The Best, Bubbliest Bath
September 16, 2015 5:10 PM Subscribe
Seeking recommendations for the best-smelling AND also the biggest-bubbling bubble bath that ever bubbled.
I like smells that are floral, nutty, or mineral-y. I am less compelled by sticky-sweet or fruity scents. Liquids, salts, and solids all welcome. Assume cost is no option; in fact, the more luxurious and indulgent of soap-sudded extravaganza you can pour onto this question, the better.
I like smells that are floral, nutty, or mineral-y. I am less compelled by sticky-sweet or fruity scents. Liquids, salts, and solids all welcome. Assume cost is no option; in fact, the more luxurious and indulgent of soap-sudded extravaganza you can pour onto this question, the better.
Two decades-old classics are top-shelf in my bathroom: Vitabath -- the green is the original and quite nice, but I prefer the "Plus for dry skin" if I have a choice (the Plus is sweeter, but not cloying or fruity) -- and, of course, Algemarin. Both are excellent as far as bubbling your tub goes, and you should be quite happy with their scents. Algemarin turns your water a pleasing shade of blue, too.
(If you are going for inches rather than creaminess in your bubbles, run your bath with a hand-held shower attachment blasting away at the top of the water. If you want creamy, do the same, but then spray the bubbles down...)
(Such a pleasure to weigh in on such an important issue!)
posted by kmennie at 5:25 PM on September 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
(If you are going for inches rather than creaminess in your bubbles, run your bath with a hand-held shower attachment blasting away at the top of the water. If you want creamy, do the same, but then spray the bubbles down...)
(Such a pleasure to weigh in on such an important issue!)
posted by kmennie at 5:25 PM on September 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
I'm fond of Badedas -- if you like lots of variety in your bathtimes, you might check out Avon's line-- there's quite a few scents and they alternate them all the time.
posted by The otter lady at 7:04 PM on September 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The otter lady at 7:04 PM on September 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Oh! And the Radox line are quite nice-- or they were, years ago when I was visiting the UK...
posted by The otter lady at 7:10 PM on September 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by The otter lady at 7:10 PM on September 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
seconding lush's bubble bars. I can't help but laugh maniacally when I get the foam mountain-sized in my tub, and hide in the bubbles.
i should draw a bath right now. I'm cold and I worked out, I earned this. why am I still typing???
posted by lizbunny at 8:15 PM on September 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
i should draw a bath right now. I'm cold and I worked out, I earned this. why am I still typing???
posted by lizbunny at 8:15 PM on September 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
Yup yup yup Badedas is the answer. (Vitabath is a Badedas knockoff, I believe.)
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:22 PM on September 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:22 PM on September 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Lush Comforter bubble bar has produced the most bubbly bath for me, but that might just be because it's a completely huge bar and even a small slice of the bar will create massive bubbleage. Comforter might not be the scent for you but they have a lavender one and a rose one that I've also enjoyed.
posted by Gordafarin at 1:38 AM on September 17, 2015
posted by Gordafarin at 1:38 AM on September 17, 2015
You could use olive oil soap and a cotton bag to make huge amounts of bubbles, as is done in Turkish hamam.
posted by neushoorn at 4:01 AM on September 17, 2015
posted by neushoorn at 4:01 AM on September 17, 2015
According to Amazon, people who buy Badedas frequently buy it together with wet cat food. So maybe if you are a cat person that's the one for you?
posted by mareli at 5:17 AM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by mareli at 5:17 AM on September 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I asked a similar question on the MakeupAlley forums a few years back, and Avon was overwhelmingly the favorite.
I also like the Lush bars a lot but a lot of them are sweet and syrupy smelling. You might like their Blue Skies bar if you're into earthy scents. It (and the other big flat swirly bars like Comforter) are twice as big as the standard Lush bubble bar and will give you at least four super-bubbly baths, probably more like six or eight.
I got a bottle of Library of Flowers bubble bath as a Christmas gift and really enjoyed it. The price tag is less intimidating when you realize you're getting an entire quart of bubble bath. It didn't produce massive walls of bubbles, but it was decently bubbly, smelled pretty without being cloying, and lasted for several months. Plus I liked having the pretty bottle to look at.
Agitation helps maximize bubbling, whichever product you use; wave your hands around in the water next to the faucet to get extra bubbly.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:15 AM on September 17, 2015
I also like the Lush bars a lot but a lot of them are sweet and syrupy smelling. You might like their Blue Skies bar if you're into earthy scents. It (and the other big flat swirly bars like Comforter) are twice as big as the standard Lush bubble bar and will give you at least four super-bubbly baths, probably more like six or eight.
I got a bottle of Library of Flowers bubble bath as a Christmas gift and really enjoyed it. The price tag is less intimidating when you realize you're getting an entire quart of bubble bath. It didn't produce massive walls of bubbles, but it was decently bubbly, smelled pretty without being cloying, and lasted for several months. Plus I liked having the pretty bottle to look at.
Agitation helps maximize bubbling, whichever product you use; wave your hands around in the water next to the faucet to get extra bubbly.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:15 AM on September 17, 2015
Algemarin, Radox, Badedas -- all excellent.
Don't forget about Felce Azzurra Classico. Also verra niiiiiiiiice.
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:24 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Don't forget about Felce Azzurra Classico. Also verra niiiiiiiiice.
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:24 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
And if cost really is no barrier: Penhaligon's Quercus. Delightful.
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:42 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:42 AM on September 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
This Almond Scented Bubble Bath is my go-to. It smells wonderful, leaves my skin nice and soft, and it bubbles like a boss. Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Honey Bath.
posted by teleri025 at 7:10 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by teleri025 at 7:10 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
My favorite is unscented Mr. Bubble, to which I add fancy essential oils, mineral salts, or another nice smelling but less bubbly product. I like to have some variety.
posted by possumbrie at 7:55 AM on September 18, 2015
posted by possumbrie at 7:55 AM on September 18, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone! I, too, love a Lush bubble bar - but their scents have smelled a little more cloying to me recently. Wanting a super special bubbly treat rather than an everyday bath, I was pleased to learn about Library of Flowers. Suds up, everybody!
posted by pinkacademic at 2:18 PM on September 19, 2015
posted by pinkacademic at 2:18 PM on September 19, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
I think Lush bubble bath products probably have the best foam, but the scents are way too cloying to me.
posted by joan_holloway at 5:12 PM on September 16, 2015