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The Best Essential Oils To Add To Your Bath Routine (And How To Do It Safely)

Overview

Essential oils can elevate your bath routine and soothe the body, but doing it wrong has its risks. Read on to learn more about the correct ways to use essential oils and the best essential oils for baths.

Table Of Contents

Can You Put Essential Oils In A Bath?

Yes, you can! However, essential oils aren't water-soluble which means that they don't mix in water. So if you're adding your oils directly into the bathtub and climbing in, we have bad news for you: you're doing it wrong. Doing so has the same effect as applying undiluted essential oil directly onto the skin, which can irritate and burn. Yikes! Not good results for what's supposed to be a relaxing ritual.

How To Safely Add Essential Oils In Bath Water

You don’t want essential oils to sit on top of the water; you want them distributed throughout your bath. The best way is to combine essential oils in a carrier oil first, like coconut, sunflower, or jojoba. Three to 12 drops of essential oil in a tablespoon (15 ml) of carrier oil is sufficient to create a very aromatic, therapeutic bath, but stir the water first before climbing in to help circulate oils.

Best Essential Oils For Bath Routines

Are you wondering which essential oils work best for bath time? We’ve got you covered! Here are 20 of the best essential oils to add to your bath routines.

1. Lavender Essential Oil

LaLavender-scented baths?! The Romans were one of the first civilizations to have them! Lavender is an essential bath oil to have in your arsenal. Lavender aromatherapy is thought to calm the mind and body.

Scent Profile: Floral and herbaceous

2. Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Feeling congested? Eucalyptus oil in bath water helps keep your airways clear, while its minty and herbaceous scent relaxes the mind.

Scent Profile: Minty, herbaceous and woodsy

3. Jasmine Essential Oil

Widely used in perfume-making since the times of Cleopatra, Jasmine oil can have a calming effect. Its sweet scent can evoke feelings of romance which makes it a great oil to use for bath times for two ;)

Scent Profile: Floral and sweet

4. Lemon Essential Oil

Lemon essential oil bath water helps you look and feel your best! It cleanses skin for radiant beauty and boosts moods for glowing confidence. However, it's good to remember that lemon and other citrus oils make your skin very sensitive to the sun, so we recommend using this as part of your nightly self-care routine.

Scent Profile: Sweet and citrusy

5. Bergamot Essential Oil

Bergamot oil has a zesty and uplifting scent that boosts confidence. It also cleanses oily skin and clears breakouts.

Scent Profile: Sweet, tangy and citrusy

6. Roman Chamomile Essential Oil

Roman chamomile is well known for its relaxing effects and pleasant aroma. It also soothes dry and irritated skin.

Scent Profile: Floral and herbaceous

7. Rose Otto Essential Oil

Rose otto oil for baths has a sensual aroma that creates a peaceful, loving, and nurturing environment while encouraging a healthy complexion.

Scent Profile: Sweet and floral

8. Grapefruit Essential Oil

Grapefruit oil increases your energy levels. Its zesty scent is uplifting for the senses and makes a great oil for daytime baths.

Scent Profile: Sweet, citrusy and tangy

9. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Ylang Ylang baths have an exotic scent that's great for relaxation. It is popularly used in aromatherapy to uplift moods and cultivate feelings of romance.

Scent Profile: Floral and sweet

10. Frankincense Essential Oil

Known for its spiritual benefits of Frankincense oil in bath water has a grounding scent that can induce serenity. It also has benefits for the skin.

Scent Profile: Warm and woodsy with balsamic notes

11. Clary Sage Essential Oil

Made from a spiritual plant, Clary Sage oil in bath water has grounding and relaxing benefits. It gets you in the mood for a good night’s rest.

Scent Profile: Herbaceous and earthy with floral notes

12. Patchouli Essential Oil

Ayurvedic medicine uses patchouli oil to for mental wellness. It also moisturizes the skin and combines well with Lavender oil in bath water to create a relaxing bath time experience.

Scent Profile: Earthy, woodsy and herbaceous

13. Sweet Orange Essential Oil

Chase away negativity with uplifting and zesty Sweet Orange oil. It brightens your skin and soothes body, making it ideal for self-care on the weekends.

Scent Profile: Sweet and citrusy

14. Marjoram Essential Oil

Marjoram was often utilized by the ancient Greeks to treat many ailments. Today it’s used to relieve wear and tear of daily life.

Scent Profile: Minty, herbaceous and spicy

15. Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea Tree oil in bath water is a great cleanser used to soothe troubled skin as it has many health-related benefits.

Scent Profile: Herbaceous and leafy

16. Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint oil is ideal for morning baths. It refreshes your senses and eases morning colds for a smooth, undisrupted day.

Scent Profile: Fresh, sweet and minty

17. Lemongrass Essential Oil

Refreshing and exotic lemongrass is used in spas to lift your mood, which makes using lemongrass oil in baths a great way to recreate that spa-like feel at home.

Scent Profile: Herbaceous, earthy and zesty

18. Rosemary Essential Oil

Rosemary oil in bath water cleanses and moisturizes the skin while relieving a tired body.

Scent Profile: Herbaceous

19. Cedarwood Essential Oil

Cedarwood oil soothes skin discomfort and promotes voluminous hair. Its soothing scent is perfect for showers after a full-day.

Scent Profile: Warm, woody and pine-like

20. Sandalwood Essential Oil

Sandalwood is a holy symbol in Indian cultural practices often offered to the gods and goddesses. This woodsy oil helps calm the mind for productive days at work.

Scent Profile: Woody and earthy

Bath & Shower Essential Oil DIYs

How To Create The Perfect Bubble Bath

In a small bottle, dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil, add in a small amount of castile soap or body gel, shake it vigorously and then add it in as the water is running.

How To Create A Muscle-Soothing Bath

Essential oils can be mixed with one another to create a concoction for your needs. For a muscle-soothing bath, use marjoram, lemongrass and lavender together.

How To Use Essential Oils In Shower

You don’t need a bathtub to use essential oils for aromatherapy. To use essential oils in the shower, add three to five drops of essential oil to the wall or outer edge of your shower and shower with hot water. The hot water will diffuse the scent.

Benefits of Essential Oils for Bath

There are different ways of performing aromatherapy, but a luxurious hot bath seems like utter bliss. Now, there may be proponents of aromatherapy through inhalation or massage, but sinking your body in warm aromatic water at the end of a hard day’s work seems like a better option. (And anyway, one has to take a bath after getting a massage.)

Many studies have proven the mental health benefits of using essential oils in bath water. The happiness and relaxation is on another level.

But, did you know that lying in a pool of water with essential oils is not just a boon for the psyche, but its benefits extend to physical well-being as well.

The North American Journal for Medical Sciences in 2014 published a study that shows the positive effects of hydrotherapy on the different systems of the body (1). Now that we have established the positive effects of a hot bath or hydrotherapy, we know that adding essential oil or oils to the mix will only boost the health benefits.

The concentrated plant extracts have several benefits imparted to it by the several compounds that make up the oil. Let us read and learn more about the benefits of bathing with essential oil-infused water.

1. Health Benefits of Essential Oils For Bath

In the zeitgeist of the modern urban world, bathing has lost its tag of pampering time. No one indulges in bathing anymore; it is more of a routine that everyone tries to get done with quickly. Even those who have a quick bath can add a few drops of essential oils to the water and heal the body. What is aromatherapy?

The aromas do heal the body, but you have to do your part and slow down, relax and enjoy; participate in the therapy.

2. A Little Bit About Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is not a modern-day concept. It has been in practice for thousands of years. Its properties have been known since a long time. The essential oils used in aromatherapy were extracted from different plants (from its flowers, barks, roots, fruits, petals, etc.).

In fact, several kilos or pounds of the raw materials are needed to make a tiny amount of oil. (This is why these oils are expensive.) There are over 100 essential oils derived from over 100 different species of plants, so obviously it is safe to claim that there are over 100 different fragrances of essential oil, with subtle variations.

These essential oils also have different compounds and hence different health benefits. Combining the aromas augments the benefits of these oils. You can blend different essential oils and maybe you will craft a perfect aromatic experience.

Hence, the combination of bathing with hot water mixed with essential oils has several health benefits for the mind, body and soul.

3. Good For Mental Wellbeing

No doubts for guessing this benefit. Essential oils for bath calms a racing mind. Mental wellbeing issues can affect anyone in the family. It is better to give the mind some relaxation very now and then.

Soaking the body in hot water infused with plant oils to your bath slows down the unbridled thoughts in the mind. There are several oils that one can choose from including lavender, sandalwood, lemon and tea tree. If you are taking a bath late in the evening, it is recommended to avoid citrus oils. However, if you are taking a bath in the morning, then choose citrus based oils as it infuses energy.

4. Good for Resting

Safety

There is no replacement for rest. Even the healthiest and happiest person may sometimes complain of having trouble resting. A warm bath with plant oils (used as bath bomb or bath salts, but try to avoid liquid dyes) also unwinds the body and when done properly in the evening helps with rest.

Some of the essential oils for bath and rest are peppermint essential oil, patchouli essential oil, tea tree essential oil, vetiver essential oil, bergamot essential oil, chamomile essential oil, lavender essential oil and marjoram essential oil. Disperse the oils in the bath tub for aromatherapy bath time routine and promote relaxation.

5. Relaxes Joints and Muscles

What does the hot water bath do to the body? It improves the blood circulation to the muscles and joints and helps it relax. There are several essential oils that are good for muscles and joints. As you are using these essential oils in bath water, you can blend two to three essential oils.

These essential oils are peppermint, lavender, tea tree, patchouli, eucalyptus, ginger, clove bud, rosemary, thyme, yarrow, Roman chamomile, German chamomile, cypress, sandalwood, black pepper, Clary sage, juniper and lemongrass.

6. Good for Breathing with Essential Oils Baths

The aroma of certain essential oils enhances breathing and allows proper breathing.

The top two oils are of course eucalyptus essential oil and peppermint essential oil. The other essentials oils are clove, cypress, pine, thyme, cinnamon, niaouli, ginger, geranium, nutmeg, tea tree, lemon and chamomile.

7. Hydrates and Protects Skin

Essential oils have several properties and compounds, and soaking in hot water baths nourishes the skin. The warm water is sufficient to give the skin a good treatment, but essential oils must be added for these oils to protect the skin’s natural oil.

There are different skin types so here we will only list the essential oils that are effective for all skin types. So the essential oils for bath suitable for all skin types are lavender, geranium, chamomile, rose, basil, neroli, helichrysum, cedarwood, orange and patchouli.

8. For Better Mood and Happiness

What happens when you are bathing in hot water, relaxing and inhaling the aroma of essential oils?

You feel nice, but unbeknownst to you, it makes you happy. In this case even a cold water bath with the proper essential oils can provide relaxation and pleasure.

Most of the floral and citrus based essential oils can be used to improve the mood and feel happiness. Some other oils include frankincense, ylang ylang and peppermint.

DIY Recipes Essential Oils for Bath

Recipe #1

Calmness Overload

Ingredients

  • 6 drops of tangerine
  • 3 drops of petitgrain
  • 3 drops of coriander
  • 2 drops of ylang-ylang

Instructions

Combine all essential oils in a bottle or container. Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously until thoroughly blended.

How To Use

After the bath has been filled, add about 1 tablespoon of bath oil to the water. Swirl your hand into the water and jump into the bath right away. Relax by lying down.

Recipe #2

Proper Breathing

Ingredients

  • 5 drops of eucalyptus
  • 4 drops of Lavender
  • 3 drops of Cajeput
  • 2 drops of oregano

Instructions

Combine all essential oils in a bottle or container. Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously until thoroughly blended.

How To Use

Add a few drops of diluted essential oil to your bathwater for an aromatherapy bath.

Recipe #3

Mood Booster Mix

Ingredients

  • 3 drops of lemon
  • 3 drops of tangerine
  • 2 drops of lime
  • 2 drops of grapefruit

Instructions

Mix all the essential oils in a bottle or container. Place cap on and shake well to blend together.

How To Use

Run bath water to a suitable temperature for your skin. Once the bathwater is full, add your essential oil mixture and swirl with your hand to blend. When getting in and out of the bath, use caution because the oils can make it slippery.

Safety

Essential oils are great for self-care routines. However, we should also take care and caution when using them to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe! Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind.

  1. Read the label and instructions to make sure you’re using the oil correctly.
  2. Make sure to dilute the essential oil in a carrier oil for safe application.
  3. Avoid using essential oils on sensitive areas like the eyes and nose.
  4. Don’t use essential oils in the bath if you have sunburn or broken skin unless it’s mentioned on the bottle or label.
  5. Keep essential oils out of reach from kids and furkids.
  6. Some oils may make you sensitive to sun damage, so be sure to load up on SPF.
  7. If you show signs of irritation, stop using and consult a health professional.
  8. Be careful when stepping out of the bathtub as the essential oils may make things slippery.
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