Aromatherapy Bath Oil Recipe

Essential oils do not stay mixed in water, so they should never be added directly to bathwater without first solublizing them. There is risk that the concentrated essential oil will settle on your skin in one spot. Instead, it is far better to use a bath oil that includes a solubilizer.

This simple bath oil recipe adds the use of a carrier oil (or blend of your favorite carrier oils, if you prefer) plus a solubilizer to dramatically reduce the risk of sensitization. Additionally, the addition of a carrier oil helps to moisturize and nourish your skin as you bath. Vegetable oils have been added to bathwater for centuries as a way to naturally moisturize the skin. The solubilizer ensures that both the essential oil and carrier are emulsified into the water evenly.

A dilemma is that both carrier oils and essential oils do not stay mixed in water (much like oil and vinegar salad dressing needs to be shaken before each use). Most commercial bath oils on the market include a dispersing agent (solubilizer) that helps to disperse the oils into water so they stay mixed. It is important to use a solubilizer when creating bath oils. Solubol or Polysorbate 20 are suitable for consideration.

Bath Oil Ingredients

• 1/2 fl. oz. carrier oil such as Jojoba
• 5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
• Solubilizer such as Polysorbate 20 or Solubol. (For the solubilizer that you choose, follow the usage guidelines provided by your vendor.)

Directions

Blend the ingredients together and store in a glass bottle. The recipe may be doubled or tripled, but do not exceed 1/4 oz. per bath.

To Use

After you have drawn your bathwater, add up to 1/4 ounce (7-8ml) of the bath oil blend to your bath water.

Mix well to ensure that the blend has dispersed well in the tub. Always be very careful getting in and out of the tub when using a bath oil as the tub can become slippery. It's best to add the bath oil just before getting in the tub instead of while the water is running so that the essential oils don't evaporate before you get into the tub. Using this bath oil blend is safer than adding pure essential oils directly to the bath water. This is because undiluted essential oils added to bathwater can settle in one spot on your skin and cause irritation. If you don't use a solubilizer or don't use enough, the blend can also settle in one spot, so beware.

For more information on bath oils and aromatic bathing, view the Aromatherapy Baths article.

General Safety Information

These recipes are offered for educational purposes only. Before using any essential oil, carefully read AromaWeb's Essential Oil Safety Information page. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young. Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. For general dilution information, read AromaWeb's Guide to Diluting Essential Oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children, the elderly, if you have medical issues or are taking medications.

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