How to Take a Bubble Bath

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 30, 2023 References

Had a hard day? Unwind with a bubble bath. Transform your bathroom into a serene, steamy oasis, and turn your mood from stressed to blissful. You can make your own bubble bath formula easily and cheaply, or buy it at the store. Arrange music and candles, grab a good book and something to drink, and you’re ready to soak!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Preparing Your Bathroom

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Make your own bubble bath formula. If you have store-bought bubble bath formula you’d rather use, go ahead. But if not, why not make your own? It’s fun and easy to make, and you can personalize it with your favorite scents. In a clean bowl, mix together ½ cup mild liquid hand or body soap, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1 egg white. Stir until the egg white is fluffy.^{[1]
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- To separate the egg, crack the egg over a bowl, and pass the yolk back and forth between the two halves of the shell as the white dribbles into the bowl. The egg white will make the bubble bath foamy.
2
Personalize your bubble bath formula with essential oils. Pick your favorite scents and add a few drops to your bubble bath mixture. Lavender and chamomile are soothing scents that can help you unwind after a hard day.
- Epsom salts can also be a good addition to your bath formula. Some people feel that Epsom salts help their muscles relax.^{[2]
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- For extra-dry skin, add a tablespoon of almond oil or light sesame oil to your bubble bath mixture to help it retain moisture.^{[3]
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- If you want to scale up the recipe, you can make multiple batches at once, and store them all in a jar with a lid for future use.
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Decorate the bathroom with candles. Create the ultimate blissful spa in your own bathroom by dimming the overhead lights and lighting candles. Make sure to place your candles in safe spots, where they won’t tip over!^{[4]
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- If you like scented candles, feel free to use those. But if your bubble bath is already a strong scent, you might want to go with scentless candles.
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Choose a soundtrack of relaxing background music. Choose your tunes based on the goal of your bath. Are you trying to sink into a serene, meditative state? Quiet classical music, or nature sounds will soothe you. Do you want to have a good, cathartic cry? Some romantic ballads might do the trick.^{[5]
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- If you’re playing music off your phone, make sure it’s not too close to the tub. You don’t want your phone to fall in!

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Enjoying Your Soak

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Pour bubble bath formula under the running water as you fill your tub. If you’ve made the recipe with a half cup of soap, pour in the entire mixture. If you have more bubble bath formula at hand, then just pour until the bath is as bubbly as you’d like! There should be big, sudsy bubbles floating on top of the water.^{[6]
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- Timing your bubble bath for just before bed is a great way to unwind, calm racing thoughts, and help you fall asleep.^{[7]
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Make sure your water is a comfortable temperature. There’s nothing to ruin a bath like freezing cold water or scalding heat. Some dermatologists recommend a temperature of 112ºF (44ºC). No need to bother checking the bath water with a thermometer. Just make sure the water is warm, but not stinging hot.^{[8]
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Soak in the tub for about 20 minutes. If you want to stay longer, you can, but the water might start to get cold! Bring whatever will make you comfortable and keep you entertained. ^{[9]
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- Some people like to bring a good book to read. Don’t bring a thriller, though––that wouldn’t help you relax.^{[10]
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- Bring a glass of water or juice to drink. Soaking in hot water can be dehydrating, so sipping a drink will help you stay healthy and content.^{[11]
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Towel dry and moisturize. Right after your soak is the perfect time to moisturize, because the lotion will seal in all the good moisture that has soaked into your skin. Now you’re clean, relaxed, and silky smooth.^{[12]
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- Use a thinner moisturizer for your face to avoid clogging pores, and a thicker moisturizer for the rest of your body.^{[13]
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