#bathman beyond

Ready for your bathtub to go nuclear? As Daddy Day-Glo explodes (like Mr. Powers’s infernal temper) in the water, leaving everything with an ominous green glow, you’ll be surprised to note this bomb actually makes you feel better!

I specifically blended this one to target two things with the changing of the seasons: autumn colds and sore muscles. The scent on it is incredible: sort of herbal, but very, very camphorous.

So when the cold weather comes, drop the bomb and let daddy do his job!

Camphor Essential Oil

If you’ve ever used Vicks Vapor-Rub, you know what camphor smells like. It has a very distinct smell and is used in a lot of vapor decongestant vapor treatments.

I wanted Camphor to be the key smell of this bomb, so the oils inside Daddy Day-Glo are roughly 60% camphor, 20% Rosemary, 20% Basil Linalool.

Pros:

Clear your lungs and fight that cold! Camphor is used in several over-the-counter treatments for stuffy noses, sore throats, and congested airways for a reason. It’s one of the best things on the market to soothe your airways. The Food and Drug Administration has approved medications with 11% or lower concentrations of Camphor oil for chest rubs.

Boost your blood circulation and fight pain! Camphor improves circulation, which in turn can help with numbness, sore muscles, and aching joints. The Food and Drug Administration has approved creams and topical salves with a 3% to 11% ratio of Camphor for pain relief.

Soothe cold sores, bug bites, hemorrhoids, and minor burns! The Food and Drug Administration has approved creams and topical salves with a 3% to 11% ratio of Camphor for relieving itchy skin.

Ease your arthritis! When mixed with glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate, people in a clinical study mentioned the pain from their osteoarthritis felt less significant. Doctors believe the Camphor was the star of the three chemicals and most helpful.

Fight off toe fungus! Mix Camphor Essential Oil and Lemon Eucalyptus Oil together with Menthol and apply it to your nasty toenails. Apply the treatment daily until the fungus goes away. It works for some people!

Cons:

Never ingest Camphor Essential Oil. The side effects are severe, and sometimes even fatal. Signs of camphor poisoning in humans includes nausea, vomiting, and a burning throat and lungs.

Some people have a sensitivity to Camphor. You may want to do a patch test to confirm you’ll be alright with this oil. If you are, please use the recommended dilution ratio between this oil and carrier oils.

Never apply Camphor Essential Oil to broken skin. Your skin can absorb oils very quickly and you don’t want your camphor levels to turn toxic.

There are multiple types of Camphor Essential Oil out there, some of which can be potentially dangerous and even fatal. Make absolutely sure that you are buying from a reputable source and that your Camphor oil comes from the wood of the Cinnamomum camphora plant.

Camphor poisoning is oftentimes fatal for pets. Do not diffuse Camphor Essential Oil or apply Camphor Essential Oil on a cat, dog, or rabbit. Not only will they get sick from such a mistake, but it could very well kill them.

This is not a kid-safe oil. Do not use with children under the age of 10.

This is not an asthma-safe oil. Those without asthma, however, may reap camphor’s rewards.

Basil Linalool Essential Oil

Basil Linalool has a herbal, balsamic scent with a bit of sweetness. It has a calming effect on the nerves and (when inhaled) the lungs.

There are multiple kinds of Basil Essential Oil on the market (just like there are two types of Eucalyptus), but this one is the gentlest.

Pros:

Reduce headaches and neck tension! Basil is great for sore joints, but especially good for head and neck pain. Add a drop to your favorite lotion, moisturizer, or aloe vera gel and massage it in good and deep.

Fight anxiety and insomnia! Due to its high linalool content, this essential oil has a calming effect on the body and lulls you into a calming, peaceful rest.

Cheer up! Linalool does more than make you sleepy. It also elevates your mood and promotes a calm, serene atmosphere. Try diffusing basil when you’re meditating or wanting to wind down for the evening!

Breathe more easily! Basil Linalool is an asthma-safe oil. More than that, it’s also one of the best oils to diffuse at the first sign of a cold. It has expectorant properties, which soften mucus and make it easier to cough up or blow out of your nose.

Keep nasty bugs away! Linalool is a very effective insect repellent.

Cons:

This is not a kid-safe oil. Do not use with children under the age of 10.

This is not a pet-safe oil. Basil Essential Oils share several chemicals with Camphor Essential Oil. As a result, this is not a pet-safe oil. Do not diffuse Basil Essential Oil or apply Basil Essential Oil on a cat, dog, or rabbit.

One of Basil Essential Oil’s components (Methyl Chavicol) is a potential carcinogen. If you choose to buy this oil for personal use, not only should you buy it from a reputable source, but also a source that will let you look over the SDS and confirm the batch has a low Methyl Chavicol concentration.

Rosemary Essential Oil

Pros: Rosemary Essential Oil is great for digestion problems (mostly related to intestinal gas and heartburn), liver and gallbladder issues, and loss of appetite. Headaches, colds, and high blood pressure can also be treated with this essential oil.

There have been studies conducted that indicate Rosemary improves concentration and can even be used to reduce age-related memory loss. This is a scent that “wakes up” the mind and makes it easier to concentrate.

When applied to the skin, Rosemary can be used to treat circulation problems and pain issues (such as fibromyalgia, sciatica, and neuralgia).

Some folks will also apply it topically to prevent or treat baldness, though there haven’t been any legit studies to validate the effectiveness of this. The oil will, however, make the scalp tingle and improve circulation.

Rosemary’s one of my go-to oils for massaging into sore muscles. I always keep an ounce of it on hand and swear by it.

Cons:

NEVER use this oil undiluted! Repeated use and abuse of Rosemary Essential Oil can cause vomiting, uterine bleeding, kidney irritation, increased sun sensitivity, and/or allergic reactions.

Since Rosemary Essential Oil may stimulate the uterus, please avoid this oil if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.

One of the chemicals in this essential oil (salicylate) is a cousin to aspirin and may cause a reaction in people who are allergic to aspirin.

If you have a bleeding disorder or bruise easily, Rosemary Essential Oil may increase your risk for more problems. Use with caution.

If you have a seizure disorder, rosemary may worsen your symptoms. Do not use this oil if you have seizures. Period.

AFTER NOTE:

Unfortunately, all of my Daddy Day-Glo bath bombs turned into “radioactive waste” when we had a humid spell earlier this week. They decided to stick  together and no longer sit flat because I made the mistake of thinking they were “close enough” to complete and put them in a bag in my inventory box.

As a result, this bath bomb won’t be leaving my house except in sample form. At least for this batch. The smell’s a total repeat, though!

Oh, Inque: the world’s most versatile and literally flexible saboteur! You always know you’re in for a treat if one of her episodes comes up in Batman Beyond and she’s been a fan favorite ever since.

One part Poison Ivy, one part Clayface, one part Plastique: this mysterious woman is a true Femme Fatale...but she does have one weakness aside from water. Stick around until Season Three to find out. There’s an Easter egg for that in her bath bomb’s name.

Not sure what to diffuse in the bath tonight? You just have an “inqueling” of an idea you want something either fruity or floral? Why settle when you can have both in this beautiful indigo bomb that explodes across your tub and leaves your water turning into a vat of colorful darkness?

Apricot Freesia Fragrance Oil

Brambleberry (the company behind the incredibly useful Soapqueen blog) has a slew of fragrance oils with scents you’d never imagine. They even have a leather smell!

The Apricot Freesia fragrance is a beautiful blend of floral and fruity. This one ended up being so popular at my job that my boss wanted one! A coworker of mine who sometimes commissions me to make bath bombs for her daughter took one whiff of it and told me it smelled like a Strawberry Shortcake doll. It kind of does!

The smell is delightful, lingers on your skin (and in your bathroom) longer than the essential oils do, and will be impossible to ignore (not that you’d want to) even before the bomb hits the tub. I brought leftovers to work as an air freshener, I loved this one this much!

And to finish up the “Bathman Beyond” set, I present a bath bomb inspired by Dr. Ira Billings, AKA Spellbinder!

A little sick and tired of your reality? Want to throw yourself into a new one, or at least be too zonked out to care about much of anything? Throw one of these highly potent darlings in your bath water, soak in its orange-grove aroma, and watch your cares (and wakefulness) quickly slip away.

I made the mistake of doing a test drive with this bath bomb after a really long day at work. I fell asleep in the tub and probably would have remained in there all night if my sister hadn’t yelled out that dinner was ready.

Laurel Leaf Essential Oil

Laurel Leaf has a slightly woody, and very herbal smell. This plant grows across the Black Sea and Mediterranean climates and has been used for both medicine and cooking for millennia.

The really neat thing about this essential oil is that your Laurel Leaf Essential Oil will vary slightly depending on where it comes from. North African Laurel Leaf will have a bit more of a eucalyptus-like scent, while French and Italian Laurel Leaf will smell more like the herb used in cooking.

And for you mythology buffs out there, this the type of tree the nymph Daphne became when she ran away from the god Apollo!

Pros:

Treat aches and pains! Laurel Leaf Essential Oil (when diluted to 3% with a carrier oil) can assist in reducing muscle and joint pain from arthritis, sprains, scraped skin, or a staunch workout.

Add vibrancy to your hair! A drop or two of Laurel Leaf Essential Oil can reduce dandruff, stimulate hair growth, and add some shine. It’s a little ironic that it promotes hair growth, though, as it’s a common ingredient in men’s aftershave!

Fight off that cough! Mix Laurel Leaf Essential Oil with Eucalyptus Essential Oil (Radiata or Globulus) to fight a stubborn cough or bronchitis.

Not hungry? Laurel Leaf can fix that! Diffuse Laurel Leaf Essential Oil to boost your appetite. It stimulates the digestive system, liver, and kidneys.

Reduce gas, bloat, and abdominal pains! Laurel Leaf Essential Oil makes it easier to pass gas: one of the key contributors to bloat and abdominal cramps.

Cons:

In high dosages, Laurel Leaf Essential Oil can have a narcotic effect. Exercise caution and don’t use this essential oil neat (undiluted) on your skin.

Laurel Leaf Essential Oil is a potential skin irritant, so you will want to do a patch test prior to use to make sure you don’t have an allergy to the plant.

You should never ingest essential oils internally without first consulting and getting approval from a certified aromatherapist and physician.

This oil should not be used by pregnant women, women hoping to become pregnant, breastfeeding women, or children under the age of 10.

Neroli Essential Oil

Neroli is in my top three favorite Essential Oils of all time, tied with Bergamot and Rhododendron. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most expensive essential oils you can purchase. A tiny 10 ml bottle set me back nearly $90.

However, Neroli has a slew of benefits and is certainly worth the investment.

Neroli is the flower of the Seville bitter orange tree, and has a floral, bitter smell that’s truly unforgettable.

Pros:

Boost your mood and fight depression! Neroli has a beautiful aroma and can improve a person’s mood just by smelling the oil. The scent promotes feelings of joy and fulfillment.

It’s an aphrodisiac! Neroli boosts libido and arousal, as well as helps fight off erectile dysfunctions.

Clean a small cut or wound! Neroli has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. It can protect wounds from some infections and treat rashes and skin infections.

Make scars vanish! Neroli is a cicatrisant, meaning it has anti-scarring properties. It’s best for acnes scars, stretch marks, and other imperfections. I use it on old acne scars on my back from my high school years. They’re already starting to fade! Neroli’s cytophylactic properties also promote the growth of new, healthy skin cells and keep your skin looking young, elastic, and beautiful.

Relieve muscle pains and soothe twitchy muscles! Neroli is an antispasmodic, meaning it is perfect for relaxing muscles. It’s your best friend after a workout or if unpleasant cramps hit your system.

Fight insomnia and get a good night’s sleep! Neroli is actually best known for its sedative properties! Its calming and relaxing properties sedate the body and work wonders when paired with other sedative oils, such as Chamomile, Petitgrain, Lavender, or Ylang Ylang.

Cons:

Neroli is considered to be universally safe, but pregnant women (and women hoping to become pregnant) may want to ere on the side of caution.

That said, Neroli is a very powerful sedative oil. You should really only diffuse or apply this (when diluted) at the end of the day when you have no plans to drive or operate heavy machinery. The effects may become even stronger if you drink or pair this oil with other sedative oils.

Petitgrain Essential Oil

Petitgrain Essential Oil is made from the stems and branches of the Seville Bitter Orange tree (the same tree that produces Neroli flower: my favorite Essential Oil of all time). It has a nice outdoorsy smell reminiscent of a freshly mowed lawn. Green and young oranges (which are roughly the size of peas) are mixed in there traditionally, hence the name.

Pros:

Kill Germs! Petitgrain can be used to fight off bacteria that pose a risk of sepsis in people. It inhibits bacterial growth and can be safely applied externally with a carrier oil.

Reduce Spasms! Sometimes we cough, cramp up, or twitch for no reason. Petitgrain can help with that. This oil relaxes the body and soothes those twitchy, nervous muscles.

Reduce Anxiety! Petitgrain Essential Oil can be diffused or added to the bathtub to fight depression, anxiety, stress, anger, and fear. It can also be added to an anti-insomnia blend to promote peaceful sleep.

Use it as a deodorant! Most orange-related Essential Oils can be used to deodorize a room or a person, but Petitgrain’s a powerhouse for this. It also curbs the growth of bacteria that feed off sweat and warm body parts.

Cons:

If you take any of the below medications, do not use Petitgrain Essential Oil:

Medications for Depression (MAOIs) such as phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and others.

Midazolam (Versed)

If you take any of the below medications, exercise caution with Petitgrain Essential Oil:

Caffeine (Excedrin, Anacin, Vivarin, etc.)

Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM, etc.)

Felodipine (Plendil)

Indinavir (Crixivan)

Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates) such as Lovastatin (Mevacor), Ketoconazole (Nizoral), Itraconazole (Sporanox), Fexofenadine (Allegra), Triazolam (Halcion), etc.

Medications that can cause an irregular heartbeat (QT interval-prolonging drugs) such as Amiodarone (Cordarone), Disopyramide (Norpace), Dofetilide (Tikosyn), Ibutilide (Corvert), Procainamide (Pronestyl), Quinidine, Sotalol (Betapace), Thioridazine (Mellaril), etc.

Simulants such as Diethylpropion (Tenuate), Epinephrine, Phentermine (Ionamin), Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), etc.

Mandarin Essential Oil

Mandarin is a type of orange and is one of the most popular essential oils to use with children. You know its scent: it smells just like a ripe Mandarin orange and makes your mouth water almost immediately!

Pros:

Early research suggests that eating tangerines and diffusing its oil on the regular is linked to a lower risk of a cancer called nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This type of cancer affects the nasal passageway connected to the throat.

Mandarin is an asthma-safe essential oil and is commonly used to safely deodorize and clean the air. The oil’s even generally safe for patients with lung cancer!

The smell of Mandarin causes the mouth to produce extra saliva and convinces your body that you’re hungry. It can ease indigestion and improve your appetite.

One of the other nice things about Mandarin (and its cousin oil, Tangerine) is that you can use it to calm down a child’s temper tantrums!

Cons: Like most other citrus oils, Mandarin Essential Oil increases your photosensitivity and the likelihood of developing sunburn when exposed to prolonged sunlight. Limit going outdoors or in direct sunlight if you’ve used this bath bomb over the last 12-24 hours.

NOTE: Since no colorant was used on this bath bomb (the slightly blue hue comes from the Blue Tansy Essential Oil), it ended up being more fragile than the others and fell apart. Aside from sample sizes, this bomb is currently unavailable.

It also only occurred to me later that I could have used an olive oil carrier and mixed it with garlic, oregano, and thyme essential oils to make a bath bomb that smells like pizza...but who the hell would actually bathe in that?

Yes, I know the connotation for this is a fart, but the bath bomb couldn’t possibly smell any further from the truth!

That said, poor Walter Shreeve was the butt of so many jokes in Terry McGinnis’s rogues gallery and got off to a rough start from his first episode onward. Here’s what we know about him:

He was a very talented, very creative sound engineer with a bright future once.

His ideas seemed so interesting and helpful that he was able to start his own company (Shreeve Sound). This probably means he took out a business loan.

Shreeve Sound was great at designing things, but not so great at selling them. In the end, the company folded and was bought out by Wayne-Powers.

All this, of course, led up to the events of his first episode. In the end, his equipment is used for evil rather than good, his first altercation with Batman results in the loss of his most beloved sense (sound), and he dives deeper into his anger and depression from that point onward.

Walter’s one of my favorite Batman Beyond rogues, since you can watch his descent into villainy bit by bit. With each presence, he gets a little bit worse...but he isn’t as bad of a person as the others.

He treats his assistant Ollie very well and never appears to abandon him. And Ollie apparently thinks highly enough of Walter that he comes back to stick around with him in Where’s Terry.

In prison, Walter continues to invent things that could be used not only for himself, but other people suffering from debilitating hearing disorders. There’s still a large part of him that wants to give back with his talents, not just use them for personal gain.

In a tie-in children’s book, we even see him invent a device to restore a little boy’s hearing after the kid got in the way of a fight between Batman and himself.

All babbling about Walter aside, let’s get into what’s in his bath bomb blend!

Blue Tansy Essential Oil

Ah…one of my favorite Essential Oils!

Blue Tansy comes from (believe it or not) a yellow flower. It gets its name because its oil is a dark navy blue: and even blue enough to color this bath bomb without any additional colorants!

It’s a seasonal plant and one of my more expensive oils (about $60 USD for a 10ml bottle), but definitely one I plan to replenish once I run out.

The smell is reminiscent of German Chamomile, but so much stronger. I call it “Chamomile on Steroids” and is a very useful, versatile oil. It’s a cousin to the daisy flower.

Pros:

Treat fungal infections on your scalp, hair, nail, and skin! Blue Tansy has an antimicrobial and antifungal property. While you can apply it to bruised skin (safely diluted with a carrier oil), it’s never a good idea to put an essential oil neat on a cut, scrape, or wound. Still, if you’re prone to fungal infections, Blue Tansy may be your new best friend!

Treat seasonal allergies (without the grogginess)! Blue Tansy can be diffused to reduce seasonal or other allergies, as it is an asthma-safe oil. It has natural antihistamine properties, but isn’t a sedative. It’s cleared me right up and I’ve had wonderful results with this oil.

Fight aches and pains! Blue Tansy can be massaged into the muscles with a carrier oil to fight tired muscles after a strenuous workout or even the effects of rheumatism or gout. This oil has remarkable anti-inflammatory properties and can dramatically reduce swelling. I’ve even been able to kill a headache with this super-oil before.

Calm your jittery nerves! While Blue Tansy isn’t a sedative oil (like Roman Chamomile), it does have several calming properties. It promotes peace of mind, relaxation, and a more easygoing atmosphere.

Alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort! When applied (with a carrier oil) to the abdomen, Blue Tansy can help you with stomachaches, constipation, abdominal gas, and even menstrual cramps.

Get the perfect skin you always wanted! So long as it’s diluted first, Blue Tansy can be applied to the skin to moisturize the skin as well as kill many of the bacteria and fungi responsible for acne outbreaks.

Cons:

If you plan to purchase this oil, buying Blue Tansy Essential Oil, as opposed to Tansy Essential Oil. Tansy (not Blue Tansy) has a high concentration of the chemical thujone in it. Thujone is a dangerous neurotoxin and will really, really, really mess you up.

Due to Blue Tansy Essential Oil’s high camphor content, people with Parkinson’s or epilepsy should avoid this oil. This also means it is absolutely NOT safe to diffuse around a cat or dog.

There are a whole slew of fake Blue Tansy Essential Oils on the market, so be sure you buy this one from a reputable source. I recommend Plant Therapy.

If you are allergic to daisies, avoid this essential oil.

Blue Tansy Essential Oil should not be used neat (undiluted on the skin) or ingested. Never ingest essential oils without first contacting your physician.

While Blue Tansy Essential Oil is considered safe for use during pregnancy, consult your doctor beforehand just to be on the safe side.

Exercise caution if you are using certain medications (antibiotics, antihistamines, antipsychotics, and antidepressants), as Blue Tansy Essential Oil may interfere with these medications.

Roman Chamomile Essential Oil

There’s actually two true chamomile Essential Oils on the market: German and Roman. Roman is the more potent of the two, so I mixed it into this blend. It worked. I had a pleasant night’s sleep and felt wonderful.

Pros:

It’s one of the safest Essential Oils to diffuse around your kitty! While no Essential Oil is truly safe for a cat and you should always leave the door open so your kitty can escape if you’re using Essential Oils, Roman and German Chamomile are two of the least harmful for your feline friend. Mine loves the smell, so I’m saving up to get it in Hydrosol form.

Fight off insomnia! If you’ve ever had a good calming cup of Chamomile or Sleepytime tea, then you are already familiar with the relaxing properties of Roman Chamomile. This Essential Oil (especially when mixed with other soothing scents like Lavender or Lily of the Valley) promotes a calm, peaceful atmosphere which makes it so much easier to sleep. It works for me, and I’m sure it’ll work for you!

Feeling nauseous due to stress? Fix it with Roman Chamomile! Roman Chamomile can be used for various stress-induced digestive disorders including indigestion, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and bloating from gas.

Chamomile can be a girl’s best friend! A lot of women use Roman Chamomile (especially in tea form) for morning sickness and really painful menstrual periods. It’s considered to be a “blood purifier” and general female tonic, reducing menstrual cramps and better regulating periods.

Relieve pain and swelling! Roman Chamomile is great for reducing pain and swelling of the mucus membranes, sinuses, and joints. It can also be mixed into lotion and applied to the skin for swollen, inflamed areas. It can also be used on wounds, burns, eczema, frostbite, bedsores, hemorrhoids, and diaper rash.

Diffuse it to help your sinuses! Roman Chamomile can be diffused and inhaled for sinus inflammation, hay fever, sore throat (something I’m battling right now), and ear inflammations.

Cons:

Since Roman Chamomile can stimulate a period, pregnant women should avoid this oil to reduce their chances of a miscarriage.

Since Roman Chamomile’s effects on newborns has not been studied, it is best to consider it unsafe for nursing mothers to use.

Roman Chamomile Essential Oil has powerful sedative properties and should not be applied or diffused if you plan to drive, operate machinery, or perform a task that requires your full, complete concentration.

Although Roman Chamomile is good for relieving nausea, too much of it will actually make you more nauseous.

If you have an allergy to ragweed, marigolds, daisies, or similar plants, avoid Roman Chamomile and German Chamomile.

Cedarwood Essential Oil

Cedarwood is one of the oldest essential oils around. The ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians once used it for pigments and medicinal purposes. One whiff of it and it’s really easy to understand why! Cedar is one of the most fragrant woods out there and very calming to the airways.

Pros: Cedarwood is one of the oils considered safer for cats (though hydrosols are still your best bet). As for people, cedarwood can be used to tone the muscles, skin, kidneys, liver, and brain to keep everything in healthy, working shape. It can also be mixed in an astringent and used to remove unwanted microbes from your skin.