How to Use Honey in the Bath

Co-authored by Alina Goldenberg MD, MAS, FAAD and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: September 23, 2022 References

Looking for new ways to change up your bath? Honey might be the ingredient for you—it’s a natural humectant that promotes moisture retention, as well as an emollient that smooths and softens skin.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Alina Goldenberg MD, MAS, FAAD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Expert Interview. 16 August 2021.} Thankfully, you don’t need to be a beauty guru to make the most of this ingredient. We’re here to walk you through a basic honey bath, along with some other soothing honey bath recipes that you can try at home.

Ingredients

Basic Honey Bath

4 US tbsp (59 mL) of honey
5 drops of lavender essential oil
3 drops of sandalwood essential oil

Milk and Honey Bath

4 tbsp (31.2 g) of powdered milk
3 c (710 mL) of whole milk
3 US tbsp (44 mL) of honey
1 handful of rose petals

Oatmeal, Coconut Milk, and Honey Bath

½ cup of ground oats (54.5 g)
1 c (240 mL) of coconut milk (or 1 can)
1 US tbsp (15 mL) of honey

Red Wine and Honey Bath

4 c (950 mL) of red wine
1 c (240 mL) of honey

Honey Vanilla Bubble Bath

¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of light almond oil
¹⁄₄ c (59 mL) of honey
¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of gentle body or hand soap
1 egg white
1 US tbsp (15 mL) of vanilla extract

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Basic Honey Bath

1
Stir some honey and essential oils together in a container. Ladle out 4 US tbsp (59 mL) of honey into a jar, bowl, or other container. Then, mix in 5 drops of lavender essential oil, along with 3 drops of sandalwood essential oil. Mix all of the ingredients together until they have an even consistency.^{[2]
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Research source}
- Lavender oil can help with stress relief and sleep.^{[3]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source} Sandalwood oil offers anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial benefits.^{[4]
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  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source}
- You could also switch lavender and sandalwood oil with other helpful essential oils, like frankincense (anti-inflammatory benefits), peppermint (anti-inflammatory and mood-lifting benefits), lemon (anxiety- and depression-reducing benefits), and others.^{[5]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- Essential oils are super concentrated, so be sure not to add any extra drops to your bath! To be safe, always do a patch test with diluted oil on a small section of your skin before adding any essential oils to your bathwater.^{[6]
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  Research source}
2
Set your bathwater to a warm temperature. Turn on your bath faucet and get a feel for how hot or cold the water is. Try adjusting the temperature to around 104 °F (40 °C), so the water is nice and warm when you’re ready to soak.^{[7]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- If you’re a big fan of hot baths and showers, cap the water temperature off at 112 °F (44 °C).^{[8]
  X
  Research source} Unfortunately, hot water tends the strip the natural oils out of your skin, leaving it dry.^{[9]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
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3
Fill your bathtub about halfway with water. While there’s no right or wrong way to fill up your bathtub, cutting yourself off at the halfway mark is a good idea if you’re hoping to save some water. Ideally, fill the tub high enough so the water reaches your navel when you’re lying down.^{[10]
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- It’s fine if you prefer baths with a little more water. Just be sure to switch off the faucet before the water level reaches the overflow drain.
4
Add the honey and oil mixture to the bath as the tub fills. Stir the honey and essential oils in with the rest of the bathwater in the tub, which will help the ingredients disperse better in the water. Don’t worry—a little goes a long way!^{[11]
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- Be sure to give the honey an extra stir in the bathwater if it doesn’t seem to be dispersing.
5
Soak for 5-10 minutes in your honey bath. Spending too much time in the bath can dry your skin out, so it’s best to cut yourself off at the 5-10 minute mark.^{[12]
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- Set a timer on your phone if you’re worried about spending too much time in the bath.
- Feel free to rinse yourself in the shower after your bath.
6
Limit yourself to 2-3 baths a week. The medical community doesn’t recommend an exact number of baths and showers per week.^{[13]
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Research source} However, medical experts do agree that taking a bath every day isn’t good for your skin.^{[14]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} To be safe, cap yourself off at 3 baths each week.^{[15]
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Research source}
- This 2-3 quota includes showers, too. Make sure to budget your showers accordingly if you plan on taking a honey bath throughout the week.
- If do you take regular showers throughout the week, cut yourself off at the 5-minute mark.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Other Honey Bath Combinations

1
Hydrate and nourish with a milk and honey bath. Also known as Cleopatra’s Milk Bath, this relaxing soak is great for your skin. Start by filling your tub up with warm water and stirring in 4 tbsp (31.2 g) of powdered milk. Then, sprinkle a handful of rose petals into the bathwater, along with 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of honey and 3 c (710 mL) of whole milk. All that’s left to do is relax and enjoy!^{[16]
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- You can buy rose petals online or from some big-box retail stores.
2
Soothe your skin in a luxurious oat, coconut milk, and honey bath. Pour ½ cup (54.5 g) of ground oats into a mixing bowl, as well as 1 c (240 mL) of coconut milk and 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of honey. Stir the milk, honey, and oat mixture into a filled bathtub, and give yourself some time to soak.^{[17]
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Research source}
- Honey use dates back to early civilizations due to its therapeutic potential. Its mostly antimicrobial properties have been utilized in dermatology for wound care, burn injury healing, as well as to calm inflammatory conditions. It also helps balance your skin's pH.^{[18]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Alina Goldenberg MD, MAS, FAAD
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  Expert Interview. 16 August 2021.}
- Oatmeal is also very anti-inflammatory. Plus, the vitamin E and lauric acid in coconut milk can be very calming and moisturizing for your skin.^{[19]
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  Research source}
3
Prepare a red wine and honey bath to treat dry skin. Turn on the faucet to start filling your tub. Then, add 4 c (950 mL) of red wine along with 1 c (240 mL) of honey. Take a few minutes to relax in the tub, and then rinse yourself off with clean water.^{[20]
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- You don’t have to mix these ingredients together before adding them to your bathwater.
- Don’t worry—the red wine in the bath water won’t stain or tint your skin.
4
Relax and unwind in a honey vanilla bubble bath. Mix ¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of light almond oil, ¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of gentle hand or body soap, ¹⁄₄ c (59 mL) of honey, 1 egg white, and 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of vanilla extract together in a bowl. Then, pour the mixture into your bathtub while the water runs. Keep in mind that you might need to move around a bit to get the bubbles going.^{[21]
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- Feel free to make a bigger batch of this recipe to make for later! You can refrigerate it for 3 days or less.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I use only honey and lemon with warm water?

Community Answer

Yes, you should be able to as long as you don't have an allergy to either one.
Question

Will any of these methods hurt my vagina?

Community Answer

No, they shouldn't.
Question

Can honey help with coughing?

Community Answer

A hot tea with honey and lemon juice is great for a sore throat/coughing.