Aromatherapy blends for the bath

One of my favourite ways to integrate Aromatherapy in the home is via an aromatherapy treatment bath! As an Aromatherapist I always make sure that, as well as providing a massage, I am giving great aftercare advice to ensure that my clients can make the best use of Aromatherapy themselves. What I tend to do, therefore, is send them away with a small bottle of their bespoke essential oil blend that we’ve mixed together during their treatment, so they can continue balancing their health at home! In particular, I advise that they can pop the essential oil blend into a bath to have their own mini treatment sessions – perhaps making it a regular ritual for self-care.

Using essential oils in the bath

Whist it is nice to have that bespoke blend professionally tailored to your specific needs, it doesn’t mean you can’t try to make your own essential oil blends to use at home! All you need is a bit of advice on how to create your ‘aroma-treatment bath’ and some ideas for blends, and then you’re ready to go. Read on for exactly that!

Setting the scene – creating the right atmosphere

You see it in the movies all the time; a romantic partner lights hundreds of candles, runs the bubble bath, and pours a glass of champagne for the other. A relaxing bath – the embodiment of ‘I love you’. In reality, of course, it’s not as romanticised as that – it doesn’t happen unless we light the candles ourselves, turn the tap on, add in the bubbles and pour our own glass of wine, but that doesn’t actually take the enjoyment out of it, does it? So, why not make time to love yourself?

The added advantage of swapping out bubbles (of both the bubble bath and perhaps the champagne too!) for essential oils is that they have amazing therapeutic benefits for your wellbeing. Essential oils actually have an effect on the chemistry of the body and can be used to great effect to help balance your health!

Using essential oils safely in the bath

It is important to remember that essential oils are not soluble in water. This means they will float, undiluted on the surface, and can potentially cause irritation. There are three main ways to ensure that your oils are safely diluted in the bath.

1. Use a bath base such as our Bath Oil or SLS free Bath & Shower Gel which have been specifically formulated to accept the addition of extra ingredients and solubilise essential oils.
2. Mix with a suitable carrier oil. Remember though that oil and water do not mix, so although this will safely dilute the essential oils, the oily mixture will still float on the top and result in slippery surfaces. If you wish to use a carrier oil, we recommend Jojoba or fractionated Coconut oil as these are slightly less greasy.
3. Mix with a specialist solubiliser such as Polysorbate 20.

Mixing essential oils with bath salts

Natural salts such as Epsom Salt, Dead Sea Salt and Himalayan Pink Salt are completely water-soluble and will dissolve when added to the bath. If you have mixed essential oils with them, the oils will be released when the salt dissolves and will remain undiluted in the water. You should therefore mix the essential oils with a carrier oil or solubilising base as per the above instructions before adding to your salt.

Recommended essential oil blends for the bath

Now, you might be thinking ‘I don’t know which essential oils to use’. That’s ok – we have some blend suggestions for you, depending how you are feeling, and which oils you like the smell of. Above all, when selecting the essential oils to add into your carrier, be led by your body and chose the ones you like. Add the oils to 15ml of bath oil, shower gel, or 1/2 cup of salt.

To de-stress & release anxiety

3 drops Bergamot essential oil
3 drops Geranium essential oil
2 drops Mandarin essential oil

To balance hormones & general wellbeing

3 drops Geranium essential oil
2 drops Jasmine Absolute essential oil
2 drops Lavender essential oil

To calm & release pent up emotions

4 drops Rose essential oil
2 drops Lavender essential oil
2 drops Neroli essential oil

To aid sleep

3 drops Lavender essential oil
3 drops Sweet Orange essential oil
2 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil

To soothe achy muscles & joints

3 drops Sweet Marjoram essential oil
3 drops Black Pepper essential oil
2 drops Rosemary essential oil

To boost immune system

3 drops Lemongrass essential oil
3 drops Grapefruit essential oil
2 drops Rosewood essential oil

To aid recovery from illness (e.g. cold / respiratory problem)

3 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
3 drops Sweet Orange essential oil
2 drops Ravensara essential oil

To lift the mood & ease depressed feelings

3 drops Lemon essential oil
3 drops Patchouli essential oil
2 drops Lime essential oil

To aid meditation

To really make the most of switching off during your treatment bath, try a little meditation:

3 drops Myrrh essential oil
3 drops Sweet Orange essential oil
2 drops Frankincense essential oil

Or – just try blending your own choice of oils! You can’t really go wrong. If you really don”t want to blend your own, you could always try one of our pure essential oil blends that have been expertly blended for you!

Now you just need some tips for getting the most out of your aromatherapy bath!

Enjoy our 10-step aroma treatment bath

1. Allocate some ‘you time’ where there are no distractions – perhaps even unplug or switch off the phone; after all, everything works fine again if you unplug it – even yourself!
2. Close bathroom doors and windows – this will help keep the essential oil aromas in.
3. Light some candles if you want, maybe put some music on, grab an eye mask and maybe even a small glass of wine – make the setting how you will enjoy it.
4. Select your essential oil blend according to how you feel and the scents you enjoy at this moment in time. If you’re making your own blend use up to 8 drops of essential oil per bath, with no more than 3 different oils.
5. Mix the oil blend into your chosen base. 
6. Run a warm bath but don’t have it too hot!
7. Add the oils to your bath and swish the water gently to disperse.
8. When the temperature is right, hop in!
9. As you lie there, thoughts might pop into your mind, but let go of them – breathe them away. Relax. You are safe – this is your time.
10. Breathe fully into your chest, tummy and back, filling your lungs with the aromas, really getting them into your system. Inhale for a count of 6, hold your breath for 4 and then exhale for 8. Repeat for 5-10 minutes until you feel totally relaxed!

Making it a self-care ritual

I hope you enjoy your treatment bath – and getting creative with your blends.

In my opinion, it’s really important to make time for your wellbeing. This technique is a quick and easy way to implement self-care, so try making it a regular ritual. Ideally, you could do this on a weekly basis, changing the oils each week to notice which ones your body is craving. Some essential oils – especially base notes – stay in your system for up to a week, so a weekly top up could leave you feeling much more balanced in the long-run.

Why not truly make this self-care plan your own? You might want to add in your own little rituals, like creating a face mask to apply whilst relaxing in the bath – something like 1 drop of Lavender or Neroli in 5ml of Grapeseed oil or Aloe Vera Gel mixed with some clay, makes a nice moisturising mask! 

You might also like to read our article on making Bath Bombs!

Nicole Barton
Consultant Aromatherapist

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