Soaking in a hot tub of bubbles is one of life’s ultimate luxuries. Maybe I’m a weirdo, but bubble baths play a role in almost every good memory I have from early childhood. And honestly, not much has changed, seeing as how bubble baths (plus a glass of wine and a good book) play a role in 99% of my good memories from adulthood as well (quick shout out to my fellow introverts!).
But store bought bubble bath is usually loaded with all sorts of gross stuff—that’s how you get the bubbles, after all. Which is why I highly recommend making your own. Despite what the haters say, it is possible to make your own bubble bath that actually bubbles and won’t irritate your skin or cause breakouts. Read on and we’ll show you how.
Make Your Own Bubble Bath for Sensitive Skin
Homemade bubble bath is a pretty divisive topic.
Some people say you can’t make it while others swear you can. And of those folks that say homemade bubble bath is doable, most recommend castile soap as a base. But here’s the thing: anyone who has ever used castile soap knows that it makes for a really lackluster bubble bath.
The stuff doesn’t bubble!
At best, you might get a thin layer of puny bubbles, but more than likely you won’t get any bubbles at all. So to make real bubble bath, you need to use actual soap as a base. Dish soap could work in a pinch but I prefer to use sensitive skin body wash for mine.
First off, body wash is made for skin so you can rest easy knowing it doesn’t have anything super harsh in it. Second, there are tons of brands to choose from so you’re guaranteed to find something that works for you. I like Honest Shampoo + Body Wash (not sponsored or anything—I’m just a fan) because it bubbles beautifully and doesn’t have any scary ingredients. But the brand isn’t really important. Just make sure it works for your skin.
From there, you’ll want to add ingredients that soothe skin and calm inflammation. I like aloe vera, essential oils, raw honey and chamomile to help calm hot spots, get rid of flakes and lock in moisture. But feel free to tailor this recipe based on your own preferences. When it comes to ingredients you can add, the sky’s the limit.
Bubble Bath for Sensitive Skin
Equipment
- Glass jar with lid
Materials
- 1 cup sensitive skin body wash
- 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel
- 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 10 drops chamomile essential oil or 1/4 cup chamomile tea
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- 15 drops frankincense essential oil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
- Using a spoon, gently stir the ingredients until everything's combined (you want to gently fold in the tea so as not to create too many bubbles).
- Transfer the mixture to a lidded glass bottle.
Notes
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Rina Mary Allawh, M.D., a dermatologist who performs adult and pediatric medical dermatology, skin cancer treatment and cosmetic dermatology. 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.
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You left out a crucial “not”:
“So to make real bubble bath, you need to use actual soap as a base.”
Should read as:
“So to make real bubble bath, you need to not use actual soap as a base.”
…because actual soap (such as castile) reacts with water “hardness” to make insoluble curds instead of suds, and because even in soft water, actual soap is only moderately foamy. If you get a bath foamy with real soap — people used to use soap flakes or powder to do this — it becomes as grease-cutting as wash water, and practically demands a rinse under the shower. Meanwhile bubble bath ingredients foam at concentrations much lower than would be needed for cleaning, and aren’t canceled by water hardness.