Simple Bath Bomb Recipe

 Mix ingredients until crumbly.

 Press down the mixture and make it even all the way around.

Un-mold Bath Bomb.

 Once the Bath Bomb is out of the mold set it aside to dry for at least 2 days.

Lemon and Lime Bath Bombs

 Tangerine and Sweet Orange Bath Bombs

Lavender Bath Bombs

Bath bombs are quite popular and they can be a bit expensive.  It is not uncommon to spend $7.95 or more for a large bath bomb.  I decided to try my hand at homemade bath bombs recently and not only are they simple and relatively quick (30-40 minutes) to make but you can mix and match essential oils and decoratives to fit your moods and desires.  You can find recipes for bath bombs with a quick search online but so far I have gone back to this tried and true recipe time and time again and have not been disappointed.

I have purchased my bath bomb ingredients at local grocery stores and some items via Amazon like my essential oils and molds.  Most of the ingredients are inexpensive and easy to locate.  With this recipe I typically end up with 5 large bath bombs and 1 or 2 small bath bombs with what is leftover at the bottom of the bowl.  If I am only making small Bath Bombs this recipe yields about 12. 

My oil of choice in bath bombs has been organic coconut oil.  However, you can use other cold pressed oils such as olive oil or walnut oil.  They are natural moisturizers that nourish the skin.  If you do not have coconut, olive or walnut oil any vegetable oil will work in it's place.

You can enhance your bath bombs with color by utilizing food dyes.  However, most of mine have been colored naturally by the color of the essential oils and herbs I have added.  Food dyes do not have any actual health benefits so for the most part I have left them out of my bombs.  Although if I was making bath bombs with kids I would be tempted to add lots of bright colors so the bombs would be wild and fun for the kids.

Another tip I would like to share is regarding the essential oils.  When I first started making Bath Bombs I added the essential oils very sparingly.  What I found though was that the fragrance would dissipate over time (if the bath bomb was not used quickly or kept sealed up) and in the bath they would not be as aromatic as I had anticipated.  I would encourage anyone making Bath Bombs to over infuse the mixture's fragrance to account for this.

My last tip is regarding the addition of water to your mixture.  Water can activate the ingredients so it is imperative that you only add water to your mixture using a small spritzer.  You want to use the least amount of water, only adding a small amount at a time to get the mixture to the right consistency.  I have found that about 100-120 squirts added slowly (squirt 20 pumps, mix, repeat) will typically get the mixture to stick together nicely.  Again you do not want to add too much water or you will activate the ingredients.

Simple Bath Bombs
2 cups baking soda
1 cup citric acid
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup Epsom salt (plain or with fragrance - totally up to you)
5 tablespoons of oil (see note above about oils)
100-120 spritzes of water
Pure Essential Oils
Herbs or other decoratives

Kitchen Items
Large stainless steel or glass mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Spoon
Whisk
Bath Bomb Mold (I purchased from Amazon)

Directions
Combine the baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch and Epsom salt in a bowl.

Slowly drizzle in your oil of choice and mix with hands or whisk until it is evenly combined.

Fill spritzer with water and spritz 100-120 pumps in to the mixture while stirring in between pumps.

Mix until crumbly.  You can tell when your mixture is ready by squishing it together in your hand and seeing if it holds together.

Stir in essential oils, decoratives and coloring.

Scoop the mixture into your mold filling both sides and them applying pressure from both sides evenly.  Wipe away extra.  Un-mold one side and then the other side.  If it does not hold together return to bowl and spritz in a bit more water.

Carefully set Bath Bombs somewhere safe to dry and allow to set and dry for at least 2 days.

Drop one large or two small Homemade Bath Bombs into a warm bath and enjoy!