Bubble baths are one of my favorite relaxation rituals! Being able to add essential oil to a bubble bath would be like adding icing on the cake. Whenever used, essential oils can enhance your relaxation experience and bring many benefits. So, can you add essential oils to your bubble bath?
It’s possible to add essential oils to a bubble bath. The oils will enhance the relaxing experience of your bath, bringing with them all the benefits of aromatherapy. When adding essential oils to a bubble bath it’s necessary to take some precautions, such as checking for allergies or sensitivity, properly diluting the essential oils in a carrier oil, and adding them at the right moment.
Let’s dive deep and find out all you need to know to enhance your bubble bath experience with essential oils!
Table of Contents
Properly Diluting Essential Oils
While our first instinct can be adding a splash of our favorite essential oil straight into the bathtub, this is not the safest and most effective way to go about it. It’s necessary to be extra careful when adding essential oils into a bubble bath because your whole body will be exposed to it. While many people think ‘natural’ essential oils can bring no harm, the truth is that they can potentially irritate your skin, as is the case with many other beauty products. This is certainly not what we have in mind when taking a relaxing bubble bath!
For the best experience, avoid adding essential oils directly into the bubble bath. When you add the essential oils directly into your bath, it may not mix well but remain afloat on the surface. You’ll then be at the risk of feeling irritation when the undiluted oil comes into contact with your skin.
The Tisserand Institute is an authority when it comes to using essential oils. The Institute recommends mixing between 5 and 20 drops of essential oils into 1 tablespoon of carrier oil like sweet almond, grapeseed, or jojoba to attain a dilution of 1 to 4 percent.
If you are considering using grapeseed oil as your carrier oil, you might be interested in reading our article ‘Relaxing Massage with Grapeseed Oil. Is It a Good Idea?‘.
Of course, mixing the essential oil with carrier oil will not make it soluble in water. However, the diluted oil will become much safer to put in contact with your skin when you submerge and minimize the risk of irritation.
It’s important to note that a bubble bath is made of liquid foaming products like shampoo, body wash, or castile soap. Therefore, it will also be safer to add it and mix it properly before bathing.
Checking for Allergies and Avoiding Oils That Can Cause Irritation
Essential oils are generally safe when diluted with carrier oils. However, allergic reactions such as irritation, itching, or swelling do sometimes occur even after dilution.
Be sure to avoid any essential oil or carrier oils if you are allergic to them or to any of the components in the products. If you experience problems such as breathing issues, changes in consciousness, headache, or dizziness, seek medical treatment immediately.
Apart from know allergies, you should bear in mind that not all essential oils are equally safe. When looking for a relaxing experience in the bathtub, it’s to be extra cautious with those oils that are more prone to irritating your skin or causing allergies. Some of these oils include cinnamon oil, lemongrass oil, tea tree oil, and bay oil.
A patch test with oil is always a good idea before using a new essential oil to assess if your skin can tolerate it.
Choosing the Best Essential Oils for a Perfect Bubble Bath
The availability of the combinations of the essential oils can be intimidating. But you can always start with your bath goal in mind to ensure you get narrow choices. Are you stressed out after a long day of work? Or are you feeling the soreness after going through a tough workout? Maybe you are just looking for a calmer, deeper sleep.
Whatever the case, find the best combinations and prepare the best blend that will help in meeting your goals. Trust your nose! It will tell you a lot about your essential oils!
If you are looking for a romantic feeling and experience with your bubble bath, you may want to try cardamom, rose, and vanilla oils.
Clary sage, lavender, and bergamot oils might be more suitable to help with distress.
For sore muscles, I like to combine lavender, marjoram, and juniper berry oils.
If looking for a recharge or an energetic feeling, rosemary oil, sweet orange, and lemon could be your friends.
Adding the Essential Oils at the Right Time
It’s always tempting to add the essential oils when the water trickles from the tap. However, this is something you should always avoid if you want to get the best results. If you add the oils when the water is running, the aromatizing components could evaporate before you are ready to enjoy them and their benefits.
The right time for adding your properly diluted essential oil is after the bath is full and you’re already in.
You also have the option to slather the essential oil all over your body before getting into the bath. In this case, it’s especially important to make sure that they are well-diluted so that you get the full benefits and fragrance without experiencing any negative implications.
Looking at the Whole Relaxing Experience
While bathing into a bubble bath is per se a pleasurable experience, designing a setup that gives you the maximum benefits is important. Adding essential oils in the right manner is not all you can do for a luxurious bubble bath.
You can try sprucing up the experience by turning the lights off and lighting candles. The soft growth of the candle will be very useful in helping you relax.
Also, while you soak into your wonderful bath, make sure you breathe deeply. Clear your mind and fill your chest with air slowly through your nose. Let the air out through the mouth and let the slow, rhythmic pace of your breathing calm you down naturally.
Consider using a special all-natural soap for your bath.
Further, you can set your mood before getting into the bubble bath by playing your favorite relaxing music. Soft music genres are very suitable for relaxing while you take a bubble bath.
If you are taking your bath in the evening, dress into your night attires and slip to bed immediately after the bubble bath for the best relaxing sleep at night.
The Takeaway
Now you know it’s possible to add essential oils into your bubble bath. You can prepare your bubble bath with the right essential oils to enjoy relaxation, stress relief, and mind soothing, among many other benefits.
It’s important to remember never to add pure essential oils directly into your bubble bath. Always dilute them properly with a carrier oil. Pour the oil once the bathtub is full.
Remember to avoid any products if you are allergic to them and take into account that some essential oils, even when properly diluted, can irritate your skin. Check for sensitivity before using an oil for your whole body.
Overall, preparing a bubble bath with your favorite essential oils is fun and easy. Do it right and nothing will hinder you from getting the ultimate relaxing experience. Enjoy!
