Eucalyptus Shower Melts–Another Pinterest Find

Double duty–I was able to try to help relieve some cold symptoms recently while simultaneously trying something new (otherwise known as “new blog material”)!  

In the past, I had seen various instructions for “shower melts” that help with congestion.  I had also seen in the past that the various recipes often included ingredients which I did not have at home, so I decided to search on Pinterest for “shower melts” while including the words “baking soda.”  I have a huge Sam’s club bag of baking soda, so I tend to have a lot of it available. I also have some essential oils, so, overall I was looking to see if I could find instructions which did not include much more than that.  SUCCESS! I found a recipe for which the listed ingredients were baking soda, water, eucalyptus essential oil, peppermint essential oil, lavender essential oil, soap colorant (optional), and silicone mold. (The actual link is here.)  Since I was making these for myself and my family, and I hoped to use them sooner than later, looking “pretty” was very low on my priority list. For that reason, my lack of soap colorant did not slow me down.

Here is the nutshell version of the steps (see the “official” instructions in the link above).

1. Add baking soda into a glass or metal bowl
2. Slowly mix in water until you reach a thick paste consistency
3. Add essential oils (and soap colorant) and mix
4. Press firmly into the mold.  (My lack of silicone molds did not stop me, either.  I just decided to pat the mixture into little patties with my hands.)
5. Blot the water away (I forgot to do this) and put in the freezer to dry.  (I chose to put my plate of “shower melt patties” into a ziplock bag because I really did not know if the scent would affect anything in the freezer.  I decided I had nothing to lose by playing it safe. Plus, if I were to accidentally knock it over or out of the freezer, any mess would be confined.)

Once I took them out of the freezer, I kept the shower melts in the ziplock bag.  I just removed the plate and wax paper on which they were originally placed. When I showered a little later, I did throw two into the shower.  

I am guessing that you are curious as to whether or not they worked.  I do believe that these shower melts helped a little. I wasn’t “cured” by any means, but I did notice and could inhale the scents from oils and think that they helped clear me out a little.  I certainly did not feel any worse, and I will certainly make more in the future. I may try adding some more oil or alter the shape a little to see if that affects how the oils are released when the water hits the shower melts.  Additionally, the melts did crumble somewhat in the ziplock in which I was storing them. Whether that was due to extra moisture (remember, I forgot to blot them prior to freezing them) or the size or shape, I don’t know.

Overall, would I say that these were amazing?  No. Will I continue to use them and make more in the future?  Yes.