Whether you’re making them as a gift or for your own personal pampering supply, herbal bath oils are an easy and effective aromatherapy product you can make at home. Whizz up one of these gorgeous treats in a few minutes and enjoy their therapeutic and skin nurturing benefits for many baths to come! Here’s everything you need to know to make your own aromatherapy bath oils.

There are two methods for making your perfect herbal bath oil, and it’s up to you which one you pick.

Straight from the herb

The first method involves using whole herbs. If you want to create a standout singular fragrance, then you can use one herb alone. For example, Lemon Verbena creates a simply stunning fragranced bath oil. Or if you are looking to create a signature scent and get a little more creative then you can combine them. For example, mixing chamomile and lavender herbs will create a wonderfully relaxing bath time blend.

For this method of bath oil creation, you’ll need some time and patience – although the process is fairly easy and great for beginners. Simply pop your clean herbs into a sterilised jar and pour in your carrier oil (more on that later), ensuring that your oil fills to the top of the jar and covers the herbs by at least 1" . Give it a stir to remove any air bubbles and pop on an airtight lid. Leave your jar in a warm place - a sunny windowsill or airing cupboard is ideal - for 2-3 weeks - allowing all the goodness and scent from the herbs to properly infuse. If you have the time, then ideally you should be shaking the jar a little every day, but don’t worry too much if you miss a day here and there!

When your herbs have infused into the oil, all you need to do is drain the oil and pour into a sterilised glass bottle - again, excluding as much air as possible to prevent oxidisation. Then, simply start using your beautiful homemade aromatic bath oil as a indulgent, pampering treat!

Tip: It is best to infuse dried herbs. If you want to use fresh herbs, wilt them for 12 hours before using. This will help to remove excess moisture that may cause your oil to go off.

With essential oils

You can also infuse a carrier oil by adding essential oils – though, be careful which oils you choose and how much you use, as some essential oils can be irritating for the skin. If you have extremely sensitive skin, it might be a better idea to stick to the herbal method. However, if you want a quicker fix, this is the perfect solution!

We have a whole range of herbal essential oils at Base Formula, that are all 100% pure and will give you the best results when making your bath oil. Take a look at our range of oils, and once you’ve picked your favourite/s, all you need to do is to add 18-36 drops of your chosen essential oil/s per 60ml of carrier oil, shake well and voila! It's ready to go.

Safety note: Ensure that you select essential oils that are not irritating to the skin.

Choosing your carrier oil

We’ve mentioned carrier oils (also known as base oils) a couple of times now but, if you don’t know what they are, you may be a little confused! We have a variety of carrier oils at Base Formula, and one of their main jobs is to dilute essential oils so that they don’t irritate the skin. They also moisturise the skin and aid the absorption of the essential oil's or herb's therapeutic properties. They’re pretty handy!

The carrier oil you choose for your herbal bath oil can also add additional therapeutic benefits alongside those of the herbs or essential oils, so it’s important to pick the right base oil for you and the benefits that you would like to see from your bath oil. For example, our Moroccan Argan carrier oil has excellent softening, nourishing and anti-ageing properties and our Melon Seed carrier oil is moisturising, yet light, non-greasy and non-pore-blocking. Jojoba carrier oil and Olive oil are particularly recommended for making bath oils as they have a good shelf-life.

Aromatherapy bath oil blends

If you’re not quite sure where to start in selecting your essential oils, why not try one of our recommended bath oil blends:

To ease stress and tension

Mix 60ml carrier oil, 14 drops Lavender, 8 drops Sweet Orange, 4 drops Frankincense and 4 drops Neroli.

To soothe aching muscles

Mix 60ml carrier oil, 12 drops Lavender, 12 drops Sweet Marjoram, 6 drops Roman Chamomile and 3 drops Black Pepper. 

To aid sleep

Mix 60ml carrier oil, 12 drops Lavender, 12 drops Sweet Orange, 3 drops Clary Sage and 3 drops Roman Chamomile.

Using your herbal bath oil

To use, add up to 10ml of your infused bath oil to the bath once the water has run. This will help to prevent essential oils from evaporating before you get in. Gently swish the water around to ensure that the oil has dispersed as much as possible. Unfortunately oil and water don't mix that well so you may get blobs collecting in certain places. To avoid this you could add a dispersant such as Polysorbate 20 when making up your bath oil blend. Always take care when getting out of the bath as the bath surfaces and your feet may be slippery.

Storing your bath oil

Keep your homemade bath oil in a cool, dark place (or fridge) and ideally use within 2-3 months. To extend the shelf-life you could add a little Vitamin E oil (tocopherol) as a natural preservative. 

If you’re planning on doing some aromatherapy DIY, Base Formula can provide you with the quality ingredients so you get the best results. If you’ve got any questions about aromatherapy or any of our products, please feel free to contact our friendly members of staff!

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