I have been seeing this trend all across Instagram and Twitter pop up. People are adding eucalyptus leaves into their showers to improve their shower experience. I am a little skeptical not going to lie. The entire aesthetic I support. It’s beautiful and I love adding plants wherever I can so I decided to give it a shot. Eucalyptus oil is often used as a way to de-stress. If you don’t have access to the leaves itself you can dab a few drops of the oil into your palms or in your humidifier.
Showering with eucalyptus is great because it helps with congestion, fights colds, helps you de-stress. If your allergies are bad or if you’re suffering from any nasal congestion, try incorporating some eucalyptus into your shower to relieve some pressure.
I got my leaves from Trader Joe’s (sponsor me, please) and they were $2.99. I did some research on the benefits it had and how I should store it. They are super inexpensive.
- Just like you would for fresh flowers, cut an inch off the ends and place them in water. Add them to an existing vase of flower you have already for more definition or pop them into whatever vessel of water you have. They do smell really nice when you walk by. It’s not super overwhelming but it’s a nice touch in your space.
- You can use these as decoration. I felt super inspired to take pictures of them to add into my photos and content so you may spot these little babies.
- For the shower: I used a hair tie but you can yarn or string to tie it to your shower head or your shower rod. Make sure water doesn’t get on the leaves. The steam will activate the oils to release the smell. I tied mine to the shower head between my shampoo holder and showerhead. This should last you a couple of weeks but otherwise, they will dry out if you don’t place them in water.
- Disclaimer: I don’t shower every day, it’s bad for your hair and skin. I wash my hair twice a week but condition it every other day or if I worked out.
On the first day, I hung them up and was really skeptical. I was thinking to myself “there is no way this will really make a difference” but I did like how they looked in my shower. I felt so extra, and who doesn’t like feeling a little lux sometimes? Turned on the shower and let the steam do it’s magic. And… nothing at first but as I was conditioning, I closed my eyes to see if I could smell a difference and voila, I did! It did feel like I was in a spa in the best way. I felt so fancy and honestly, it did boost my mood. This isn’t some “self-care hack” thing but it’s a great addition to your regular shower regime. I let my conditioner marinate into my hair and took some time to think about my intention for the day. I do my best thinking in the shower, anyone else?
Over the next few days, the leaves dried out significantly and for some reason didn’t have the same effect as they did on the first few showers that I took. During this week it also happened to be the coldest ever, all across the east coast people were facing extreme cold conditions. I felt a cold coming on so stepping into a steamy, fragrant shower cleared up my sinuses.
Adding the leaves didn’t drastically change my shower experience but it did help and they look beautiful in the shower. I felt like I was entering a spa and it was a nice way to give myself a little more self-care. I can’t say that hanging the leaves in my shower made my anxiety go away as the week got progressively more stressful, but it did help in calming me down. I tend to shower in the mornings anyway after my workout so I did start each day with a fresh start. It made my entire room and bathroom smell incredible.
Try adding this into your shower regime and let me know what you think!
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