Essential Oil Shower Steamers: 6 Questions Answered

Self-care has become a necessity in today’s world. While critics may call it a “sporadic craze” or “a band-aid for bullet wounds,” most would agree that we deserve a bit of pampering once in a while. And essential oil shower steamers are the quintessential shower self-care choice.

Ever heard of banana essential oils? No. Because they don’t exist. The world of essential oils is black and white—it’s either an essential oil or it’s not. And if it’s not, it’s called a fragrance oil.

You’re more likely to hear of banana oil instead, which means it is a fragrance oil. 

Knowing what is genuine is important to understanding how to maximize your essential oil shower steamer’s longevity and sillage—the scent’s strength. 

At PurelifeBiotics, we go above and beyond to ensure that our essential oil shower steamers are:

• Genuine
• Perfectly blended
• Aromatherapeutic
• Refreshing

We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of 6 frequently asked questions about essential oil shower steamers.

1 - What Are Essential Oil Shower Steamers?

Scientists extract compounds from plants, called essential oils, which encapsulate the plant’s scent, or what is generally referred to as its essence. These oils are extracted from the following plant parts:

• Flowers
• Barks
• Leaves
• Peels
• Roots

Every plant has its own scent, which means that every essential oil drawn from a plant has its own distinct fragrance that cannot be replicated. 

When shower steamers are diffused with essential oils, they attain a unique aromatic feel to them.

How Are Essential Oils Extracted From Plants?

The most popular method used to extract essential oils is steam distillation. The process is as follows:

1. The plant material is placed in a large steel container called a still.
2. Below the still is heated water, which produces steam. The steam vaporizes these oil compounds, which then flow to a condenser coil.
3. The vapor condenses and moves to the separator. This is a receptacle that separates the actual essential oils and water. 
4. This remaining water is called hydrosol, examples of which include lavender water and rose water. Hydrosol can be used as a skincare product or for watering plants. 

In the following table are other methods of extraction and the resulting essential oils:

2 - Why Are Essential Oils Infused Into Shower Steamers?

Essential oils are immiscible with water, meaning they cannot mix with water. Rather, they are lipophilic, which means that they attract oil molecules. This is why in our earlier discussion on steam distillation, there was the production of hydrosol as a by-product. 

Attaching a washcloth with a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your shower faucet or dispersing a few drops on shower walls may only produce a superficial effect. The oils will be washed away by the water, so while you will get a sweet fragrance, it will be short-lived.

Further, it’s not safe to add essential oils to cosmetic shower products, as their manufacturers intended for these products to be used as they are, without any additives. The resulting reaction may backfire on your skin and cause inflammation. 

In fact, medical experts advise that undiluted essential oils should not come into contact with your skin when taking a shower. These essential oils are actually more concentrated than the plants they are extracted from.

Fun Fact: A single drop of peppermint essential oil is equivalent in concentration to 28 cups of peppermint tea.

So, the best thing is to infuse them into your shower steamers (if you’re making shower steamers from scratch) or purchase already-infused ones. 

3 - Which Are the Best Essential Oil Shower Steamers?

Determining which essential oil shower steamer is best for you is not as difficult as it seems. Just go for one that meets your current shower needs. 

For instance, if you need a shower steamer that will lull you to sleep, consider using a lavender-infused one. Lavender contains a compound called linalool, which aids in sleep.

Also, you need to consider the number of tablets in one package. We have two packages: one with ten tablets and one with seven. 

Typically, you’ll use one shower steamer per shower session. Our standard-sized tablets will last 10–20 minutes, while the jumbo size will last 20–30 minutes.

Our shower steamers have blended scents that give you a wholesome shower experience. The following are the best essential oil shower steamers:

We do not use synthetic fragrance oils in our shower steamers. Our essential oils are pure and of high quality to give you the real deal. 

4 - Can You Make Your Own Essential Oil Shower Steamers?

Yes, you can. 

In fact, this is a fun science experiment to do with the kids (Make sure they wear gloves). 

The biggest perk of making your own essential oil shower steamers is that you get a more personalized blend of fragrances. For instance, if you love grapefruit and ylang-ylang mixed together, and can’t find it in the market, just make it yourself!

The steps are simple:

1. Gather all your ingredients: baking soda, citric acid, polysorbate, and essential oils. Extra ingredients include colorants and dried flower petals. 
   
   Quick Explainer: Polysorbate is an emulsifier, meaning that it has a hydrophilic part on one end, and a hydrophobic one on the other end. The hydrophilic part attaches itself to the water while the hydrophobic part attaches itself to the essential oil. This makes it more stable and helps you avoid dermatological issues.
2. In a mixing bowl, add baking soda and citric acid and stir.
3. Separate this mixture into different bowls and add different colorants (if you wish).
4. In a different bowl, mix polysorbate with the essential oil(s) until the latter completely dissolves. 
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones, and knead by hand until you get a consistency of wet sand. 
6. Set this mixture in silicone molds. At this point, you can add beautiful botanicals to customize your steamers. 
7. Allow it to dry for a day.

And voilà! You have your own homemade bespoke essential oil shower steamers.  

Be careful when buying essential oils so that you don’t end up with knockoffs. The bottle must clearly say which part of the plant the oil was extracted from, how it was extracted, and how the plant was grown.

Always go for pure essential oils, not blends—you can blend them yourself at home.

5 - How Do You Use Essential Oil Shower Steamers?

When using an essential oil shower steamer, first place it in a mesh bag, on the shower ledge, or on the floor. Never put these fizzies in the direct flow of water because they'll be flushed down the drain before they serve their purpose. 

The water jets from the shower will activate it so that it begins to fizz and unleash fragrant scents into your bathroom. If you're taking a hot shower, the steam will also activate the shower steamer. 

6 - What Are the Health Benefits of Essential Oil Shower Steamers?

One of the earliest instances of plants displaying aromatherapeutic properties was in the Bible, in a town called Gilead. It is believed that the balsamic trees in the area produced a healing balm that healed all kinds of diseases. 

Since then, the phrase “Balm of Gilead” has been used as a universal symbol of healing. 

Medical experts have researched the therapeutic benefits of essential oils in health and wellness. They have found that while essential oils can treat a myriad of illnesses, the maximum effect is only reached in compliance with clinical safety standards. 

Some of these illnesses include those of the respiratory tract and digestive system, as well as endocrine, skin infections, and andrological, cardiovascular, and gynecological issues. 

Consequently, essential oil shower steamers have psychological and mental health benefits including:

• Boosting mood
• Alleviating stress
• Improving sleep
• Relieving headaches and cough-related complications
• Reducing anxiety

“Beneficial for your sinuses! My daughter[s] … rave on how it opens up their sinuses and smells so good.”

- Kara P., United States of America

Essential Oil Shower Steamers Are Here to Stay

Essential oil shower steamers are not going anywhere. 

Due to their associations with spirituality and aromatherapy, they’re going to be a mainstay in well-being. 

With more people looking for convenient destressing and rejuvenating strategies, the essential oil shower steamer market will continue to boom.

Shop our favorite essential oil shower steamers here.

Stay healthy. Stay happy.

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