Primetweets Beauty
Let’s face it, baths aren’t for everyone. They’re sweaty, time consuming and hard work. By the time you’ve scrubbed the tub, located your expensive salts, and filled up the bath, if you’re anything like me you’ve lost the urge to take a dip. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reap the aromatherapy benefits typically reserved for bath bombs.
These aromatherapy shower steamer tablets are perfect whether you’re crunched for time or too frazzled to prep a bath. Simply toss one in the corner of your shower and relax while the essential oils work their magic.
How to make shower steamers
Made with yummy smelling essential oils, cornstarch and baking soda, these aromatherapy shower steamer tabs will take your mornings to a whole new level. I like to make mine in several different scents for different moods and sprinkle ‘em with flower petals for effect. But the beauty of them is you customize with any oils, flowers and colors you like. It’s completely up to you.
As far as scents are concerned, rose is uplifting and has been known to help fight anxiety and depression. Lavender is great for soothing stressed nerves and encouraging sleep. And sweet orange is energizing, perfect for giving you an extra boost in the morning.
With cold season always on the horizon, don’t be afraid to trade out these scents for something more cold and flu friendly. Peppermint, eucalyptus and thyme oils can be used in aromatherapy shower steamers to help clear the sinuses, soothe sore throats and support the immune system.
Aromatherapy Blends for Shower Steamers
But here are some of my favorite essential oil combos for practically every season:
Sinus-Clearing Steamers
PMS Steamers
Seasonal Allergy Steamers
Relaxation Steamers
Energizing Steamers
When combined with the steam from a hot shower, these oil blends should have you feeling back to normal in no time. If you don’t want to buy new oils, simply use what you have on hand or invest in carefully selected essential oils that you are sure to use over and over again.
And while not totally necessary, I like to glam up my aromatherapy shower steamer tablets by adding some natural food coloring and dried flower petals. Call me crazy, but I think it helps calm my nerves to have a jar of beautiful shower steamer tabs sitting on my bathroom counter just waiting to be used. Plus it’s an added reminder to set aside some time for myself to unwind and just breathe.
They’re so pretty, I have been known to toss several in a jar and give them as gifts to stressed girlfriends. Simply tie a pretty ribbon at the top and add a sweet note and your BFFs will be thrilled.
How to use shower steamers
A shower steamer is essentially just a bath bomb for your shower. When wet, they bubble up and release the scent of whichever oils you choose into the air, creating a relaxing steam room effect – without requiring a tub full of water or a post-soak cleaning session.
To use them, take one into the shower with you and lightly wet it under running water to get the fizzing action started. Then, place the steamer in the corner of your shower where it will occasionally get splashed (if placed directly in the path of your shower head, it will dissolve too quickly).
Shower as usual, breathing deeply to inhale the oils and enjoy the aromatherapy. If there’s still some steamer left over after your shower, simply push it to the corner and use the rest next time.
Now, I know what you might be wondering, can I use my aromatherapy shower steamer tabs as bath bombs? Yep! They totally do double duty. Assuming you didn’t go overboard with your essential oils (which can irritate skin in high doses), just pop one of these babies in your next bath and use ‘em exactly like you would a bath bomb.
Aromatherapy Shower Steamer Tablets
No time for a bath? These aromatherapy shower steamer tabs are like a bath bomb for the shower.
Prep Time5 mins
Active Time10 mins
Drying time12 hrs
Total Time12 hrs 15 mins
Yield: 6 tabs
Instructions
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Mix together the baking soda and citric acid in a medium-size bowl. Just slightly moisten the dry ingredients with water or witch hazel until it clumps when you squeeze it in a fist. That will prevent over-fizzing.
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Mix your ingredients together (I like to do this part by hand just to make sure everything is well-blended). Add the food coloring and continue mixing until you reach the desired shade. Tightly pack the mixture into an ice cube tray or cake pop molds. Or use a cookie scoop to drop small rounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
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Allow to dry for 12+ hours, then transfer to a lidded jar until ready to use.
Notes
Problems with fizzing?
These are essentially bath bombs, so adding too much water or witch hazel too fast will make them fizz up and overflow your mold. Rather than pouring the water directly into the dry ingredients, try putting the water in a spray bottle and lightly misting the top of the baking soda mixture. Use your hands to mix everything together, then lightly spray again. When the mixture just barely holds together like wet sand, you can stop adding water. Ideally you’ll have hit the sweet spot where the mixture holds together but doesn’t set off an uncontrollable fizz reaction.
Essential Oil Blends
Sinus-Clearing PMS Seasonal Allergies Relaxation Energizing
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Holly Smith, a board certified physician in nephrology and internal medicine with a background in nutrition. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical review board here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
