I don’t really get sick often but I do suffer from allergies (and thus I have a chronic stuffy nose), which is why I wanted to try some DIY sinus clearing shower melts. I tried a bunch of different recipes that I found online and most of them failed SO horribly that I had to share the only one that worked – to hopefully save you the trouble. Hopefully this can save you from wasting time and money like I did – there was a citric acid shower melt recipe that was exceptionally dangerous, lol. This one is from A Beautiful Mess and it’s perfect!
Supplies for DIY Sinus Clearing Shower Melts:
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- Approx 5 tablespoons witch hazel
- Few drops of food coloring (optional)
- 10-15 drops essential oils (I used Eucalyptus and Peppermint too)
- Silicone mold (edit: here’s a larger one if you prefer)
How to Make DIY Sinus Clearing Shower Melts:
- Mix the cornstarch and baking soda together in a bowl
- Slowly add the witch hazel, being careful to work out any lumps
- Add a touch of food coloring (optional)
- Add 10-15 drops of essential oils
- Scoop the mixture into the silicone mold and freeze overnight
Note on Essential Oils: for these homemade sinus clearing shower melts, I opted for Peppermint and Eucalyptus essential oils. I used DoTerra brand, simply because a friend had it. I really like the Edens Garden brand, which you can easily buy online. But also most health stores and even grocery stores will carry these basic essential oils.
How to Store & Use DIY Sinus Clearing Shower Melts:
These DIY sinus clearing shower steamers are quick and easy to make, but super effective. I store these in the fridge and grab one before a shower. I place it away from the direct stream of water so it can slowly melt from the steam and not just dissolve. Such an easy to use and an all natural decongestant.
Do Shower Steamers Helps Sinuses?
Yes, shower steamers, if infused with eucalyptus, specifically (I find peppermint as well) can help clear sinuses. I am NOT a big essential oils person, to be honest, but also simply diffusing eucalyptus essential oil helps alleviate my sinuses, whether I’m stuffed up from a cold or allergies. Here are my top picks for stylish diffusers for every budget. Because the combo of steam and eucalyptus is the key, the shower steamers can be very effective.
Pin This Project For Later!
Looking for More DIY Essential Oil Projects?
Check out my DIY gemstone soap (using an organic glycerine base):
And take a peek at my easy recipe for an all natural foot scrub:
Speaking of homemade soaps, if you love the gemstone mold I used here, see how I re-used it to make little DIY melt & pour soap gemstones:
I also used them gem shaped mold again to make faceted gem resin magnets:
And then again to make gemstone shaped all natural homemade gummies:
Just a heads up – your instructions mention both baking soda and baking powder.
Author
Thanks for catching that! I wrote this in my cold-induced fog lol. It’s fixed 🙂
I like this idea! Seems like a great rainy day project.
Author
Yes, definitely good for a rainy day. It was really quick to put together – and smelled amazing while I made them.
Reporting back…..the house smelled amazing when I was making them. However, mine barely held together. I tried to scale up the recipe because my molds were much larger and I think that’s where I went wrong.
Author
Oh darn. I haven’t tried making bigger ones, so I’m sorry I can’t be of any help. Will you try again?
Hi, where did you get your silicone mold?? I’ve been trying to search Amazon and even followed the link you posted, but none compare to the shape yours gives!
Author
I bought mine on Amazon years ago but they sold out and I haven’t been able to find a replacement. I tried to link a similar-ish one but I know it’s not as cute. I have been asked this a lot and if I ever find the perfect replacement I’ll share the link in my newsletter so make sure you subscribe (I’m lazy and I just send out an email once a month with links, etc, so don’t worry about me filling your inbox haha).
Author
I found the silicone mold again! Here’s the link to the exact one I used.
Now a year later, Amazon is out of stock but I found mine on Etsy.
Author
It’s so hard to keep up with the links to the products because they’re constantly going out of stock. So happy you found some!
Does it have to be stored in the refrigerator?
Author
It doesn’t have to be, but storing someplace steamy like the bathroom you might find they start to melt! I kept mine in the bathroom for a bit but unless I was using them daily and consuming them quickly, they keep better in the fridge. They’re designed to melt with heat, so if you have another cool/dry spot that works too!
If I use the basic shower steamers recipe and add my own eos. Could that work? My own coloring and eos. Thank you
Author
You can definitely add your own coloring (just make sure it doesn’t stain the tub/shower) and any essential oils will work! I would say the only thing would be to keep the liquid amount pretty similar to ensure best results.
Would these work in a hot bath?
Author
I’m not sure how these would work in a bath, they’ll just melt right away, I know that. There are special bath bomb recipes on Pinterest that would work better I think, and then you can use these essential oils to get the sinus clearing benefits.
what is the witch hazel for?? and i have been look at mutlitple recipes trying to figure out what will work best…but yours is the only one calling for the witch hazel. so i m just curious
Author
I am not sure, as you can see in my post I tried a recipe from another blog. I hadn’t even meant to post this because it isn’t unique to me, but after trying a bunch of recipes from online that failed, I wanted to share my experience because this one worked! Perhaps it’s what helps bind it because the other recipes I tried all fell apart.
I would like to make these as gifts, but I need to mail them. Do you think they would hold up for a couple of days out of the fridge and traveling through the postal system?
Author
They don’t need to be refrigerated, I just found they lasted longer when I did. Depending on where you live, they should be okay. I might avoid it in the southern States in the middle of summer, haha. They could get mushy then.
If you put them in a dehydrator or oven on the lowest setting, they will dry out and should be able to be shipped. Just use bubble wrap to protect them. The witch hazel is just to wet the ingredients so you can mold them. You could use water. The fizzy bath bombs are the ones that it’s better to avoid water.
You could also make blankets, unscented, and add a few drops of essential oil right before you get in. This way you can change it up.
Author
Great tips! I’ve never used a dehydrator so I never would have even thought to recommend it. Thanks for your comment.
They are NOT going to fizzle without citric acid! Where is the citric acid?
Author
They definitely don’t need it, they don’t need to fizzle – they’re shower melts. They slowly melt from shower steam, releasing the essential oils. Maybe you’re thinking bath bombs? I’ve made a bunch and enjoyed them all so I know this recipe works perfectly.
Mine just turned into oobleck. 🙁 I followed the instructions exactly.
Author
Ooo that’s a bummer! During the making or during the using? Knowing that can help me “diagnose” 🙂
Hmm. Mine are also very “oobleck,” but I just scoop-poured the mixture into the mold and placed the mold in the freezer. I’ll have a verdict tomorrow. 😉
For whatever it’s worth, I may have added a few more drops of essential oil than called for. Also, my baking soda and corn starch aren’t the freshest batches ever. When I measured the dry ingredients, they may have been slightly, although equally, more compacted than they should have been. I dunno.
Either way, I was excited and inspired by the gorgeous mold (I found it on etsy – in my home state to boot! Yay!), and will try this recipe again until I master it. <3
Author
Hmmm I’m so disappointed for you that it isn’t working out because it worked so well for me. I doubt the freshness matters but the added liquid could make the difference. If it’s too mushy, I’d recommend adding more of the dry ingredients. That should restore it to the right consistency.
Good news/bad news – really good: they froze *perfectly* and popped out of the gorgeous mold looking picture perfect. They went into a Ball jar, and the refrigerator. Not as good: 4-hours later: oobleck. Doh! (I definitely put too much peppermint or witch hazel in there.)
I am positive they would have been 100% recoverable if I had stored them in the freezer instead of the fridge. So, I’m going to re-scoop/freeze this batch and try a new batch following your instructions more closely. Because, friend, these are beautiful, simple, gifty as all get out, and very fun to make.
Thank you for sharing all of your experiences here. Your blog is lovely and I have very much enjoyed discovering and sharing it.
Author
Well I’m very glad to hear you love this idea, although I am sad that they turned to oobleck again 🙁 I hope the next batch works out for you!
My husband is concerned about the corn starch clogging the shower drain. Have you had any issues? I thought surely with it being out of direct water flow and slowly melting it would be fine??
Author
I haven’t had issues with that, but I also don’t use these daily. If you’re really concerned, I had a friend who would just add random drops of essential oil in her drain and around the shower for a similar effect.
Is citric acid not safe in general to use in shower melts or was it that recipe in general?
Author
I don’t believe there’s anything inherently unsafe about using it – you can find it in skincare, etc. But a recipe I tried that included it just bubbled over right away and caused mild burning to my skin when I tried it. It was likely the specific recipe and amount used – citric acid can irritate sensitive skin in high concentrations.