Top 8 Essential Oils for Your Bath

One of the most common ways to use essential oils is by adding a few drops to your bath for a peaceful, rejuvenating experience. The warmth of the bath water helps the skin absorb the essential oils, leaving you with silky smooth skin. While the fragrance fills the room, leaving a calming aroma in the air.

Before adding essential oils to your bath routine it’s worth noting that there is a right and wrong way to do this. Read on for tips on how to use essential oils in your bath and the best essential oils to use!

Is it Safe to Put Essential Oils in Your Bath?

For the most part, yes, essential oils are safe to put in your bath. There are some precautions you should take before adding essential oils into your routine.

1. Always consult a physician before using essential oils. Some oils can cause allergic reactions or skin irritation.
2. Always read the instructions that come with your oil before use.
3. Don’t over-do it! With essential oils a little goes a long way. 6-8 drops for a bath is plenty.
4. Put the oil in after your bathtub is full and disperse evenly throughout by agitating the water.
5. Only use certain oils, some may cause skin irritation (more on that below)

Best Essential Oils for the Bath

• Rose: Rose oil is great for all skin types, even dry sensitive skin. Rose oil is believed to have restorative effects and also helps with anxiety or nervous tension. Our favorite rose oil is Alteya’s Rose Oil, it’s more expensive but a little goes a long way. Click here to purchase their rose oil on Amazon.
• Sandalwood: Any oil that is derived from tree bark is said to be incredibly soothing and grounding. Sandalwood is adored for it’s fragrance and also has calming properties. Our go-to Sandalwood oil is by Healing Solutions – you can purchase it on Amazon by clicking here.
• Geranium: Geranium oil is a great essential oil to use for your bath routine. It helps improve the health and radiancy of skin and is also believed to help relieve depression. Nature’s Oil has a great Geranium oil available on Amazon. Click hereto purchase.
• Neroli: This oil, derived from orange blossom flowers, encourages sleep and helps reduce anxiety. The fragrance from this oil helps uplift the spirit and soothe the mind. Our absolute favorite Neroli Oil is by Healing Soultions, purchase this oil on Amazon by clicking here.
• Peppermint: Peppermint oil is often used to calm the mind, and it smells amazing! The peppermint oil fragrance can also help clear out your sinuses and relieve headaches and migraines. Check out our favorite peppermint oil by clicking here.
• Lavender: Lavender oil is know to treat insomnia and is perfect for a bath right before bed. The lavender oil has calming affects and also supports damaged or irritated skin. NOW Foods makes one of our favorite Lavender Oils—you can purchase it by clicking here.
• Roman or German Chamomile: Chamomile oil is often known for its calming properties making it an ideal oil to add to a relaxing bath after a stressful day. Click here to purchase one of our top German Chamomile essential oils from US Organic.
• Vetiver: Vetiver is great for bringing moisture to dry skin. This essential oil is derived from the roots of the vetiver plant and is loaded with antioxidants, making it a great bath addition. Click here to get our favorite Vetiver oil on Amazon.

How to Use Essential Oils in the Bath

For a quick tutorial on how to use essential oils in your bath correctly, check out this video by Oh Lardy!

How to Use Essential Oils Without a Diffuser

The most common way to use essential oils is by adding them to a diffuser. Using an oil diffuser is pretty simply and great for beginners just getting into using oils. But how do you use essential oils without a diffuser? There are plenty of ways to put your essential oils to use. Read on for some clever ways to use essential oils!

9 Ways to Use Essential Oils With No Diffuser

Dryer Balls

Dryer balls are a great way to help soften fabrics without using chemicals in your dryer. They’re fairly inexpensive and durable (I’ve had mine for years!). If you have wool dryer balls you can easily add 2-3 drops of your favorite essential oil before throwing it in with your laundry. I keep an extra bottle of lavender oil in my laundry room to add right to my dryer balls before I throw a load in. If you don’t have dryer balls you can always put a few drops of oil on washcloth or rag and add it to the dryer.

DIY Bath Bombs

Making your own bath bombs is a fun project for yourself or to give as a gift. You can find instructions on how to create your own bath bombs by clicking here. You can even customize them however you’d like! You can add in any scents that you need! As your bath bomb fizzles and dissolves into the bath, the aroma of the oil you used will permeate the room. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

Reed Diffuser

Reed diffusers are a great way to use essential oils if you don’t have a plug-in one. Reed diffusers are available at many home good stores or online. You can also make your own by visiting your local arts and craft store. What you’ll need is a jar or type of vessel to hold the oil and a few reeds or absorbable sticks. The reeds will then absorb the oils once placed into the jar and vessel and fill the room with the scent of the oil inside.

On Your Stove

Having some unexpected company? One great way to quickly fill your home with fresh scent is by using essential oils and your stove. Simply fill a pot about halfway with water and 2-3 drops of your favorite essential oil. Turn on the stove to low heat to warm the water and create steam (be careful not to boil the water). My favorite essential oil combo is rosemary and lemon.

Carpet Deodorizer

A great way to fill your home with the scent of essential oils is by making your own carpet deodorizer. Combine baking soda and your favorite essential oils and sprinkle a small amount on your carpet before bed. Simply vacuum up the mixture in the morning and enjoy the aroma around your home!

In the Bath

If you don’t have time to create your own bath bomb, you can still use essential oils in your bath! Fill your tub first and then add a few drops of essential oil, 6-8 is all you need. Before getting in agitate the water to mix in the oils.

Bathroom Freshener

A clever and discreet way to keep a fresh scent in your bathroom is by using your toilet paper roll as an air freshener. Before putting a new roll on the rack add 2-3 drops of essential oils into the middle of the toilet paper roll. Now, every time someone pulls some toilet paper off the roll, it will distribute the scent throughout the bathroom. I normally use clary sage oil or eucalyptus oils for my bathroom.

Cotton Ball Air Freshener

A great way to make a small and discreet air freshener is by using a cotton ball and a few drops of essential oil. You can place the cotton balls almost anywhere! Your car vent, fan, gym bag etc. This trick can also be used to scare off insects and pests. Use peppermint oil to deter mice and other insects.

What are some ways you use essential oils without a diffuser?

What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are natural products extracted from a single plant species. They can often be found in the stems, leaves, flowers, fruits or even roots of certain plants. Essential oils are also known as ethereal oils, volatile oils or aetherolea.

According to Wikipedia, “An essential oil is ‘essential’ in the sense that it contains the ‘essence of’ the plant’s fragrance—the characteristic fragrance of the plant from which it is derived.”

Essential oils are most commonly used for aromatherapy, a holistic healing treatment that uses essential oils to promote health and well-being. Aromatherapy is often used to induce relaxation, but there is no scientific proof that essential oils can effectively treat any conditions.

Before using essential oils you should always consult a health physician—improper use can lead to allergic reactions and skin irritation. Essential oils should also be kept away from children and pets—who are particularly susceptible to the toxic effects of improper use.

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Where Did Essential Oils Originate?

Essential oils have been used throughout history be many different cultures. It is believed that the earliest pioneer of essential oils was Ibn al-Baitar, a physician, chemist and pharmacist from Al-Andalus in the 12th Century.

In the last few decades interest in essential oils has been reinvigorated with the popularity of aromatherapy and holistic approaches to medicine.

How are Essential Oils Made?

• Carbon Dioxide: One of the newest ways to extract essential oils from plants is by using carbon dioxide. This method is generally more expensive, but leaves you with an essential oil that has a scent more similar to the original plant.
• Expression: Many times essential oils are produced by pressing them from the leaves, seeds, stems or roots of freshly picked plants.
• Distillation: Steam distillation is the most common approach to extracting essential oils from plants. Plants are hung over boiling water and the steam pulls the oils out of the plant.
• Enfleurage: This process is one of the most expensive, and rarely used to extract oils. It involves placing the plant on top of animal fat, lard or vegetable fats—the fat then absorbs the essential oils from the plant. The fat is then separated from the oil using solvents.
• Solvents: This method is often frowned upon because it involves chemical solvents. The plant is dissolved in a solvent (usually benzene or hexane) and then the solvent is evaporated–leaving behind the essential oil.

Popular Types of Essential Oil

• Chamomile: Chamomile oil can help boost mood and relaxation
• Jasmine: Jasmine oil is said to help balance hormones and increase libido
• Lavender: Lavender oil can be used for stress relief and is associated with aiding in better sleep
• Lemon: Lemon oil is used as a digestive aid and also helps improve mood
• Peppermint: Peppermint oil is often used to calm the mind, aid in digestion and relieve headaches
• Rose: Rose oil is often thought of as an antidepressant and anxiety reliever
• Sandalwood: Sandalwood oil is said to help alleviate coughs, insomnia and calm nerves
• Tea Tree: Tea Tree oil is commonly used to help fight infections, acne and athlete’s foot

Benefits of Essential Oils

Help Improve Sleep Quality

Lavender oil is often used to help improve sleep quality. Spraying a mixture of lavender diluted with water onto your pillow before sleeping can help improve sleep. You can also use an oil diffuser to fill your bedroom with lavender aroma to help you sleep.

To Relieve Stress & Anxiety

Many believe that the smell of some essential oils can help relieve stress and anxiety. However, many tests on the effects of certain essential oils to relieve stress and anxiety have been inconclusive. Often times essential oils are used during a massage to help increase relaxation and add to the ambiance of the experience.

Headache & Migraine Relief

Have a headache? Try dabbing some peppermint oil on your forehead and temples. Two studies conducted in the 90’s found that doing this relieved headache pain in most subjects.

More recent studies have also found that Lavender can help relieve headache pain when applied in the same way.

In Persian culture it is also believed that rubbing a mixture of sesame oil and chamomile to the temples effectively relieves pain due to headaches and migraines.

Reducing Inflammation and Redness

Many essential oils are believed to help reduce inflammation and are often used in DIY remedies to improve acne and redness. Some studies even show that certain essential oils have anti-inflammatory effects—the most common being tea tree oil.

Antibiotic and Antimicrobial Qualities

Peppermint oil and tea tree oil are believed to have antimicrobial effects. The rise of drug-resistant bacteria has sparked scientist’s interests in essential oil’s properties. Researchers have used essential oils to create a bioactive coating to protect against infections.