As more and more people begin making their own homemade bubble bath, many are also experimenting with a variety of scent combinations by mixing their own essential oil blends. 

The essential oils you choose to use in your bubble bath are determined not only by the scent you desire, but also by the properties you want your finished product to have. 

While scenting a product is the most common reason for using essential oils, each oil has its own properties, both for aromatherapy and other healing purposes.

One common purpose for essential oils in bubble bath and soap blends is to energize and invigorate both the senses and the skin. 

Citrus and mint essential oils are particularly good for this purpose. 

Spearmint, peppermint, orange, lemon, lime, and a variety of other essential oils fall into this category.  Some oils are used because their scents evoke romantic or sensual feelings; these oils include rose, rosewood, sandalwood, and patchouli. 

Oils like lavender, chamomile and vanilla are known to be soothing, and are great for a relaxing bath after a long, stressful day. 

Aside from their uses in aromatherapy, some oils have medicinal properties that make them a good choice for helping to treat certain maladies. 

For example, allspice has been noted for properties that make it great for treating arthritis, stiffness, rheumatism, nausea, depression and cramps.  

Tea tree oil is quite versatile, and is used to treat all sorts of disorders, including candida, acne, dermal symptoms of chicken pox, athlete's foot, cuts, insect bites, and more. 

In addition to being soothing and relaxing, lavender essential oils is often used to soothe the symptoms of scabies, dermatitis, dermal allergies, itching and stretch marks. 

Eucalyptus is well-known as a remedy for coughs and chest or nasal congestion, but it's also useful for alleviating symptoms of arthritis, and increasing circulation in the extremities.

As always, there are precautions which should be observed when using essential oils in bath products. 

For example, most citrus oils are phototoxic, meaning that if they are used on skin, they can greatly increase skin's sensitivity to light, or even have an adverse reaction with sunlight. 

Phototoxic oils are, therefore, not recommended for use on parts of the body that will be exposed to sunlight within the next 24 hours. 

When they are used in bubble bath, they are used in such small quantities, and the bubble bath is so diluted in the water that many have said using several drops of a phototoxic oil in a full bathtub should not be a problem. 

Many counter-indications – such as avoiding a certain oil when pregnant or nursing – refer mainly to ingestion, or taking the oils internally, and like phototoxicity, these precautions are more than likely not an issue when you use the oils in bathwater. 

However, in cases where the side-effects are serious, it's better to be safe than sorry. 

The most important thing to remember is to research the oils you plan to use, and test them accordingly before putting them in your bubble bath.