After a long day, I crave a hot shower to help me unwind. Those few minutes of alone time help me process the day’s events and reset. I don’t usually have time for a long, luxurious bath, so a quick shower does the trick. Aromatherapy works wonders when you’re feeling tired or stressed out. I use essential oils all the time for the purpose, and these simple shower tablets are perfect for de-stressing, relaxation and rejuvenation.
How to Make Aromatherapy Shower Tablets
Lavender and chamomile blossoms both offer calming, soothing benefits on their own and adding essential oils provides even more benefits. Here’s a break down of what different essentials oil can do. Use a few drops of each, or pick and choose your favorites for a unique blend. Some oils also have anti-inflammatory and healing benefits, perfect when you’re fighting off an illness.
Essential Oils for Stress Relief
- Cedar Wood – calming, soothing, sleep-promoting
- Bergamot – uplifting, relaxing
- Lavender – calming
- Rosemary – uplifting, increases concentration, mental acuity
- Lemon – refreshing, mental alertness, calming
- Peppermint – revitalizing, cooling, invigorating
- Eucalyptus – clarifying
Step 1
Assemble ingredients. These tablets are super easy and inexpensive to make – you only need baking soda, essential oils, dried lavender and chamomile, if you have some on hand.
Step 2
Grind chamomile and lavender blossoms. Then combine chamomile and lavender with baking soda.
Step 3
Add enough water so the baking soda holds together in clumps, but the mixture isn’t the least bit runny.
Step 4
Press into small decorative pans or silicone molds. One to two tablespoons is enough. Bake to dry out the tablets. Preheat oven to 350°F and bake the tablets for about 15-20 minutes. When they come out of the oven, they may be a little damp still, but they will continue to dry out as they cool.
Step 5
Add a few drops of each essential oil to the top of the tablets and let sit for a bit to absorb the oils. Transfer to a jar and store until ready to use. Note: I did have a little trouble getting the tablets out of the metal molds, so I opted to leave them in for easier storage. The ones I formed in silicone molds popped right out.
DIY: De-stress Shower Tablets
Prep
Cook
Total
De-Stress Aromatherapy Shower Tablets with Essential Oils
Ingredients
- 2 cups baking soda
- 2 tablespoon dried chamomile or chamomile tea, optional
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds, optional
- 1/2 cup water, plus a little more if needed
- Essential oils - cedar wood, bergamot, lavender, rosemary, lemon, peppermint, eucalyptus
Instructions
- Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind lavender and chamomile until finely ground; combine with baking soda.
- Add just enough water to make a paste that holds together without being soupy or runny. Pack into small molds.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and bake the molds for 15-20 minutes. Remove and let cool completely. The tablets will continue drying as they cool.
- Sprinkle the tablets with the essential oils and allow to soak in. Transfer to a jar and store until ready to use. If using silicone molds, the tablets will be easier to pop out.
- Alternatively, combine the lavender, chamomile and baking soda. Stir in 10-20 drops each of the essential oils. Do not add water. Transfer the dry mix to an airtight jar and sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of the powder on the bottom of the shower and turn on the hot water. Can also be added to bath water.
Yvonne Grosella says
March 31, 2019 at 7:31 pmI wld rub the mixture on my skin vs just crumbling onto shower floor where all wld just slip right down the drain with little to no benefit! There might be a slight benefit if one plugs the tub, collecting hot water for a moment, thn swishing feet in it while inhaling and adding more to one’s body! If it’s fine for bath water, it wld be fine against my skin. Baking soda makes skin feel sooo soft b awesome!
Kristina says
February 21, 2019 at 2:37 pmI tried this to a T and they CRUMBLED after being removed (cooled) from the molds.
Jenni says
October 30, 2018 at 6:16 pmWhich oils did you use for your batch or,did you use all 7 listed?
Amanda says
July 20, 2018 at 5:35 pmI made these tonight and made them in a muffin tin with liners. They broke apart. Did I need to use more water?
R says
December 4, 2018 at 6:56 pmi made these in the silicone molds-they broke apart. What a mess. i ll try more water and less time.
Lea Blackburn says
January 13, 2018 at 9:57 pmWhy use the oven
Lea Blackburn says
January 13, 2018 at 9:57 pmIm wondering why plavce in oven
Denise says
September 16, 2017 at 4:03 pmIs it okay to store in a sealed container? I know some of the bath products release gas. Thanks!
Lisa says
March 11, 2017 at 11:56 amHow long do these last?
Beatrice Perez says
June 10, 2017 at 8:05 pmI love them! The instructions were so clear and help me so much. Thank you!
Laurene says
January 3, 2017 at 12:26 pmWOW these bubble up a lot in the oven!!!!! I couldn’t find my mini muffin tin so I made little balls on a large round silicone pan. I ended up with one huge disc!
Later I found my silicone mini muffin pan and only filled them less than half full and they bubbled up to the top while baking!! Was not expecting that since there is no flour in this recipe. Very surprising!
I used a sleepytime chamomile tea for the herb component. And I used half and half epsom salts with baking soda (maybe a little heavy on the epsom salts, I was low on baking soda). Hope this works!
Melissa says
January 21, 2017 at 1:59 pmHow did they turn out with the epsom salt?
Erica says
October 26, 2017 at 12:04 pmThe epsom salts is what caused the bubbling.
Mila says
October 24, 2015 at 4:23 pmThese sound amazing!
Do you think it will work if you put one of the tablets in the actual shower head?
Jess Medrano says
May 12, 2015 at 8:26 pmThank you Lindsey for sharing. I was wondering is it possible to mix in the essential oils into the wet mixture and let them dry on their own without the oven? Or could they dry out naturally and when dry, then add the essential oils? Thanks again :)
Lyn says
February 14, 2015 at 5:48 amHow many drops of each essential oil did you use?
Lyn says
February 14, 2015 at 5:51 amHow many drops of each essential oil did you use? Oops, didn’t finish reading the instructions! :)
Nancy says
January 21, 2015 at 5:15 amDo you use chamomile flowers or just the leaves?
Lindsey Johnson says
January 22, 2015 at 10:27 pmI use the flowers too.
Aubrey says
December 20, 2014 at 12:56 pmDo you add the essential oils after the tablets are completely cooled or while they are cooling? Thanks!
Lindsey Johnson says
December 20, 2014 at 3:10 pmYou can do either way. But I waited until they were cooled.
Kate says
December 9, 2014 at 2:57 pmIf you use paper cupcake holders as molds (which it looks like in the picture), about how many does this recipe make?
Lindsey Johnson says
December 10, 2014 at 3:20 pmHmm. I would guess you could probably get a dozen, but you’d only want to fill them about half full.
Sofia says
October 29, 2014 at 10:42 pmHello!! Where do you get your essential oils? Or what brand do you use??
Lindsey Johnson says
October 31, 2014 at 7:08 pmHi Sofia! I buy my essential oils at Whole Foods. I have liked the NOW brand, but I also use AuraCacia a lot.
Theresa says
October 18, 2014 at 3:04 pmO you think Epsom salts could be mixed with the dry mix?
Lindsey Johnson says
October 19, 2014 at 7:48 pmI don’t see why not! You could do half baking soda, half epsom salts.
Christi says
October 12, 2014 at 12:35 pmWhere did you get your lavender and chamomile?
Lindsey Johnson says
October 14, 2014 at 1:51 amHi Christi, I get both in the bulk spice section of Whole Foods. Sprouts also has them, if you have that store in your area. You can also find them online.
Michelle says
September 28, 2014 at 8:06 amSilly question, but how do you use these tablets?
Lindsey Johnson says
September 29, 2014 at 12:13 pmYou place them in the shower with you – on the floor usually. They can also be used in a bath.
JC says
December 6, 2014 at 4:06 pmmy question exactly…I was like..okay…what do I do with it? hahahahaa…and when I heard tablet viewing this blog via pinterest, I was thinking a lot smaller…great idea, making some soon~
Sheila C says
September 27, 2014 at 9:50 amI think there might a mistake. The ingredients don’t list Lavender, but the directions say to ground lavender and chamomile. Am I missing something?????
Lindsey Johnson says
September 29, 2014 at 12:15 pmHmm. I think you did miss it. Everything is listed in the recipe! Look again!
JSap says
October 1, 2014 at 12:44 pmI don’t see lavender listed either but you do have camomile listed twice. Is one supposed to be lavender?
Lindsey Johnson says
October 1, 2014 at 9:45 pmAh ha! You’re right! I meant to list 1 Tablespoon of lavender buds and wrote chamomile twice. Sorry about that! I fixed it. Thanks for catching that!
Lindsey Johnson says
October 1, 2014 at 9:48 pmFixed it! Chamomile was listed twice. Sorry about that!
Anne-Marie says
September 19, 2014 at 11:22 amAromatherapy anything is so lovely. Shower tablets are so fun to make =)