Essential Oils + Baths
Yes, essential oils can provide amazing benefit to your body, mind and soul when added to your bath, helping to:
soothe tired muscles; and
calm the mind and promoting a more restful sleep.
However, through personal experience, I’ve discovered a few little tricks that have helped take my bath time to a whole new level.
I thought I’d share.
Those little bottles of essential oil are powerful stuff, and from using them in my bath over time, I’ve had some hits and misses. Any one jumping into a bath with peppermint essential oil added, may understand what I mean! Owie!
These 3 simple tips are just that. Simple.
They’re not mind-blowingly new, and they may not suit everyone (remember, everybody’s bodies are different), but they’ve now been incorporated into my own bath time routine, and perhaps these tips might also help you get the most out of those beautiful essential oils of yours and turn your bath into a more healing and soothing experience.
My 3 tips
Carrier Oil | I’ve found through experience that some essential oils dropped straight into my bath water just don’t work. I’ve found the oil simply floats on top of the water and then adheres to my skin (and those tender lady parts!) as I’ve climbed in. Now, whether I have to or not, I combine my essential oils with a carrier oil first, which allows the oil to be dispersed throughout the entire bath water. I personally use coconut, olive, apricot kernel or even jojoba oil. By doing this, you also get the added bonus of the carrier oil softening your skin as you soak, so make sure you use a good quality organic oil (remember, our skin is our largest organ and will absorb whatever you put on it!) My rule of thumb - for one bath = 3-8 drops of essential oil + 1 tablespoon of carrier oil.
Essential Oil Choice | Again, through my own personal experience, I’ve discovered that not all essential oils are great in the bath - even when combined with a carrier oil. Again, everybody’s bodies are different so this list may be different for you. I’ve found the more “hot” oils will cause me some discomfort and irritation in the bath, including cinnamon, clove, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, spearmint, thyme and wintergreen.
Timing | Timing is key when adding essential oils to your bath. Adding them at the beginning whilst the water has just begun to run can cause the essential oils to escape and scent the bathroom instead – now, this isn’t a bad thing, but if you’re like me and want the full benefit of these oils, then my tip is to fill the tub, turn the water off, then add your essential oils. My disclaimer - when I’m using one of my homemade Epsom Salt/Essential Oil bath blends. I will tend to add these to my bath when it’s almost filled with water, but the water is still running, giving little time for any oil to escape, but also giving a little time for the Epsom salts to dissolve. Win/win!
Looking for some bath time blend inspiration? You’ll find some of my favourites here!
