To enjoy a relaxing bath, you typically use either bath salts for their mineral properties and soothing effects or bubble bath for a fun, foamy experience. While you can use both products, using them simultaneously is generally not recommended if you want to maximize the bubbles.
What are Bath Salts?
Bath salts are water-soluble minerals, often made from magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) or sea salt. They are added to bathwater to dissolve and are believed to offer various benefits, such as soothing muscles, reducing stress, and promoting relaxation.
How to Use Bath Salts
Using bath salts is straightforward and designed for ease of dissolution and absorption.
- Fill Your Tub: Start by filling your bathtub with warm water to your desired level.
- Add the Salts: As the tub fills or once it's full, add the recommended amount of bath salts directly into the running water or disperse them throughout the filled tub. Check the product packaging for specific usage instructions, as amounts can vary.
- Allow to Dissolve: Swirl the water gently if needed to help the salts dissolve completely. Ensure no undissolved crystals are sitting on the bottom of the tub.
- Soak and Relax: Once dissolved, step into the tub and soak for at least 15-20 minutes to allow the minerals to work their magic.
What is Bubble Bath?
Bubble bath is a liquid or solid (like a bubble bar) cleansing product designed to create foam or bubbles when added to running water. Its primary purpose is to produce a tub full of long-lasting bubbles, adding a playful or luxurious element to bath time.
How to Use Bubble Bath
Creating a glorious bubble bath is simple and relies on the power of running water.
- Add Under Running Water: Pour the desired amount of liquid bubble bath directly into the tub filler stream as the water runs. For bubble bars or solids, hold them under the running water or place them in the tub while it fills.
- Agitate (If Needed): If the running water alone doesn't create enough bubbles, gently agitate the water with your hand.
- Fill and Enjoy: Continue filling the tub to your preferred level, watching the bubbles multiply. Once ready, ease into the bubbly water.
Using Bath Salts and Bubble Bath Together
The question of using bath salts and bubble bath often leads to the consideration of mixing them in the same bath. However, there's a key consideration here:
Pro tip: Mixing bubble bath with bath salts may cause the bubbles to fall flat, so we suggesting sticking to one or the other.
This means that while you can certainly use bath salts in one bath and bubble bath in another, using them simultaneously in the same bath might diminish the bubble-making effect. Bath salts can interfere with the surfactants in bubble bath that create and maintain foam.
Choosing Between Bath Salts and Bubble Bath
Consider your goal for the bath:
| Feature | Bath Salts | Bubble Bath |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Relaxation, muscle soothing, mineral soak | Creating bubbles, fun, visual appeal, cleansing |
| How to Add | Dissolve in filled or filling tub | Add under running water |
| Effect | Mineral-rich water, subtle feel | Abundant foam/bubbles |
| Compatibility | Best used alone for full mineral benefits | Best used alone for maximum bubbles |
For the best experience, particularly if bubbles are important to you, it's recommended to use either bath salts or bubble bath in a single bath session. If you desire both mineral benefits and bubbles, you might consider using bath salts on one day and a bubble bath on another.
Using bath salts and bubble bath involves simple steps for each, but for the most effective and enjoyable bath, it's often best to choose one product per bath, especially if you're aiming for a tub full of lush bubbles.
