Herbal Bath Tea: Recipe with Oats, Chamomile, Lavender & Calendula
This Herbal Bath Teas recipe is one I’ve used for years.
Moreover, I know you’ll love it as much as I do.
There is something wonderfully old-fashioned about drawing a warm bath.
We fill the water with handfuls of herbs from the garden or apothecary.
Moreover, this Herbal Bath Teas blend combines oats, marshmallow root, chamomile, lavender, and calendula.
Additionally, oats and marshmallow root add a soft, silky quality to the water.
Chamomile, lavender, and calendula bring their soothing aromas and moisturizing qualities.
Additionally, think of it as a cup of tea for your bath.
Instead of drinking the herbs, you simply steep them in warm bathwater allowing the botanical goodness to infuse into the water while the herbs remain contained in a muslin bag or reusable tea sachet.
This used to be my favorite way to bathe my babies, especially my oldest who had very sensitive skin and eczema.
Why Make an Herbal Bath Tea Recipe?
Bath teas are one of the easiest ways to incorporate dried herbs into your self-care routine.
When herbs are steeped in warm water, their aromatic compounds and water-soluble plant constituents are released into the bath. Oats can also release soothing starches into the water, giving the bath a wonderfully soft, milky feel.
And perhaps the best part? You don’t need anything complicated.
A handful of dried herbs, a muslin bag, and a warm bath are really all you need.
Soothing Herbal Bath Tea Recipe
Ingredients
Makes approximately 4-5 bath teas
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup dried marshmallow root
- 1/4 cup dried calendula petals
- 2 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
You’ll Also Need
- 4-5 muslin drawstring bags
- Warm bathwater
How to Make It
Add the oats, marshmallow root, chamomile, lavender, and calendula to a bowl and mix well.
Scoop about 2 Tablespoons into your muslin bag and tie the bag securely, making sure the herbs can’t escape into the bath.
Run a warm bath and place the herbal sachet directly under the running water. Allow the water to flow over the bag as the tub fills.
Once the bath is ready, let the sachet float in the water, giving it an occasional squeeze to help release the herbal infusion.
Soak for about 15–20 minutes, gently squeezing the bag throughout your bath to release more of the oat and herbal infusion.
What Each Herb Brings to the Bath
Oats
Oats are one of my favorite additions to any homemade bath.
When soaked in water, finely milled oats release starches and beta-glucans that give the water a soft, silky texture. Colloidal oatmeal is especially well known for its skin-conditioning properties, but regular rolled oats can also be used in a bath tea when contained in a sachet.
For the silkiest bath, you can pulse the oats briefly in a blender or food processor before adding them to your bath tea.
Marshmallow Root
Marshmallow root has been treasured in traditional herbalism for generations for not just sore throats, digestive upset but also skin irritation and dryness.
The root contains mucilaginous compounds that become slippery and gel-like when exposed to water. In a bath, marshmallow root helps contribute to the wonderfully soft, soothing feel of the infusion.
You can also find it in my Chamomile Polishing Grains.
Chamomile
Chamomile flowers are a classic addition to herbal baths.
Their delicate apple-like aroma makes them lovely for a quiet evening soak, and chamomile has a long history of traditional use in gentle skin preparations.
German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is a great choice for herbal bath blends.
Lavender
Lavender brings both beauty and fragrance to this blend.
Its soft floral aroma makes a lavender bath especially appealing before bedtime or whenever you want your bath to feel a little more like a spa treatment.
A little goes a long way, so there is no need to use a large amount.
Calendula
Calendula petals add a beautiful golden color to an herbal bath tea and are a classic botanical in traditional skin-care preparations.
Calendula is often included in gentle herbal formulas intended to comfort and condition the skin.
And, of course, those little golden petals are beautiful in a homemade botanical blend.
Create Your Own Bath Tea Blend
There are many other herbs to consider in your herbal bath tea recipe. I recommend keeping oats as your base and then experimenting with some of these herbs:
- Plantain
- Rose
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Linden
- Lemon balm
- Rosehips
- Sage
- Yarrow
- Elderflower
You can also add things like clays, epsom salt and powdered milks.
How to Package Bath Tea
Bath tea makes a beautiful homemade gift, too. I love giving them as baby gifts to new mothers.
Fill a muslin drawstring bag with your dried herbs and tie it with natural twine. You can package individual bath teas in a kraft pouch and add a simple botanical label or writing. I also like to give them in jars which makes for pretty storage in a bathroom.
A Few Bath Tea Tips
Keep the herbs contained. A muslin bag or reusable tea sachet makes cleanup much easier and prevents herbs from going down your drain.
Use comfortably warm water. Very hot water can leave skin feeling dry and irritated.
Make small batches. Because bath teas contain dried botanicals without preservatives, I prefer making them in small quantities and storing them somewhere cool, dry, and away from moisture.
Patch test if you’re sensitive. Even gentle botanicals can cause irritation or an allergic reaction in some people. If you’ve reacted to a particular herb before, leave it out.
And if you’re allergic to plants in the daisy family, be cautious with chamomile and calendula, as both belong to the Asteraceae family.
Herbal Bath Tea FAQs
What is bath tea?
Bath tea is a blend of dried herbs, flowers, and other botanicals placed in a muslin bag or bath sachet and steeped in warm bathwater.
What herbs are good for bath tea?
Popular herbs for bath tea include chamomile, lavender, calendula, rose, lemon balm, marshmallow root, oats, rosemary, and linden.
Can you use oatmeal in bath tea?
Yes. Rolled oats or finely ground oats can be placed inside a bath sachet and steeped in warm water. Finely ground oats will release more of their beneficial starches into the bathwater.
How much bath tea do you use per bath?
About ¾–1 cup of a loose herbal bath blend is a good starting point for a full bathtub.
Do you rinse after an herbal bath?
You can rinse with clean water afterward if you prefer, particularly if you have sensitive skin or don’t like any botanical residue.
Can you make bath tea ahead of time?
Yes. Store completely dried bath tea ingredients in an airtight container away from heat and moisture. Avoid introducing water into the stored mixture.
