# menthol shower steamer



## divinegoddessoaps17 (Oct 23, 2017)

Hi all!!  I have a wonderful recipe to make shower steamers.  They also said that you could add menthol to the steamers.  They recommend adding water to the menthol crystals to melt them, and then you add 50 drops to your dry ingredients.  How much menthol and water to get 50 drops?  I have been all over the internet and can't find the answers. I don't want to use too much or too little!!   Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you.


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## SunRiseArts (Oct 24, 2017)

Wish I could help.  I have made those steamers using vicks vapor rub, but I never with crystal.  Now I am curious!

They are great during winter.


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## bathgeek (Oct 24, 2017)

divinegoddessoaps17 said:


> Hi all!!  I have a wonderful recipe to make shower steamers.  They also said that you could add menthol to the steamers.  They recommend adding water to the menthol crystals to melt them, and then you add 50 drops to your dry ingredients.  How much menthol and water to get 50 drops?  I have been all over the internet and can't find the answers. I don't want to use too much or too little!!   Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you.





It’s a shower steamer, so it doesn’t touch skin. Besides the possibility of waste, is there any real down side to possibly using a bit too much? I’d just go with my nose...


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## Susie (Oct 24, 2017)

Menthol crystals smell so strongly that you would use far less if you did not follow a recipe and weigh it properly.


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## SaltedFig (Oct 24, 2017)

I have used menthol crystals, although never in a shower steamer.

They are tricky to work with, because they evaporate so easily (and the fumes are strong). The warmer the air, or the mixture, the quicker they off-gas and disappear - menthol likes being a gas at room temperature.

I have dissolved them in a sealed bottle full of oil, more or less the same way you would infuse dried herbs, which worked well.

I am surprised that the recipe calls for dissolving in water - I had not thought they were water soluble (but have never tried it).

They are fun to play with, and I rather like the sound the crystals make when they are shaken in a glass container. They are a key ingredient in the classic butter menthol lollies and in eucalyptus honey menthol lollies.

The fumes of the crystals are so strong that a jar opened for a few moments can be "tasted" in the air :mrgreen:

A little goes a long way, and you would need to take care handling them.



divinegoddessoaps17 said:


> Hi all!!  I have a wonderful recipe to make shower steamers.  They also said that you could add menthol to the steamers.  They recommend adding water to the menthol crystals to melt them, and then you add 50 drops to your dry ingredients.  How much menthol and water to get 50 drops?  I have been all over the internet and can't find the answers. I don't want to use too much or too little!!   Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you.


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## Seawolfe (Oct 24, 2017)

I basically use this recipe: http://www.naturalbeautyworkshop.com/my_weblog/2016/02/mentholated-eucalyptus-shower-melts.html
That's 1 TBSP menthol crystals dissolved in 1 TBSP apricot oil in about a  1.5 cup recipe BUT I found the extra oil made the shower floor too slippery so I just melted the crystals in the microwave (watch very very carefully and don't put your face over the melted menthol).


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## Dahila (Oct 24, 2017)

I use them in shower steamers but I never add water,  Menthol will dissolve in alcohol or oil, but I warm oil and it is so easy,  then add it to dry ingredients , not too much oil just enough to dissolve crystals
2tbsp for 1200 g of total powders


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## Zany_in_CO (Oct 24, 2017)

divinegoddessoaps17 said:


> Hi all!!  I have a wonderful recipe to make shower steamers.


Please, if you don't mind sharing, I'm on the hunt for a shower steamer recipe. 


divinegoddessoaps17 said:


> They also said that you could add menthol to the steamers.  They recommend adding water to the menthol crystals to melt them,


Um, prolly not the best advice. See my directions on the next post below.



divinegoddessoaps17 said:


> and then you add 50 drops to your dry ingredients.  How much menthol and water to get 50 drops?  I have been all over the internet and can't find the answers. I don't want to use too much or too little!!   Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you.



Tsk tsk. Don't you just hate that?! I know I do... Hopefully, this will help you figure it out:

VOLUME CONVERSION TABLE ~ Drops, Mls, Oz., Tsp., Tbls.

    20 drops    1 ml
    40 drops    2 ml
    60 drops    3 ml
    80 drops    4 ml
    100 drops    5 ml    1 teaspoon
    300 drops    15 ml    1 tablespoon
    600 drops    30 ml    1 fluid ounce

    1 fluid ounces    2 Tablespoons (liquid)
    2 fluid ounces    6 teaspoons (liquid)
    3 teaspoons    1 Tablespoon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is the exact weight to volume conversion if you prefer to make your product without a scale.

0.1 oz by weight = 0.082 US fluid ounces = 2.425 ml
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GOOGLE OZ. TO GRAMS:

type in: 30 oz to grams
It will return the answer to you!
It's a built in converter, right in the main Google search window!
Try ANY conversion you want it will most likely know how to do it.
If not it will find the page you need to go to.


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## Zany_in_CO (Oct 24, 2017)

MENTHOL CRYSTALS USE

Menthol crystals are soluble in alcohol, essential  oils and olive oil but almost insoluble in water and glycerin. I prefer  to dissolve them right into my fragrance blend.

Menthol crystals start to evaporate at 21°C (70°F). 
Melting point: 41°- 44°C (106°- 111°F); 
Boils at 212°C (414°F). 

If  you’ve never melted menthol crystals, be forewarned -- the fumes can  knock your socks off! You can use oil, or FO/EO to melt the crystals.  Here’s what I do and have no problems with fumes and they melted easily:

(Mask  & gloves recommended)    Using a hot plate, a heat resistant beaker,  and a celsius thermometer, drop menthol crystals into essential oil and  warm to 41°C (106°F). You’ll know when you’re there because you’ll get  the first waft of menthol, so take off heat, give a stir to make sure  the crystals are fully melted, then add rest of the EOs/FOs in the  blend.

Store in an amber glass bottle, in a cool dark place, out of direct sunlight until ready to use.

USE RATE: 1-2%; normally do not exceed 5%.
Use 5% for hot and cold feeling, i.e., "Icy Hot" sore muscle rub.
Use them in a foot cream at 2%. Crush up and add to hot oil.
Use 1-2 crystals for a small 8 oz batch of lotion.


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## divinegoddessoaps17 (Oct 24, 2017)

Zany_in_CO said:


> MENTHOL CRYSTALS USE
> 
> Menthol crystals are soluble in alcohol, essential  oils and olive oil but almost insoluble in water and glycerin. I prefer  to dissolve them right into my fragrance blend.
> 
> ...



thank you for the help!


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## divinegoddessoaps17 (Oct 24, 2017)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Please, if you don't mind sharing, I'm on the hunt for a shower steamer recipe.
> 
> Um, prolly not the best advice. See my directions on the next post below.
> 
> ...


thanks for all the help!  I will find the recipe tomorrow and post for you.


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## DeeAnna (Oct 24, 2017)

"...Here is the exact weight to volume conversion if you prefer to make your product without a scale.
0.1 oz by weight = 0.082 US fluid ounces = 2.425 ml..."

What material is this conversion based on? You can't convert from weight to volume or vice versa unless you know the specific gravity!

And any conversion from drops to milliliters or fluid ounces will vary depending on the viscosity of the liquid. It can vary a LOT. The "20 drops = 1 milliliter" is based on water.


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## Susie (Oct 24, 2017)

DeeAnna said:


> "...Here is the exact weight to volume conversion if you prefer to make your product without a scale.
> 0.1 oz by weight = 0.082 US fluid ounces = 2.425 ml..."
> 
> What material is this conversion based on? You can't convert from weight to volume or vice versa unless you know the specific gravity!
> ...



^^^^THIS!!!!^^^^

Thank you, DeeAnna, you saved me from having to!


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## Zany_in_CO (Oct 27, 2017)

divinegoddessoaps17 said:


> How much menthol and water to get 50 drops?  I have been all over the internet and can't find the answers. I don't want to use too much or too little!!   Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you.


Guess what, goddess. Today, I needed to convert drops to mL to scale a formula that my wholesale customer asked me to make for them. Out of habit, I did what I always do with ounces and grams -- I googled it! Only I did drops to mL.

Just type this in the search box: 





> 50 drops = ? mL


LOL Like magic, the answer came right up. As well as a few conversion tables for drops, if you want to bookmark one for future reference. 
HTH   :bunny:​


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## Dahila (Oct 27, 2017)

1 tsp of oil will be closer to 25 drops it still depends which oil .   When I had said two tbsp it means that I had weight it on scale.........


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## SaltedFig (Oct 28, 2017)

Did you end up with a recipe to try out?



divinegoddessoaps17 said:


> thanks for all the help!  I will find the recipe tomorrow and post for you.


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## divinegoddessoaps17 (Oct 28, 2017)

SaltedFig said:


> Did you end up with a recipe to try out?



Yes I did - turned out fabulous!  I've attached a picture.  Purple are lavender, white is peppermint menthol, blue is rosemary menthol.


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