EOs in bombs and salts?

[squeakycleanuk]

I have been going backwards and forwards with my bath products, trying to get the recipe right and each time I think I've cracked it, another problem arises. I started off with a fairly simple blend of just salts and EOs but felt it did nothing for the skin. So then I added oils and butters which left a ring round the tub. Then I added an emulsifier but it made the salts too wet and clumpy. So I've stripped it right back again to just salts, milks / oatmeal and EOs, to try and keep the mixture as dry as possible, which is fine, they look, smell and feel good. I just can't help worrying about the EO though because its not diluted with a carrier oil, so is it floating around freely and undiluted? Although I can't actually see it floating around on the top and I've been using it myself everyday without any irritation issues, is this something I should be concerned about? All the recipes and videos I've seen for both bombs and salts, seem to include carrier oils or butters plus emulsifier but like I say when I tried that it all just seemed too wet! And it sort of makes sense to me to keep the recipe as dry as possible. So what do you all do, please share you tips and experience because I'm at my wits end here :? Thanks

 

[hmlove1218]

Do you have any glycerin? I've seen recipes using glycerin in salts. I'm my mind, since it appears to behave like something between water and oil that it may help dilute the carrier oils and keep them from pooling on top of the water.

However, I may be way off here as I haven't done much research on bath salts or the 'whys' of the ingredients.

 

[PrairieLights]

Regarding bath bombs, soapqueen has some good recipes that we use personally, and only add essential oils to, not f/o. No problems on skin, no problems in tub. Not too wet (well they are wet but mold, dry, and they harden)

Regarding bath salts, we personally only use essential oils in our salts........ for decades... and never had problems. Of course we use skin-safe essential oils. The only mishap was when my sister and I decided to use more peppermint e/o in order to cool off - and WOWZA was that a mistake!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lsg]

Have you tried mixing the essential oils with polysorbate 20 or 80 before adding to the bath bombs or salts?

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/search?q=polysorbate+20+and+bath+bombs

 

[Dorymae]

If you are only using salts you will have a problem. Salts absorb moisture and you need to counteract that process. Try mixing your salts with baking soda and /or corn starch. Then you can add your oils, fragrance and poly without ending up with a wet mess.

 

[squeakycleanuk]

Thanks guys I have tried using both polysorbate and glycerine and they were both too wet but I might give them both another try following Dorymae's advice. I decided not to use baking soda at all, because I use glass jars and I'd heard there was a risk of explosion but corn starch should be okay in glass shouldn't it?

 

[Serenity]

Use Natrasorb (tapioca starch). It absorbs the EO so they are dry when you add them. When they go in the water the fragrance is released.