# Looking for a bath melt recipe like Lush's



## AshleyR (Dec 28, 2008)

The hubby has been sick for a few days now and I thought that a nice hot bath with some eucalyptus bath melts might be a good idea!

I don't want the bath BOMB type, but more like Lush's bath melts.... creamy... sort of the consistency of a massage bar I guess? 

I would like for it to be liquid when I pour it into the mold, but harden up. 

I have tried a couple of recipes that had citric acid in them which were a complete nightmare (should have known it was going to volcano!) so I'd appreciate recipes WITHOUT citric acid in them. I'm not looking for a "fizz" - just a creamy melt! The ingredients I have on hand are coconut oil, palm oil, castor oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, baking soda, cornstarch, fragrance (I can get other things like cocoa butter and shea butter if I have to, but would prefer not to so I can make these as soon as possible!)

If anyone has a recipe for me I'd be sooo grateful! Thanks!


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## clearhearts (Dec 31, 2008)

I don't have a recipe but I think you will need a solid oil like cocoa butter, or even some beeswax. If you had some beeswax, you could melt it in with any of the oils you have (I'm sure someone else will have exact proportions), with your EOs and then set them in a mold. Then just pop them in a hot bath.

Alternatively though, you could just mix your favourite oil in with the EO in a jam jar or something similar and pour it in the bath... not really what you were looking for but similar.

Btw, it's really sweet that you're taking the trouble to do this for him


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## dagmar88 (Dec 31, 2008)

Hi Ashley
This recipe comes from The Sage:

Tub Truffles
Ingredients
8 grams Grapeseed Oil
2 grams Mango Butter 
6 grams Beeswax 
3 grams Sweet Almond Oil 
3 grams White Cocoa Butter 

(I think it would work with all oils, as long as you keep the right proportions of butters and oils  :wink: )

Instructions
Measure all your ingredients into a double boiler. Then over low heat, stirring occasionally, melt all ingredients. Add any desired fragrance, mix well and then pour into desired molds. 

Comments
Makes roughly 1 ounce, which filled between 10-15 little heart molds. I poured this into small chocolate style molds, I wanted little individual bath size truffles. I went with a little heart motif and wooed all my Valentines. =) [/quote]

You can use this recipe for bath and body melts. If you want to use them in your bath, you could use an emoliant (do i say that right?) to be sure your oils mix with the water and you don't come in tuch with pure essential oils floating on top of the bathwater.
If you have eucolyptus, you could make a steam bath, lovely when you have a cold!

Hope your hubby gets well soon. My man is a royal pain in the ... whenever he's sick. Always claims to have malaria when he has a tiny bit of fever!   
Dagmar


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## digit (Dec 31, 2008)

I don't have a recipe either, but until you get one, here is what I do. My DH loves eucalyptus!! When his sinuses are acting up, I put a few drops of eucalyptus EO on a washcloth in the corner of the shower......he is not a "soak in the tub" guy. Let me tell you, I can smell the eucalyptus downstairs and all through out the house. He says it works great. It's the same as putting it in a vaporizer. Good luck!

Digit


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## Tabitha (Dec 31, 2008)

The bath melts at Lush are cocoa butter & almond oil plus fragrance. The butter is what makes it solid. I have also seen other ingredients like baking soda added which just helps the melt to melt qucker when in the tub. 

A few drops of your eo in the bath would do the trick.

Maybe just oils plus eo and a bit of polysorbit (emulsifier) so the oils will blend w/ the bath water rather than just sit on top.


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## Deda (Dec 31, 2008)

The ones at lush have an emulsifier, too.  
As I am the poster child for BTMS, I would add a teeny of that to the mix.


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## Tabitha (Dec 31, 2008)

What is  BTMS?


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## Deda (Dec 31, 2008)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> What is  BTMS?



Behentrimonium Methosulfate & Cetearyl Alcohol, also known as conditioning emulsifier.  I've never made a bath melt, but since they are a solid bath oil I'm working on the theory that the end result should be that the oil was dispersed into the water instead of floating on top.  Sorta like when you use a scrub in the tub.  I think BTMS would give your finished product some thickness, possibly helping it keep shape until melted in water, and a little extra conditioning.  

Again, I've never made them, but it might work.  I looked at Lush's ingreds and they use Laureth 4 - a much harsher emulsifier.


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## digit (Dec 31, 2008)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> What is  BTMS?


Bizzy-bee Toots Making Soap. 



Digit


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## topcat (Dec 31, 2008)

Hi AshleyR,

You can make a melt using your coconut oil but you will need to set it in the fridge and keep it there until needed.  Here is a recipe I use:-

"Homemade Bath Bonbons

INGREDIENTS
9 tablespoons virgin coconut oil (see note)
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons baking soda (bi-carb soda)
3 tablespoons sea salt
3 drops essential oil (optional) 

Since coconut oil has a melting point of 76 degrees F, the temperature of your oil will make a difference in the method you use. Coconut oil does not need to be refrigerated, but once you make the bonbons keep them there so that they don't melt. You can't start with refrigerated coconut oil because it is very hard, so start with room temperature. 
If your room temperature is above 76 degrees, the oil will be liquid—you will need to stir in the ingredients and then pour the mix into an ice cube tray, mini muffin tin or similar receptacle. Then refrigerate until hardened, remove (you may need to briefly set the container in warm water to release the bonbons) and store in a jar in the fridge. 
If your room temperature is below 76 degrees, the coconut oil will be softly solid (as opposed to hard solid like straight from the refrigerator). You can mix the ingredients and then scoop by rounded tablespoon onto a baking sheet or plate to chill in the fridge. Once hardened, remove (you may need to set the sheet or plate in shallow warm water to release the bonbons, or line the sheet with wax paper first) and store in a jar in the fridge. 
Dissolve one or two bonbons in your bath, get soft. Makes 12 bonbons."

These are lovely in the bath, but be careful - your tub will become slippery!!!

You can modify the recipe with a harder butter to stay firm at room temp, but you can use what you have on hand now...if you don't have sea salt table salt is fine.

Tanya


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## AshleyR (Jan 5, 2009)

Thanks for the recipes everyone!!! Sorry, I hadn't been back to check this thread in a few days and I had so many replies!

I'm going to order some butters next time I place an order at Canwax. Probably mango, shea, and cocoa.


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