Enter: DIY Scented Bath Oil
Safety First:
Although essential oils are used frequently in the environmental and yoga worlds, it's important to remember that "natural" does not always equal "safe". If used properly, essential oils are a wonderful addition to your green and yoga lives.
General Safety Guidelines:
- Do not place directly on your skin. Essential oils are very concentrated and should be diluted for topical use.
- If you have a serious medical condition or you are pregnant (congratulations!), please consult your family physician (or Naturopathic Doctor) prior to using essential oils.
- Do a test patch of bath oil on your skin prior to bathing... immersing your entire body in a allergic reaction in waiting doesn't sound like fun eh?
- Some essential oils can be toxic to our drinking water supply (i.e. tea tree oil), please check prior to disposal.
(For more detailed guidelines- check out Mountain Rose Herbs.)
DIY Scented Bath Oil
STEP ONE: Choose a vegetable carrier oil that will feel lovely for your skin. I used Sweet Almond oil because it was affordable and I can use it in my whipped body butter. Other options include jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, argan oil, apricot oil and even olive oil (although the smell of olive may come through your essential oil blend).
STEP TWO:
Choose your essential oil(s). In a glass (or ceramic) bowl mix in about 15-30 drops (depending on strength of scent) of your essential oils until the combination and scent is what you wanted. What I have recently discovered: anise+vanilla+cocoa=marshmallow. Just saying.
STEP THREE:
Add in about 2-3 oz (ish) of your carrier oil. Mix with a spoon. Give it another smell to make sure the strength of scent is what you'd like.
STEP FOUR:
Pour mixture into a clean, dry small glass container. I happened to have a few random jars from previous products all cleaned out. If you really want to assure that your oil will last for months, store in a tinted glass jar that has been sterilized (boiled in water and set to dry- like canning jars). Store in a cool dark place.
STEP FIVE:
In the running water of your bath, pour about 1 tablespoon of oil. Make sure your bath water isn't too hot as your oil will also heat up.
Please note- when getting out of the tub be careful!! Everything will be super slippery.
Enjoy a beautiful, synthetic chemical free moisturizing scented bath!
I didn't know tea tree oil was toxic to the water system. So much for the argument that natural is always better.
ReplyDeleteI usually just drop in a few drops of lavendar or peppermint oil and forgo the oil--that's too complicated for me, lol.
i know! I was also surprised to read that.
Deletei like the oil because it adds the moisturizing element... which is part of why i love baths :)
Great post! As to Grace and the toxicity issue, I think it's simply a matter of potency and power. Plants contain super powerful chemicals, and it's not bad - just powerful and something to be respected. The very process of making essential oils is literally separating out those most potent chemicals in an undiluted form. It's like a plant a-bomb, LOL. And as such, they can be irritating to the skin, and even poisonous to ingest (depending the type) or dangerous in the water supply. But to me, it's the same as having the good sense and caution of avoiding adding hemlock to your salad, you know? :)
ReplyDeleteGrace, I still think that it's better and safer to use, say, tea tree oil, than flush SLS, parfum and other endocrine disruptors into the water system day after day after day in the form of traditional soaps and shampoos. I also believe that MRH is talking about a large spill. I believe it is still safe (tea tree) to use diluted in, perhaps, a foot bath or in a homemade kitchen cleaner or whatever.
MRH has individual information pages for every single e.o. it sells and each page includes any dangers associated with that particular oil. There is nothing on the tea tree oil page that cautions customers about the dangers of getting it into the water supply. I believe the reason they mention that on the main page Lisa cited and not on the individual page is, again, because it refers to a LARGE spill - not something on the level that a customer would be able to produce with little 1 oz. bottles. :)
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/eo/teatree.php
But I think it's always important to err on the side of caution and if people use e.o.'s, it's important to learn as much as we can, so I'm glad Lisa mentioned all this!
Good clarifications FiveSeed!! I agree 100%, thank you :)
DeleteWell, I'm glad you mentioned everything you did because I do think there's a unknowingly careless attitude about e.o.'s. Yes, plenty are safe for everyone, but they are very powerful chemicals and it is good for people to realize that!
DeleteYes - we need to take as much care with natural products as we do with pharmaceuticals - I think we could all benefit from asking more questions all around!
DeleteSounds heavenly and easy! My kind of project! Thanks for the tip about marshmallow... :)
ReplyDelete