnel

Instructions

  1. Use a digital scale to weigh out the Epsom salt into a glass bowl or medium to large glass Pyrex measuring cup.
  2. Then weigh out the walnut oil (or your choice of carrier oil) into a separate container.
  3. Using a dropper or a graduated transfer pipette (with mL markings), add 20 drops (or 1mL) each of both the peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils.
  4. Mix to combine then drizzle onto the Epsom salt.
  5. Using a fork, whisk the oil into the Epsom salt until it's fully incorporated.
  6. Using a small spoon or funnel, fill a 4 oz. clear glass bottle or other 4 oz. container with your homemade foot soak.
  7. Label as desired for personal use or gifting.

Peppermint Epsom Salt Foot Soak FAQ

How often should you soak feet in Epsom salt?

Soaking feet in an Epsom salt bath too often can have a counteractive effect on the results you are trying to achieve. If you soak your feet in Epsom salt too often, it can actually dry out your skin even more. Therefore, I recommend soaking feet in an Epsom salt bath once or twice per week.

How long should soak feet in Epsom salt?

For minor skin conditions, soak feet in Epsom salt for 12 minutes. To address extremely rough calluses, dead skin or fungal infections, soak your feet in an Epsom salt mixture with a hydrating carrier oil, water and essential oils for feet for 20-30 minutes.

What can I mix with Epsom salt to soak my feet?

You can boost the benefits of an Epsom salt foot soak by adding essential oils for feet in with the salt and water. The best essential oils for foot care include peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, patchouli, lavender, spearmint and manuka essential oils.

In addition, you can also use vinegar in place of the water when soaking feet. To make a vinegar and Epsom salt foot soak, use 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar. The vinegar will give this foot bath additional antifungal properties to help get rid of toenail fungus and athlete’s foot. It will also exhibit other benefits of an Epsom salt foot soak. These include: softening rough calluses, soothing skin, alleviating pain from minor sunburns or sore feet, tackling food odor, 

What is the fastest way to heal cracked heels?

To quickly help heal your cracked heels and repair damaged skin, I recommend that you follow these steps:

  1. Soak feet. Begin by cleansing your feet then soaking them for about 20-minutes in an Epsom salt foot soak.
  2. Exfoliate skin. After soaking your feet, pat dry. Then exfoliate feet using either a pumice stone or DIY foot scrub such as this homemade foot scrub with coconut oil. Pay particular attention to problem areas such as heels. Then rinse and pat dry.
  3. Moisturize heels. Once you’ve exfoliated your feet, apply a moisturizer with essential oils for cracked heels. My DIY foot repair balm is a wonderful solution as it contains essential oils that promote healing as well as moisturizing ingredients that deeply hydrate and protect skin.

Can I gift my homemade foot soak with Epsom salt?

I think this product looks particularly smart in a homemade gift basket if you’re considering homemade gift ideas. Create an at home spa day care package by combining this DIY foot soak with a peppermint foot scrub, DIY cracked heel salve and toenail fungus treatment.

How long does a salt soak last?

As this Epsom salt soak recipe is comprised of more than 50% salt, it is naturally preserved. Therefore, expect this foot car product to have a shelf life of up to one year, assuming the walnut oil does not go rancid. For a longer shelf life, try substituting the walnut oil with one that is more shelf stable, such as fractionated coconut oil or camellia seed oil.

Can I use regular salt instead of Epsom salt to soak feet?

While you can make a foot bath using regular salt instead of Epsom salt, you won’t enjoy the same benefits of an Epsom salt foot soak. Epsom salt and sea salt have very different chemical compositions. The biggest difference being that Epsom salt has a high magnesium content. Therefore, for best results I do not recommend swapping the Epsom salt for regular sea salt.

Will soaking feet in Epsom salt reduce swelling?

If your feet are hot and swollen, Epsom salt has help to reduce swelling caused by an injury. This is because Epsom salt eases aches and pains and reduces inflammation. It may also improve circulation.

Natural Soothing Foot Soak Recipe with Essential Oils for Natural Skincare. Naturally care for hot tired feet with this soothing foot soak recipe with essential oils. This easy foot soak recipe contains eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils for a natural cooling effect. It is also made with walnut oil to moisturize skin and Epsom salt to soothe soreness. Keep reading to learn how to make this foot soak recipe for your natural summer skin care routine!

If you like my DIY foot soak with Epsom salt, then be sure to pin it for later! You can also discover more of my natural skin care recipes by following my boards on Pinterest.

Natural Ways to Care for Feet

For more ideas on how to use essential oils and other natural ingredients to care for your feet, be sure to try one or all of my other homemade foot care recipes. All of these skin care DIY’s assist with the removal of dead skin and help to soften calluses. They may also be able to prevent foot and fungal infections:

  • Callus Treatment Balm Recipe: This homemade callus treatment balm recipe naturally promotes foot health and banishes tough calluses for good.
  • Tea Tree Foot Scrub Recipe: This natural neem oil & tea tree foot scrub recipe helps keep feet looking and feeling great year round! Natural salts and fine ground pumice exfoliate dead skin cells and rough calluses while gentle kaolin clay helps to detox skin. In addition, neem oil and tea tea tree oil work together to help keep feet free of foot or toenail fungus.
  • Foot Salve Recipe for Cracked Heels: This natural foot repair salve recipe contains neem oil, prized for its strong antibacterial and antifungal properties, to help promote healing and tackle troublesome foot care issues.
  • DIY Peppermint Foot Cream: This natural foot repair salve recipe contains neem oil, prized for its strong antibacterial and antifungal properties, to help promote healing and tackle troublesome foot care issues.
  • Exfoliating Foot Scrub Recipe: This all natural homemade foot scrub recipe isn’t a mess of slippery oils, but rather a creamy combination of natural shea and cocoa butters and non-greasy argan and sweet almond oils. Fine ground pumice and walnut shell powder lend their supercharged exfoliating properties, while sea salt and tea tree oil help to promote healing. Plus there’s a touch of peppermint essential oil for a fresh, cool scent.
  • Neem Oil Foot Salve Recipe: Treat your feet with my all natural rosemary & neem oil foot salve recipe. It’s perfect for dry and even cracked feet and helps to prevent fungal growth and infections caused by diabetes or ingrown toenails.
  • Peppermint Foot Scrub Soap:  This DIY foot scrub soap exfoliates with natural walnut shell powder and fine ground pumice to help keep feet smooth and soft. 
  • DIY Foot Balm Stick: This foot balm recipe is made with essential oils for cracked heels to help soften and smooth dry, rough skin. Not only does it deeply moisturize damaged feet, but it also helps to protect skin.

For more natural ways to care for feet, be sure to follow Soap Deli News on social media. You can find me on Blog Lovin’, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Prev Post Next Post
Skip to Instructions