Meghan Markle’s DIY bath salts recipe has raised concerns among experts, who warn about the imprecise use of essential oils.
In her recent Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, Meghan Markle offers viewers a glimpse into her personal self-care routine by sharing a DIY bath salt recipe.
While the intention is to promote relaxation and well-being, viewers might not want to try it at home.
Meghan Markle: The royal recipe unveiled
In the first episode of her eight-part series, which began streaming on 4 March, Markle prepares a guest basket for her friend and longtime makeup artist, Daniel Martin. The centrepiece of this basket is a jar of homemade bath salts, comprising:
🧂Epsom salt
🧂Himalayan salt
🛢️Arnica oil
🪻Lavender oil
Notably, Markle does not provide specific measurements for these ingredients. Upon realising the mixture doesn’t fill the intended jar, she adds more Epsom salt without precise measurements.
Maybe medical experts know better than Markle
Talking to Royal Insider about the potential risks of following Markle’s DIY bath salts recipe, skincare expert Dr Ed Robinson explained why it is best to avoid cooking up a similar concoction at home.
Robinson is a cosmetic aesthetics doctor and an associate member of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine with seven years of medical experience.
The casual, imprecise approach can be risky, especially with essential oils. Since essential oils like arnica and lavender are highly concentrated, they must be diluted in a carrier oil before use.
Dropping them straight into the salts without measuring means anyone using the mix could end up with unpredictable, possibly irritating concentrations.
Robinson pointed out that essential oils can cause skin irritation, rashes, or chemical burns without dilution.
“They can damage your skin barrier, they can cause both allergic and non-allergic sensitivity reactions, to the extent where in some cases it can cause effectively a chemical burn style reaction to someone’s skin which can be quite difficult to treat sometimes,” he stated.
Esthetician: ‘You can’t just dump essential oils in’
Jennifer Christopherson, an esthetician (a licensed professional specialising in skincare treatments and beauty services) and YouTuber, has been particularly vocal about the potential dangers of Markle’s bath salt recipe.
In her 18-minute video critique she described the undiluted arnica as “a crap ton” and also cautioned that improper use of essential oils could result in irritation, rashes, or even burns.
Christiopherson emphasised the importance of proper dilution when working with essential oils: “You can’t just dump an essential oil in, give it to a friend, and be like, ‘Hey, have fun.’” Christopherson further advised viewers to exercise caution and not to emulate Markle’s approach without proper knowledge.
Watch Christopherson’s video on Markle’s bath salts here:
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