Learn how to make bath bombs! This DIY bath bombs recipe is fun for older kids, tweens, teens, and adults. Aside from how to make a bath bomb, you’ll also learn about ingredients for bath bombs, how long do homemade bath bombs last, how to store homemade bath bombs, and more. I failed for years making DIY bath bombs with various bath bomb recipes before trying this one. It’s the best!
Today we’re going to cover how to make a bath bomb at home. This no fail bath bomb recipe is an adaptation of a recipe given to me by a Twitter friend years ago. It’s the closest thing to a professional bath bomb recipe I’ve found.
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These bath bombs make super gifts, or break them out at birthdays for party favors. Looking for something to add to a Mother’s Day gift basket? I’ve got you with this one.
Seriously, this is the best bath bomb recipe. If you’ve been wondering how do you make a quick bath bomb, here’s your answer. Just remember that this isn’t a food recipe- bath bombs are not for eating!
Jump to:
- ➕ How to Make Bath Bombs
- How to Make Bath Bombs without Molds
- How to Make Bath Bombs without Citric Acid
- How to Make Natural Bath Bombs
- How long do homemade bath bombs last?
- How to Store Bath Bombs
- Is it cheaper to make or buy bath bombs?
- How to Make Bath Bombs Harder
- How to Make Bath Bombs Fizz More
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Other How Tos
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➕ How to Make Bath Bombs
You only need a few simple ingredients to make your own bath bombs. If you like crafts for making your own body and bath products, you may already have most of what you need.
The most important thing to remember in making a homemade bath bomb is that very little liquid is needed. The consistency of the bath bomb “dough” is like wet sand. Bath bombs stick together with a lot less liquid than you’d think!
Bath Bomb Ingredients
What ingredients do you need for bath bombs? Here is your shopping list for bath bombs:
- 1 cup baking soda (AKA sodium bicarbonate)
- ½ cup corn starch
- ½ cup Epsom salt
- ½ cup citric acid powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (sweet almond oil may also be used)
- 4 teaspoons water (could also use chamomile tea)
- 2 teaspoons essential oil(lavender, jasmine, rosemary, eucalyptus, orange, peppermint, chamomile oil, or your favorite fragrances)
- 6-8 drops liquid food coloring (optional)
I used essential oils to scent my bath bombs naturally. You can find essential oils in many health food stores (like Whole Foods) and also on Amazon.
The ratio of liquid to dry ingredients is important in this recipe. Make sure you use a liquid food coloring, not gel food coloring or powder. If you don’t, you may need to add more water to the bath bombs.
Two more items you need to make bath bombs are a non-reactive bowl to mix the ingredients, and bath bomb molds. I usually use a large Pyrex or stainless steel bowl for mixing. Here is the bath bomb mold set I use.
Where to buy citric acid? You can purchase citric acid on Amazon here.
Citric acid is used to acidify foods like tomatoes for safe canning. Here, the acid makes fizzy bath bombs when mixed with baking soda and added to liquid.
What ingredients should you avoid in bath bombs?
Don’t use anything in bath bombs that you are allergic to or that you wouldn’t want to soak your body in. For example, I would not use talc in bath bombs because of its possible link to cancer (source).
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I would also be careful not to use any ingredients that could clog, stain, or damage your tub. For example, mica powder is a natural colorant that some use in bath bombs, but it might discolor your tub. It should scrub off, but it’s less cleanup to use non-staining bath bomb ingredients.
Rose petals, large pieces of citrus fruits peels, and large amounts of clays can clog pipes. Be mindful that anything you add to your bath bomb will go down the drain later.
Do bath bombs have to have Epsom salt?
Bath bombs don’t need to have Epsom salts, but this ingredient creates a soothing and relaxing bath. Epsom salt may help relieve mild pain in sore muscles in your neck, shoulders, back, and legs, according to the product packaging. It’s available in most drug stores, stores such as Walmart, and on Amazon.
How to Make Bath Bomb
Here are the instructions on how to make bath bombs like Lush UK:
- Mix dry ingredients. Put the baking soda, corn starch, Epsom salt, and citric acid in a mixing bowl. (Make sure to measure carefully, leveling your measuring cups with a flat edge.) Whisk or stir these dry ingredients together with a spoon.
- Add wet ingredients. Next, add in the wet ingredients: melted coconut oil, water, fragrance oils, and food coloring. Mix the bath bomb ingredients together with clean hands. Important! The texture should be similar to wet sand.
- Tightly pack the mixture into your bath bomb molds. To use spherical molds like I used, pack each half of the mold, and level off the top. Then firmly press the halves of the molds together.
- Allow the bath bombs to dry for 10-15 minutes before carefully unmolding them and allowing them to air dry and harden more. If you leave the bath bombs in the molds too long, they’ll stick to the mold. If this happens, you may have success with sticking them in the freezer before unmolding.
- When fully dry (12-24 hours), add a bath bomb to your next bath. Enjoy this easy way to engage in a little self-care.
With these directions for how to make bath bombs with essential oils, you can get really creative. You can use a mixture of essential oils in this recipe to get any scent you’d like. I used lavender essential oil this time, but you could do orange vanilla, rose for Valentine’s Day, or mint for Christmas.
How to Make Bath Bombs without Molds
Before I bought molds for bath bombs, I used silicone cocktail cube trays to shape bath bombs without molds. You could also use silicone ice cube trays for small bath bombs, silicone cupcake cups, small yogurt cups, or even plastic easter eggs!
If you’re using an ice cube tray, I recommend dedicating it to making bath bombs. You don’t want bath bomb ingredients to accidentally end up in your food or drinks.
How to Make Bath Bombs without Citric Acid
Cream of tartar is a popular substitute for citric acid in bath bombs. You can find cream of tartar in many regular grocery stores in the spice section. However, it’s typically sold in very small containers.
This recipe for bath bombs no citric acid is very similar to mine. The differences are they use more coconut oil, less food coloring, and they replaced the ½ c citric acid with ¼ c cream of tartar. It might be a good place to start if you’d like to experiment.
How to Make Natural Bath Bombs
You may want 100% natural bath bombs if you want to know how to make bath bombs for sensitive skin. Luckily, this happens to be a natural bath bomb recipe except for the food coloring. You can skip the food coloring and replace it with drops of water or brewed tea.
How do you add color to bath bombs naturally?
The answer to how to color bath bombs naturally is easy. Just add a few drops of liquid natural food coloring instead of the artificial stuff. If you can only find natural food coloring powder, just mix it with water before using in the bath bombs recipe.
How long do homemade bath bombs last?
Many storebought and homemade bath bombs last 6-12 months if stored properly. For the best quality, I recommend using your do it yourself bath bombs within 1-2 months. After that, they may dry out too much, crumble, and even lose their fizz.
If you live in a very humid climate, the moisture in the air can cause the bath bomb to deteriorate quickly and fizz. Some suggest using witch hazel in place of the water in bath bomb recipes to help decrease moisture in this situation.
What ingredient makes homemade bath bombs last longer?
Wondering why do you put cornstarch in bath bombs? Cornstarch acts as a stabilizer in bath bombs and may help them last longer. The other thing that can help prolong the life of bath bombs is proper storage.
How to make bath bombs without cornstarch?
Arrowroot powder is often used as a substitute in bath bomb recipes for cornstarch.
How to Store Bath Bombs
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Store homemade bath bombs in an airtight container to help maintain their moisture levels. You can also keep them in plastic bags or wrapped in plastic wrap. Store them in a cool, dry place.
Is it cheaper to make or buy bath bombs?
High quality bath bombs cost anywhere from $5-9 each in my area. In general, you’ll pay less at the store if you want a single bath bomb. If you want a larger quantity, you’ll likely pay less to make bath bombs in bulk.
Here is an estimate for how much does it cost to make bath bombs if you purchase the ingredients on Amazon:
- Baking Soda: check price
- Corn Starch: check price
- Epsom Salt: check price
- Citric Acid: check price
- Coconut Oil: check price
- Essential Oils: check price
- Food Coloring: check price
When I purchased, the total was $34.89 (with free water). This gives me enough materials to make at least 10 bath bombs for $3.49 each. In addition, you should be able to find some of these items even more inexpensively at local grocery stores.
How to Make Bath Bombs Harder
If your bath bombs aren’t hard enough, make sure you aren’t adding too much liquid. The mixture should look like wet sand before packing into the molds, no wetter. Also, make sure you very firmly pack the sandy mixture into the molds.
How to Make Bath Bombs Fizz More
Bigger bath bombs fizz longer, and the corn starch in bath bombs helps as well. According to Arm and Hammer, cornstarch is a modulator that slows the fizzing caused by the reaction of the baking soda and citric acid after the bath bomb is placed in water.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a bath bomb with three ingredients?
To make these, you’ll need to either give up the baking soda/acid fizz, the cornstarch stabilizer, or the soothing Epsom salts. Here are instructions for how to make 3 ingredient bath bombs without citric acid, cream of tartar, and Epsom salt.
How do you make cheap bath bombs?
The essential oil is often the most expensive ingredient in bath bombs. You can make bath bombs cheaper by skipping it.
Do bath bombs ruin bathtubs?
High-quality bath bombs should not ruin your bath tub. Make sure the salt completely dissolves and the bath bombs don’t contain too much oil that can clog your tub. Also, bath bombs can damage the jets of spa tubs and should only be used in regular tubs.
What holds bath bombs together?
The small amount of liquid (including oil) used is what helps bath bombs stick together.
Should bath bombs float or sink?
Some bathbomb recipes float, while others sink. There’s no right or wrong way. This bathbomb recipe sinks but creates bubbles you’ll see on the water’s surface.
How much do homemade bath bombs sell for?
The general consensus around the web is that you can sell bath bombs for $3-10 each. According to Shopify, bath bombs need FDA approval if they’ll be marketed for specific medicinal, mental, or physical benefits.
How to make bath bombs with shea butter?
Here is an easy recipe for how to make shea butter bath bombs to try.
Other How Tos
If learning is part of your self-care, here are some other how-to articles you may enjoy:
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