If you believe everything you hear, you might be under the impression that pregnancy is a magical experience for everyone—your skin glows, your hair looks great and you’re always excited about growing a new life. But let’s face it: that’s not the case for most women, no matter how happy they are to meet their new baby. Pregnancy is often an exhausting, painful and messy process. Customers often ask if they can use bath bombs while pregnant, since bath bombs are a fun and relaxing way to take some of the physical and mental stress out of your daily life.

For the most part, bath bombs are perfectly safe to use during pregnancy, especially when they’re made with high-quality, natural ingredients. However, there are two things you should watch out for when buying bath bombs.

Avoid certain essential oils

When you’re purchasing bath bombs, check the ingredient list first. Some essential oils can cause contractions, which can be dangerous depending on the stage of pregnancy. Always consult your medical doctor about what to avoid—or, if you’re trying to induce labor, double-check to make sure you have your doctor’s approval first.

Essential oils that can cause contractions include clary sage, clove, cinnamon, juniper berry, thyme, mustard, basil, nutmeg and bitter almond. If you see these on the ingredient list, choose another variety—there are plenty of safe scents that won’t harm you or your child.

As long as you pick a safe and approved bath bomb scent, you’ll be free to relax in the tub, free of worry.

Limit your bathing time

Pregnant or not, some essential oils may cause UTIs or rashes if you soak in them for too long. Try to get out of the tub after about 20 minutes, and pay close attention to whether you notice any itching sensations afterwards. You may have a skin sensitivity to the specific ingredients in that bath bomb, in which case you should avoid those ingredients in the future.

Another reason to limit your bathing time is the water temperature—a pregnant woman’s core temperature should be below 101 degrees Fahrenheit. You’re more prone to overheating during pregnancy, so be prepared to take a cool shower if the bath ends up being too hot.

Be careful getting in and out

Finally, make sure you’re careful getting in and out of the tub. This is solid advice for anyone, regardless of pregnancy, but pregnant women are often coping with a different and unfamiliar body shape and center of gravity. Since bath bombs can leave slick residue in your tub, you’ll need to be extra careful not to slip when getting in or out of the bathtub.

As long as you keep these tips in mind, you should be able to enjoy a safe, relaxing bath with your favorite Soaps & Scents bath bombs.

For more information about our bath bombs, including bath bomb safety information, call or visit Soaps & Scents today. Be sure to check out our selection of handmade bath bombs to find your perfect match!

Are you looking for ways to keep your home smelling great, but getting tired of how quickly candles seem to disappear? Wax melts are a great alternative to burning candles. They’re safer, less expensive and last longer. Here are the best reasons to use wax melts instead of candles in your home:

  • Longer burn time: How long your candles burn depends on a lot of things, including the type and quantity of wicks, size, fragrance oil, wax type and more. Generally speaking, wax melts burn longer than candles—you can usually get about 28 hours per ounce, whereas candles offer about five hours per ounce on average.
  • Less expensive: Not only do wax melts last longer, they’re also a lot less expensive—especially when you factor in that extended burn time. Assuming you choose an average $20, 60-hour candle, you’re paying about 33 cents per hour to burn. Wax melts, on the other hand, cost about six cents per hour. That’s quite a difference.
  • Safer to use: Unattended candles are one of the top causes of home fires. Candles can get knocked over by kids or curious pets, among other easy ways to accidentally harm yourself and your home. In contrast, an electric wax warmer safely melts the wax to release the fragrance, with no open flame needed.
  • Convenient: Since there’s no open flame involved, wax melts are a lot more convenient and easier to use. Bring your electric wax warmer to work, or safely use it around children and pets. There’s no need for a lighter or matches, either.
  • Less likely to contain harmful chemicals: Paraffin candles can contain harmful chemicals, including benzene. Benzene is a carcinogen, which means that it may cause cancer. If you do opt for candles, make sure they’re made of soy wax instead of paraffin, which is derived from petroleum.
  • No soot involved: Since you won’t use a flame, there’s also no chance of soot ending up on your walls, ceilings or fingers. (It’s also better not to breathe in soot.)
  • Stronger fragrance: Candles can only use a limited amount of fragrance oil, or they risk wick explosions. Since wax melts don’t require an open flame, they can withstand a much stronger fragrance load. You’ll use less to achieve the same effect.
  • Customize your scents: Another great reason to use wax melts is that it allows you to customize your scents. Maybe you want a citrus and vanilla combination, or specific herbal and spicy fragrances. Mix and match your wax melts to make your own signature blend.
  • Better for the environment: Finally, wax melts significantly reduce the amount of waste you produce when you use candles. Even one 16-ounce candle per month can add over 20 pounds of glass waste to the landfills.

To buy your own wax melts, or to learn about the aromatherapy benefits of wax melts, stop by Soaps & Scents or browse online today. With over 25 years’ experience making beautiful handmade soaps and more, we’re sure you’ll love our selection.

Bath bombs are a fun and fizzy way to make your time in the bath more like a spa experience. The colorful, frothy addition to your self-care routine comes in a range of scenes, colors and effects. Made from hard-packed mixtures of products, bath bombs fizz and dissolve into frothy bubbles when dropped in the bath. They are extremely popular with both adults and children, and for good reason!

Many people just enjoy the relaxing scents and bubbles they bring, but bath bombs can bring more than aromatherapy. Some people who love using bath bombs might be concerned about bath bombs and bacterial infections, or yeast infections and bath bombs’ effects on their vaginal health. On the other hand, you might also wonder if it’s possible to eliminate vaginal infections with bath bombs. Here are some things to know about bath bombs before taking the plunge into your tub.

What are bath bombs made of?

Most bath bombs are made with a combination of baking soda and citric acid, which neutralize each other when mixed with water. That’s never all they contain, however. Most bath bombs contain dyes and fragrances of one kind or another. Some contain talc. Some are made with more natural ingredients than others, but even natural ingredients can irritate your skin if you happen to be more sensitive. Some flashier versions that are marketed to younger girls even include glitter!

Are bath bombs safe?

Anyone who suffers from yeast infections is bound to wonder how a new bath product like bath bombs might affect them. Bath bombs and bacterial infections could also be a concern. The main way a bath bomb might negatively affect you is by irritating sensitive skin. If you are sensitive to the ingredients in a particular bath bomb, you might suffer from redness, itching or rash, and the irritation might even last after you are out of the tub. If you’re wondering about eliminating vaginal infections with bath bombs, you’re right that bath bombs can affect a woman’s vaginal pH balance.

How to safely enjoy bath bombs

The most important thing to remember when using bath bombs is to watch out for skin irritation and get out of the tub if you notice negative effects. Each person will interact with bath bombs differently. A great way to safely enjoy a frothy, fizzy, fun bath time is to know what bath bombs work for you. Check the ingredients and make sure to use bath bombs made with ingredients that don’t irritate your skin. You can also test bath bombs you’re not sure about by rubbing them on your skin before a bath. You should also rinse off in the shower after enjoying a bath bomb-infused soak in the tub.

Where to get bath bombs

If you’re interested in adding bath bombs to your beauty and relaxation routine, be sure to shop at Soaps & Scents. Just drop one of our bath bombs into your tub as it finishes filling up and, within seconds, you’ll start to see (and smell) the wonderful difference it brings to the experience!