Essential Oils for Bath Bombs: DIY Recipes & Tips

Although you can buy aromatherapy bath bombs or melts, making them lets you choose your own essential oils for bath bombs to create the beneficial relaxing, skin, or healing effects you want. Plus, you know your products don't contain any unwanted ingredients.

Essential Oils for Bath Bombs

The best essential oils for bath bombs depend on your personal preference. Just make sure you avoid skin-irritating oils and use an appropriate dilution. You may want to choose oils based on your skin type. Commonly used skin-nourishing essential oils:

• Frankincense
• Lavender
• Rose
• Roman chamomile
• Sandalwood
• Ylang ylang

For a therapeutic effect, especially if you have a cold or flu, you can choose something like tea tree or eucalyptus—when using stronger oils, use fewer drops. Make sure you're not sensitive to any essential oil you choose.

You will need molds. You can buy bath bomb molds or use something like an ice tray, silicone mini-cupcake pan, or candy or soap molds. To add color, use natural food coloring or soap dye.

Lavender Bath Bombs

Makes about 12 small bombs.

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup citric acid powder
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Epsom salt
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon witch hazel
• 1 teaspoon lavender essential oil

1. Combine dry ingredients in a glass bowl. 
2. Add oils and witch hazel and mix well. Make sure the mixture is not too wet, just enough to allow you to pack it with your hands.
3. Press the mixture into the molds and let sit until the bombs are completely dry
4. Carefully remove the bombs from the molds and store in jars.

Source: The Lavender Companion

Citrus Bath Kisses

• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) cocoa butter
• 10 drops bergamot essential oil
• 10 drops ylang ylang essential oil
• 5 drops rose essential oil
• 4 tablespoons baking soda
• 4 tablespoons citric acid
• 3 tablespoons powdered oatmeal

1. Melt the cocoa butter over a double boiler. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in the essential oils.
3. Completely blend in the dry ingredients.
4. Pour into molds. Let set in freezer (about 10 to 20 minutes).
5. Remove molds from the freezer. Remove the kisses from the molds.

To use: place 1 or 2 in a running bath.

Adapted from Organic Beauty With Essential Oil

Moisturizing Aromatherapy Bath Bombs

Makes four 4-ounce bath bombs.

• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup citric acid powder
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
• 1/2 cup almond oil
• 10 to 12 drops essential oil of choice
  

1. Stir ingredients together until you have a crumbly dough.
2. Press the dough into the molds and let them sit at least 12 hours.
3. To remove the bath bombs from the molds, tap gently.
4. Let the bath bombs air dry for one day. Then store in closed container.
5. Drop one in the bath and enjoy!

Source: EcoBeauty

Bath Melts

To use the following melts, place one or two, depending on how strong you want the scent, in a hot bath and enjoy!

• 1/4 cup cocoa butter
• 2 tablespoons sweet almond oil or coconut oil
• 10 to 20 drops essential oil of choice
  
• candy or soap molds or mini-muffin pans
• 4-ounce jar

1. Put cocoa butter in a heat-resistant glass measuring cup or bowl.
2. In a pan, heat one-inch of water (not to boiling). 
3. Place the cup or bowl in the pan.
4. Turn heat to low. 
5. Stir every couple minutes until cocoa butter is just melted, 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Add almond or coconut oil and stir. 
7. Turn off heat and remove measuring cup from pan.
8. Let mixture cool slightly.
9. Stir in essential oils.
10. Place the soap or candy molds or mini-muffin pans on a cutting board or cookie sheet.
11. Carefully pour the mixture into the molds. 
12. Place the cookie sheet or cutting board with molds in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bath melts have become solid all the way through. Do not let the melts freeze, or they will crack.
13. Remove melts from freezer, and remove the melts from the mold. Store in jar.

Source: Adapted from The Very Essence newsletter.

Also see DIY Aromatherapy Salts and Aromatherapy Bath Recipes.

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Photo Credit: Herbs Basics on Unsplash