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Luxury Bath Oils, Milk Baths and Bubble Baths, by Brand

Bath oil, bath milk and bubble bath compared: how much to pour, what each does in the water, and brands such as Olverum, NEOM and Laura Mercier.

By the Luxury Bath editorial teamUpdated 3 min read8 sources

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Chrome tap running water into a white bathtub filled with bubble bath foam

Bath oil, bath milk and bubble bath do different things. A bath oil spreads over the water and your skin, and you use very little: Olverum says 5 ml per bath. A bath milk turns the water cloudy and silky. A bubble bath or bath foam makes bubbles under the running tap. Choose the feel, then the scent.

Luxury brands price these products high, but the bottles last. Here is how the types compare and what the brands say about their own.

Bath oil vs bath milk vs bubble bath

Type What it does in the water How much, per the brand Example
Bath oil Spreads over the water and skin; few bubbles 5 ml, about half a capful Olverum Bath Oil
Bath and shower oil Massaged on before you get in One capful Aromatherapy Associates
Bath milk Turns the water cloudy and creamy 4 to 5 capfuls NEOM bath milks
Bubble bath or bath foam Makes bubbles under running water One capful NEOM bath foams
Honey bath Foams under warm running water A dipper’s worth Laura Mercier Honey Bath

Luxury bath oils, milks and bubble baths

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Luxury bath oils

Olverum Bath Oil. Olverum says it was founded in 1931. Its bath oil blends ten essential oils, among them Siberian fir needle, lavandin, eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary. The directions: run a warm bath to about 38°C (about 100°F), add 5 ml, then stir the water by hand to spread the oil before you get in. The 250 ml bottle gives about 50 baths. The brand says to consult a physician first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a medical condition.

Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower Oils. Used differently: warm one capful between your palms, apply it to the shoulders, torso and lower back, breathe in, then step into the bath or shower.

L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil. A shower oil that the brand says can also be poured under running bathwater. The shower oil guide explains how it works.

Oil and a slippery tub

Aromatherapy Associates warns that bath and shower surfaces may become slippery after using oils. Rinse the tub after the bath and take care getting in and out. An in-tub mat helps, and the bath mat guide covers which tubs they suit.

Milk bath soaks

NEOM describes bath milk as a creamy soak that gives a silky bath rather than a bubbly one. Pour 4 to 5 capfuls under hot running water, and the formula disperses at once and turns the water cloudy. NEOM also suggests layering: a few capfuls of bath milk followed by some bath foam.

Bubble baths and bath foams

NEOM bath foams. One capful into running water makes the bubble bath, and NEOM suggests soaking for at least 10 minutes. Its Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath Foam lists lavender, sweet basil, jasmine, chamomile and patchouli among its essential oils, is labeled for adult use only, and tells pregnant or breastfeeding users, or anyone taking medication, to ask a healthcare professional first.

Laura Mercier Honey Bath. A foaming bath sold with a wooden honey dipper: take the amount you want and swirl it into warm running water. Bluemercury lists honey, sea water, olive oil and borage seed oil among its ingredients, in Ambre Vanille and Almond Coconut scents.

For fizz and color rather than foam, a bath bomb does the job; the bath bomb gift sets guide compares Lush, Musee and Bathorium. Drugstore bubble baths make bubbles too. What the luxury versions list on their labels is the difference: the fragrance, and named botanical oils or other ingredients.

Reading the label

The FDA says a scent sold with aromatherapy claims, such as helping you sleep, legally counts as a drug, and a massage oil sold to relieve muscle pain does too. Read “relaxing” or “sleep” on a bath product as a scent name. The FDA also notes that fragrance ingredients may be listed only as “fragrance”, so check the label if you react to particular ingredients.

Adding salts to the bath

Salts can go in with an oil or a foam, and a bathtub tray keeps the bottles within reach. The Epsom salt and bath salts guide explains the difference and how much to use per the labels.

Bath salts to pair with an oil or foam

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For candlelight, the luxury candle guide explains why fire safety agencies advise a flameless candle in the bathroom. For the whole kit, go back to the luxury bath at home overview.

Frequently asked questions

How much bath oil should you use?

Follow the bottle, because concentrations differ a lot. Olverum says 5 ml, about half a capful, per bath. Aromatherapy Associates uses one capful, massaged onto the skin before you get in. NEOM uses one capful of bath foam, or 4 to 5 capfuls of bath milk.

What is a milk bath?

A bath with a bath milk added: a creamy soak that turns the water cloudy instead of making bubbles. NEOM describes its bath milk as giving a silky soak rather than a bubbly one, and uses 4 to 5 capfuls under hot running water.

Is bubble bath the same as bath oil?

No. A bubble bath or bath foam is a cleanser that makes bubbles under running water. A bath oil spreads over the water and the skin and makes few or no bubbles. Some products do both, such as L'Occitane's shower oil, which the brand says can be poured under running water for a bath.

Do aromatherapy bath oils help you sleep?

Treat that as marketing. The FDA says a fragrance sold with aromatherapy claims, such as helping you sleep, meets the legal definition of a drug. Read words such as "relaxing" or "sleep" on the bottle as a scent name.

Section: Oils, salts and soaksStart here: How to Make a Luxury Bath at Home: The Kit, the Brands, the Ritual

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