Have you seen shower steamers in stores? They’re a super-clever way to enjoy aromatherapy–the steam from the shower intensifies the experience. And better yet, you can make a natural shower steamer easily at home. You can choose almost any scent you wish, and they make great gifts.

Making a shower steamer is very similar to making bath bombs. If you are already making those (and if you’re not, you should try it!) then the process will seem almost identical.

You’ll need:

• A small spray bottle
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup citric acid
• 1/4 cup each of epsom salt and cornstarch
• 1/2 cup witch hazel
• a few tablespoons  honey
• about 2 tbsp of your favorite essential oils
• candy molds (enough for about 12 large-sized candies, or you can also use cupcake tins)

Sift together the baking soda, citric acid, epsom salt, and cornstarch. Add in the essential oils. You can experiment with combinations for your shower steamers. Citrusy smells help you wake up in the morning, while lavender  and mint help you relax. And equal parts of eucalyptus, mint and cinnamon will help clear sinuses and soothe colds. You can add a few drops at a time to get the scent that you like.

Add the witch hazel and honey into the spray bottle and shake well! Now comes the trickiest part of making shower steamers. Spray the witch hazel over the dry mixture, giving it 4-5 good spritzes, at the same time mixing it in with your hands. Keep spritzing, a few sprays at a time. Mix it together until you can take a spoonful and squeeze it together without crumbling.

But it doesn’t need to stick together completely…that’s what the candy molds are for. Quickly spoon the shower steamer mix into the candy molds, patting the mixture down into the molds. It should easily pack into the molds. On your first try at shower steamers, you might want to use circle molds, they’re the easiest to pack and un-mold. After after 10 minutes, pop the steamers out of the molds and let dry overnight on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper.  After they have dried, keep them in an air-tight container in a cool place.

To use a shower steamer, place one on the floor of the shower. Turn the water’s heat up for a minute and let the steam start to melt it and release the fragrance. Before hopping into the shower, adjust the water temperature. The shower steamer should melt completely, giving you an aromatherapy experience just like you’d get in a spa!