The Basics of Steam Shower Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy uses essential oils, the concentrated scents drawn from flowers, leaves, fruit peel, roots and wood. Steam shower aromatherapy simply means adding a few drops of oil so the scent travels through the cabin with the steam from your steam shower. The result is the fragrant, relaxing feel of a spa steam room, at home.

Most people choose their oils by mood: something fresh and sharp to wake up to, something soft and floral to wind down with. Below is a quick guide to the popular oils, a few blends to try, and how to add them so the scent works and your cabin stays in good shape.

Why use aromatherapy in a steam shower?

Because steam carries scent so well. The cabin is enclosed, so the fragrance fills the space evenly rather than drifting away, and a few drops go a long way.

For many owners it turns a shower into a ritual: a few calm minutes, a scent you enjoy, and warm steam all around you. Using aromatherapy in your steam bath is one of the simplest ways to make the routine your own.

Popular essential oils, and what people choose them for

There are hundreds of oils on the market. These are the ones you’ll meet most often in steam rooms and spas.

Eucalyptus … fresh, sharp and cooling. The classic steam room scent, and a favourite for a bracing, wide-awake session.

Peppermint … cool and minty. Popular for a refreshing session, especially in the morning or after exercise.

Lavender … soft, floral and familiar. The go-to choice for an evening session when you want to slow down before bed.

Geranium … fresh, rosy and slightly fruity. A gentle floral that many people find calming.

Tea Tree … clean, green and herbal. A crisp scent that pairs well with eucalyptus or rosemary.

Lemon … bright, zesty citrus. A cheerful, uplifting choice to start the day.

Rosemary … woody and herbal. A grounding scent that sits well alongside citrus and mint.

Ylang Ylang … rich, sweet and exotic. Often used in relaxing blends, and a little goes a long way.

Blends to try

Mixing two or three oils gives you a scent of your own. Start with equal drops and adjust to taste.

• Morning wake-up: eucalyptus, peppermint and lemon. Fresh, cool and bright.
• Evening wind-down: lavender and ylang ylang. Soft, warm and floral.
• Spa fresh: eucalyptus and tea tree. The clean, green scent of a hotel steam room.
• Garden herbal: rosemary and lemon. Woody and zesty.
• Floral calm: geranium and lavender. Gentle and rounded.

How to add oils to a Vidalux steam shower

Every Vidalux steam shower has an aromatherapy cup built into the chrome steam outlet as standard. That cup is the only place oil should go.

• Add five to eight drops of diluted, steam-safe essential oil to the cup before your session, while the unit is off and the steam head is cool.
• Start the steam. As it passes over the cup it picks up the scent and carries it through the cabin.
• Never put oil on or into the steam nozzle itself. Steam leaves it at close to 100°C, so the oil burns off with a sharp smell instead of a pleasant one.
• Keep oil off the tray, wall panels and seals. Essential oils can damage rubbers, plastics and acrylic surfaces, and damage from oil used outside the cup isn’t covered by the warranty.

A small bottle goes a long way. Use pure essential oils sold as steam-safe, and avoid Olbas Oil, carrier oils such as almond, jojoba or coconut, and synthetic fragrance oils. Our guide on why how you add the oils matters explains the cup and the nozzle in more detail.

For more on getting the most from your cabin, see our reasons to own a steam shower, what the research says about steam rooms and saunas, and the Vidalux steam shower range.

Managing a health condition, or pregnant? Check with your GP before using essential oils.

DISCLAIMER: All specifications, claims, and advice relating to any internal or external procedure, practice, product, or service were true at the time of writing. For more accurate and up-to-date details in relation to Vidalux services, please visit the relevant dedicated on-site page. For any product-related information, specifications, or guidance, the information on the product page should be considered the governing source.