Vanilla Rose Bath Melts

Instructions

1. Place the shea butter in a heatproof jar or container and set it down into a small saucepan containing a few inches (7 cm) of water. Set the pan over a medium-low burner until the shea butter melts. Overheated shea butter can become grainy, so be sure to remove it promptly from the heat source as soon as it is melted.

2. While the shea butter is melting, grind the rose petals and chopped vanilla bean together with an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, to a fine powder.

3. Stir the vanilla rose powder and a few drops of rose essential oil, if using, into the melted shea butter and pour into small silicone molds. Place the mold in the refrigerator or freezer until firm, then remove from the mold. It’s normal for the powder to settle to the bottom of the mold (which turns out to be the top of the bath melt once it’s removed from the mold).

4. Store bath melts in a cool dry place or in a sealed container in your refrigerator or freezer. To use, drop in one bath melt as you run warm water into the tub. After your bath, as you emerge from the water, the shea butter will cling in an even layer over your skin, helping to seal in moisture. Be careful as you exit the tub, since the oil may make it slippery. To make after-bath cleanup easier, you may want to tie the bath melt up in a clean sock or reusable tea bag before using, so that it catches any stray specks of rose petals or vanilla bean instead of leaving them on the surface of your tub.