Using Essential Oils in the Shower
I remember the first time I tried to use essential oils in the shower. I lived in a tiny apartment with no bath tub and a low-pressure shower that didn't drain very well. I wanted to spruce up my somewhat sad showering experience, so I googled "how to use essential oils in the shower". Most of the articles I found gave recipes for shower bombs and melts that involved ingredients I didn't have (not to mention a kitchen bigger than a closet) and took a lot of preparation. Having just gotten back from yoga, I was tired and sweaty and didn't want to have to go through a whole recipe, so I shut my laptop, grabbed a few of my favorite oils, and just tossed a few drops onto the floor of the shower. That worked fine for about 2 minutes -- until all the oils ran down the drain. Since then, I've tried out a few other methods, and I think I've finally perfected a method for using essential oils in the shower (the easy way). Here it goes:
How to Use Essential Oils in the Shower (Easily):
- Choose which essential oils you'd like to use. You can use single oils or blends, but try to pick oils that have qualities that you'd like to cultivate. Maybe you need to wake up, maybe you're looking for a relaxing shower to wind down, or maybe you just want your shower to smell really nice. Essential oils can be used to achieve any of these goals! So do some thinking. If you need some help coming up with ideas, I've included some of my favorite shower blends below.
- Fill a pipette with your chosen oils and use it to place drops of essential oil on the walls of your shower. If you don't have a pipette, you can also just flick them from the bottle, or use a q-tip or cloth. Some people put essential oils on the floor of their shower, but I find that the water causes them to run down the drain and the effects don't last long. If you place oils on the walls of your shower, the water won't wash it away so quickly.
- After applying oil to the walls of your shower, place a few drops (about 5) on a washcloth to bring into the shower with you. You can hold it near your face while you're showering for a more intense aroma. I especially like to do this when I'm using the sinus congestion blend so I can inhale as much of those steamy oil benefits as possible.
- When you're done showering, rinse the walls of any remaining oil.
Even Easier Ways to Use Essential Oils in the Shower:
If you don't want to flick essential oils on the walls of your shower and you're looking for an even quicker aromatherapy shower experience, try just putting your essential oils of choice in a diffuser in your bathroom and let it run for a few minutes before you hop in the shower. The oils in the air will mix with the steam and create a warm, spa-like environment. And if your heart is set on bath fizzies but you don't want to go through the hassle of making them yourself (we can't all be crafty), you can always buy some.
My Favorite Essential Oil Blends for the Shower:
For Sinus Congestion:
- 5 drops Eucalyptus
- 5 drops Ravensara
- 5 drops spike lavender
- 5 drops peppermint
For Relaxation:
- 10 drops lavender
- 5 drops vetiver
- 3 drops sweet orange
For Energy:
- 6 drops bergamot
- 6 drops lavender
- 5 drops basil
- 10 drops a citrus oil like grapefruit or tangerine