How to Make Aromatherapy Shower Mist

I love using essential oils to create spa-like experiences at home.

Whether it’s treating my feet to invigorating homemade peppermint foot cream, getting my skin silky smooth with sugar scrub and whipped body butter, or cleansing my pores with a refreshing facial steam, there’s little better than self care with essential oils.

That’s why I’m so excited about my new essential oil DIY creation – aromatherapy shower mist!  Shower mist is a super easy way to turn your shower into a spa.  Simply spray it into the steam in your shower and voila you’re transported to a spa oasis right in your very own bathroom.

Because these shower sprays are made with essential oils, you can customize the scent and therapeutic benefits to exactly what you want.

• Love that spa smell? There’s a shower mist scent for you.
• Want your shower to smell like eucalyptus without the hassle of hanging fresh eucalyptus from the showerhead and having to replace it every few weeks?  There are eucalyptus shower mist recipes for you.
• Need something to help with congestion?  There are shower mist decongestion blends.
• Tired and need some extra energy to get going in the morning?  There are shower spray recipes for you.
• Mood need a little boost?  I’ve got you covered with uplifting, happy shower mist scents.
• Stressed or have trouble falling asleep?  There are calming scents to help you unwind and relax.

There’s one super simple base recipe that you can customize with 34 scent variations.

What is a shower mist?

Shower mist is a scented spray that you spritz into the water/steam of your shower to transform it into a spa-like oasis.

The steam from the shower’s hot water creates a natural diffuser that spreads and suspends the scent of the essential oils in the shower air.  As you shower, you’re surrounded by the amazing fragrance from the shower spray.

But a shower mist is about a lot more than just a pleasant scent.  When you make shower mists yourself with essential oil, the shower mist will have the same therapeutic properties of the oils you use in creating the shower mist.

So a few spritzes of a shower mist into a steamy shower can help you sleep, wake up, relieve stress, lift your mood, balance emotions, ease congestion, or rejuvenate your senses.  It all depends on which combination of essential oils you use to make your shower mist.

Don’t worry.  I’ll help guide you through it with explanations and 34 different essential oil recipes so you can customize your shower spray to exactly what you want.

Shower Mist Vs. Shower Steamers

You may have heard of shower steamers before; they’re scented discs that are placed on the shower floor.  As the shower water splashes on them, they release their scent into the shower air.

So in many ways shower mist is very much like shower steamers.  They both are all natural ways to scent a shower and transform it into a mini spa getaway.  And both shower mist and shower steamers can be customized with the essential oils of your choice, so they can have a range of therapeutic benefits like calming, energizing, easing congestion, grounding emotions, and more.

So why use a shower mist instead of shower steamers?

While I love making and using DIY shower steamers (find my recipe and instructions here), shower steamers aren’t for everyone or for every occasion.  Here are some of the reasons why I love shower mist in addition to my shower steamers:

• Shower mist is super easy to make.  You just pour 3 ingredients into a spray bottle, shake, and voila you’ve just made shower mist.  On the other hand, shower steamers are a bit of an artform to make.  There’s a basic recipe, but you might need to adjust it based on the humidity in your area/home and how the ingredients react together.  It can take a little practice to get it right and get used to the feel of how the shower steamers should be.
• Shower Mist isn’t dependent on humidity.  You can make shower mist successfully and easily no matter if it’s 0% or 100% humidity outside.  You don’t have to wait for a low humidity day to make shower mist.  You can’t say the same thing about shower steamers.  If you live in a humid area or it’s raining outside, it’s not a great time to make shower steamers.
• You can use shower mist right after you make it.  Conversely with shower steamers, you need to wait hours or sometimes even days for them to dry because you can use them.
• Shower mist is also easier to use than shower steamers.  Shower steamers can expand and/or crumble in storage making it difficult use them in a shower.  You also need to position shower steamers just right on the shower floor so that they get hit by shower splatters of shower water but not too much that they just run down the drain.  Shower mist is much easier to use.  Just spritz the steamy shower air a few times before you get in the shower and you’re good to go.

What do you need to make shower mist spray?

• 8 oz fine-mist spray bottle

I use an 8 oz size for aromatherapy shower mist because I find that makes enough for me for a month or so.  Then I can easily make up another bottle and switch up the scent if I want to.

• high-proof grain alcohol like Everclear

Since water and essential oils don’t mix, high-proof alcohol is used to help disperse the essential oil.  It also helps the scent last longer in the air.

Look for 140 proof or higher grain alcohol.  You’ll find these in the grain alcohol (or vodka) section of your local liquor store.

• • Everclear (190 proof, 92.4% ethanol)
  • Spirytus vodka (note: While most vodka sold in the United States is only 80 proof or 40% alcohol, Spirytus vodka is 192 proof, 96% alcohol.  When using vodka in this shower mist make sure that you choose a vodka that is at least 140 proof so that it will help disperse the essential oils in the water)
  • Golden Grain (190 proof, 95% alcohol)

• essential oil

This can be a single essential oil that you love the scent of or a blend of several essential oils.  Below, I share recipes for 34 essential oil blends perfect for aromatherapy shower mists.

• distilled water

This dilutes the essential oils and makes the spa shower spray more cost effective.

DIY Aromatherapy Shower Mist Recipe

step 1:  add 30-40 drops of essential oil

See below for my favorite essential oils and blends for shower mist.

You’ll find 34 recipes for all kind of aromatherapy shower sprays.  I’ve grouped them by the benefit to make it easy for you to find your favorites:  1) wake up (energizing), 2) calm (relaxing and great for sleep), 3) mood boost (uplifting), and 4) eucalyptus shower mist blends.

step 2:  add 1/4 cup of a high-proof grain alcohol like Everclear to 8 oz spray bottle

tip: Choose a spray bottle that’s made from materials safe to use with diluted essential oils.  Glass, stainless steel, and certain types of plastic (plastic #1 HDPE or plastic #2 PET) work well.

tip:  Choose a misting style spray bottle.  You want it to spray a super fine mist.  This will help the shower spray diffuse into the air rather than falling to the ground in heavy droplets that you could get with a regular spray bottle.

tip: Use a small funnel to make it easy to pour in the narrow bottle opening without any spills or mess.

step 3:  fill bottle with distilled water

tip:  Instead of distilled water, you can substitute boiled and cooled filtered water.

tip:  Don’t fill it all the way to the top.  Leave a little room so that it won’t overflow when you add the sprayer.

step 4:  put spray top on and shake to mix

step 5:   get free printable label and all the shower mist recipes here

tip:  You can print this label on full-sheet label paper, or do what I do and print the label on regular printer paper and attach it to the spray bottle with packing tape.  It’s cheap and easy to do.  Plus, I find that the labels stay on better using packing tape than with regular label paper, and the packing tape protects the label really well, which keeps the labels looking great for a long time.

Best Essential Oils for Shower Mists

You can use can be any essential oils that you love to scent your shower mist.  You can choose floral scents, citrus scents, masculine scents, or warm, cozy scents — they all work.   Here are some of my favorites.   Choose one single essential oil or use a combination of several essential oils from the recipes in the next section to make your shower spray.

1. best essential oils for a Wake-Up shower spray

Feeling a little tired?  Low energy?  Hard to wake up in the morning?  Afternoon energy slump?  We’ve all been there.  The good news is that there are many essential oils that give a natural energy boost!  So which essential oils will invigorate, stimulate, refresh, and restore Your Energy?  Here are some of my favorite energizing essential oils for shower mist:

• lemon
• orange
• grapefruit
• lime
• mandarin (red or green)
• bergamot
• cardamom
• ginger
• peppermint
• spearmint
• fir
• spruce
• lemongrass
• rosemary

Scroll below to find these essential oils combined into 8 different energizing shower mist recipes.

2. best essential oils for a Calm shower spray

Here are some of my favorite essential oils for a relaxing, sleep-inducing, restorative shower mist:

• Bergamot
• Cedarwood
• Frankincense
• Lavender
• Marjoram
• Patchouli
• Sandalwood
• Sweet Orange
• Vetiver

Scroll below to find these essential oils combined into 8 different calming shower mist recipes.

3. best essential oils for a Mood-Boost shower spray

These are some of the best essential oils for lifting mood and evoking a happy, cheerful attitude:

• Bergamot
• Cardamom
• Cypress
• Fir
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Lemongrass
• Lime
• Mandarin
• Sweet orange
• Spruce
• Tangerine
• Vanilla

Scroll below to find these essential oils combined into 8 different mood-boosting shower mist recipes.

4. best essential oils for a Eucalyptus shower spray

Eucalyptus is known for its fresh, invigorating, spa-like scent.  You can use eucalyptus on its own in a shower mist or you can combine it with other essential oils to create fragrant, more nuanced scents. Here are some of the best essential oils to pair with eucalyptus in a shower mist.

• eucalyptus
• fir
• peppermint
• spearmint
• spruce
• sandalwood
• cypress
• cedarwood
• geranium
• lavender
• bergamot
• sweet orange
• tangerine

Scroll below to find these essential oils combined into 10 different eucalyptus shower mist recipes.

Shower Steamer Spray Oil Blends

There are 34 shower mist recipe variations below grouped into four categories: 1) wake up energizing scents, 2) calm, relaxing scents perfect for bedtime, 3) mood-boosting scents to help uplift and balance mood, and 4) eucalyptus shower sprays that can help ease congestion or evoke a feeling of relaxing at the spa.  Choose the one that you like best for your in-shower spray.

Regardless of which scent variation you choose, start with an 8 oz misting spray bottle, add 1/4 cup Everclear, then add the essential oils from one of the recipes below.  Finish by filling spray bottle with distilled water and shaking to mix.

1. Wake Up {shower mist recipes}

These essential oil combinations all boost energy making them perfect for a morning shower or a rejuvenating afternoon pick-me-up.  They’ll give your body and mind the stimulation they need to get motivated and get going.

Miracle Morning= 15 drops peppermint + 8 drops orange + 8 drops lemon + 8 drops lime

Energy Booster = 20 drops lemon + 20 drops peppermint

Mountain Air= 12 drops juniper berry + 12 drops grapefruit + 12 drops fir

Mojito= 8 drops lime + 12 drops grapefruit + 8 drops tangerine + 8 drops spearmint

Fatigue Fighter= 18 drops bergamot + 12 drops grapefruit + 6 drops peppermint

Feeling Fresh= 25 drops sweet orange + 10 drops lemongrass

Sweet Sunshine= 6 drops grapefruit + 12 drops sweet orange + 12 drops tangerine + 6 drops lemon

Beautiful Day= 8 drops ginger + 12 drops lime + 18 drops orange

Want more great essential oil combinations for an in-shower mist to wake you up and energize you? Check out my blog post with 50 essential oil diffuser blends for energy

2. Calm {shower mist recipes}

These essential oil blends are all deeply relaxing.  They help quiet the mind and body so that you’re left feeling calm and balanced.  Whether part of a bedtime ritual or used on stressful days, these shower mists will evoke the peaceful feeling of visiting a tranquil spa.

Serene Slumber= 20 drops lavender + 20 drops cedarwood

Deep Sleep= 20 drops lavender + 15 drops orange + 5 drops frankincense

Stress Relief= 20 drops eucalyptus + 20 drops spearmint

Inner Peace= 15 drops lavender + 18 drops bergamot + 5 drops ylang ylang

Tranquility= 10 drops ylang ylang + 20 drops orange + 10 drops cedarwood

Mindful Meditation= 15 drops patchouli + 20 drops sandalwood

Sea Breeze= 16 drops lavender + 16 drops lime + 8 drops spearmint

Worry Less= 10 drops patchouli + 10 drops frankincense + 4 drops clary sage + 16 drops sweet orange

Want more great essential oil combinations for an in-shower mist to help you relax and sleep?  Find the best sleep diffuser blends here and more calming diffuser blends here

3. Mood Boost {shower mist recipes}

These essential oil recipes are all uplifting.  They help evoke a cheerful, happy mood. 

Happy Place= 14 drops bergamot + 8 drops lavender + 8 drops tangerine + 6 drops fir

Cheer= 12 drops sweet orange + 12 drops lemon + 8 drops vanilla oleoresin + 2 drops clove + 2 drops ginger + 4 drops cardamom

Uplift= 10 drops cypress + 15 drops lemongrass + 12 drops geranium

Walking on Sunshine= 10 drops lemon + 10 drops sweet orange + 10 drops grapefruit + 10 drops bergamot

Loving Life= 10 drops copaiba + 8 drops lime + 8 drops cedarwood + 8 drops vanilla oleoresin + 6 drops lavender

Better Days= 20 drops lime + 20 drops spearmint

Positive Vibes= 10 drops lavender + 12 drops cypress + 18 drops bergamot

Be Happy= 10 drops geranium + 15 drops lemon + 15 drops orange

4. Eucalyptus shower mist recipes

Eucalyptus essential oil is known for its fresh, invigorating scent.  It smells like a spa and evokes feelings of calm, peace, and rejuvenation. 

Eucalyptus is also great for congestion as it helps open airways, clear mucus from sinus passages, reduce coughing, and improve breathing.

Both Eucalyptus Radiata or Eucalyptus Globulus are fine to use in shower mist recipes below.  Eucalyptus Radiata has a crisp, clean true eucalyptus aroma that you likely associate as the spa scent.  Eucalyptus Globulus has a deep herbaceous and slightly medicinal scent.

eucalyptus mist #1= 35 drops eucalyptus

eucalyptus mist #2= 20 drops eucalyptus + 20 drops lavender

eucalyptus mist #3= 25 drops eucalyptus + 12 drops spearmint

eucalyptus mist #4= 20 drops eucalyptus + 12 drops lime + 6 drops fir

eucalyptus mist #5= 25 drops eucalyptus +10 drops lemon

eucalyptus mist #6= 20 drops eucalyptus + 12 drops lavender + 8 drops peppermint

eucalyptus mist #7= 20 drops eucalyptus + 14 drops lavender + 6 drops rosemary

eucalyptus mist #8= 24 drops eucalyptus + 8 drops geranium + 8 drops sandalwood

eucalyptus mist #9= 20 drops eucalyptus + 6 drops bergamot + 6 drops grapefruit + 6 drops cypress

eucalyptus mist #10= 15 drops eucalyptus + 6 drops cedarwood + 6 drops cypress + 6 drops fir + 6 drops sandalwood

Want more ideas on essential oil blends to help ease congestion?  Check out these clear breathing diffuser blends

How to Use Shower Mist

1. Shake well before each use to help evenly distribute the essential oils
2. Turn on the shower and run hot water.  Wait for the water to get to the temperature you want and the shower to be steamy.
3. Then just before stepping into the shower, spray mist generously (3-5 times) into the steam and away from your face.  [tip: don’t spray into the water stream as that will just wash the scent right down the drain.  Instead, aim the mist into the steam, at the shower walls, or above the shower head.]
4. During your shower, periodically take deep breaths to inhale the aromatherapy, relax, and enjoy.
5. If taking a longer shower and want to refresh the scent, then you can spray again during shower, but be careful to aim the mist away from your face.
6. Store spray in a cool place out of direct sunlight.

Where to get supplies?

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

8 oz fine-mist spray bottle – The 8 oz fine mist spray bottle that I like are out of stock.  However, I also love these 10 oz ultra-fine-mist spray bottles; since they’re 10 oz instead of 8 oz as in recipe, only fill about 4/5 full with distilled water.

Everclear  – Everclear is a brand name of grain alcohol.  It’s 190 proof.  If you can’t find Everclear, look for 140 proof or higher grain alcohol.  You’ll find these in the grain alcohol (or vodka) section of your local liquor store.

distilled water – find it in grocery stores, pharmacies, or Target/Walmart in the bottled water aisle.

get a free printable of the shower mist recipes and labels here

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Disclaimer: Please know that this website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link.