How To Make Bath Bombs: The Easiest, Simplest Recipe

Bath bombs are fun, relaxing indulgence and make the perfect little presents for self-care seeking loved ones. There are countless options available in the market but if you want to get crafty and learn how to make them in the comfort of your own home, there are a number of homemade bath bomb tutorials floating around the internet….including this one! 

Bath bomb making is always a fun activity so we’ve prepared the easiest and simplest bomb recipe for some serious DIY with your girls or kiddos. 

First, what is a Bath Bomb?

Bath bombs are scented spherical blends of baking soda, citric acid, oils and extracts that you can toss in your bathtub, turning a boring bath time into a magical wellness routine! 

How does it actually work?

The ‘bomb’ in its name denotes the impressive and delightful fizzing action when the bath bomb enters the water. Thanks to the two main ingredients, baking soda and citric acid, we awaken into an funfetti explosion of colors, aroma, and moisturizing oils. When sodium bicarbonate baking soda is combined with citric acid in liquid (i.e, your water-filled tub), carbon dioxide is liberated in a fizzy show that makes a feast for the eyes. 
 

Homemade easy bath bomb ingredients

First, you want to gather all the main ingredients. You can add in whatever extra flair you’d like such as glitters and dried petals or skin-loving fats like organic shea butter but the list below is what you’ll need for a basic, plain sailing process.

½ Cup of Baking Soda 

• We only trust the Arm & Hammer brand!

½ Cup of Citric Acid

• You can purchase this in many local grocery stores like Walmart.

¼ Cup of Sea Salt or Epsom Salt

• Epsom salt is the more popular choice but we prefer to add a small amount of sea salt in ours. While both reduce swelling and help ease muscle tension, sea salt provides more relief for a variety of ailments like expediting the healing of nicks, cuts and wounds.

½ Cup of Cornstarch

• We actually don’t use cornstarch in our bath bombs but if you prefer to add cornstarch to yours, that's totally fine! However, one can still make a good bath bomb even without cornstarch.

¼ Cup of Sunflower Oil or Almond Oil

• You can also go for olive oil but sunflower oil is our go-to base oil because it’s packed with essential fatty acids and vitamin E, making your bath bomb experience extra moisturizing.

20 Drops of Fragrance Oil or Essential Oil

• Aroma is one of the most essential parts of making an amazing bath bomb! We like to mix fragrance oils and essential oils together for a unique, longer lasting blend.

Food Grade Colorant 

• Our tried and tested colorant is Bitter Creek. Use a FDA-approved water soluble colorant to make it skin-safe.

 Ready, set, create!

1. Combine the baking soda, citric acid, sea salt, cornstarch and powder colorant together in your mixing bowl. Whisk together and remove any lumps. 

2. Add the wet ingredients next and whisk together until well combined. 

3. Once all the mixtures are combined, take a small amount in your hand and squeeze it together. If the mixture is too powdery, add a tiny bit of water until the ingredients hold together. 

4. Time to mold! Tightly press the mixture into both sides of the mold until it’s overflowing a little. Wipe the excess mixture off and set them aside to dry overnight in a well ventilated area. TIP: When drying your bath bombs, avoid excess humidity that can cause them to pre-activate or deform. 

5. After 24 hours, gently release the bath bombs from the molds with a single tap! 

Storing your bath bombs

Once the ball is out of the mold, seal it up with a shrink wrap for protection until you’re ready to use them or gift to friends. Bath bombs react to moisture so wrapping it will prevent it from premature fizzing. 

And although bath bombs are small enough to toss in a bag or your container of choice, you want to store them in an air tight container or a ziploc bag and within cool temperature. Heat can melt the butter and oils which will cause the bath bomb to disintegrate so keep the container away from direct sunlight or near other sources of heat. 

How long will homemade bath bombs last?

Typically, the average shelf life of a bath bomb is between 6-7 months. Ingredients like the oils and herbs can last up to a year or two but to experience the magical fizz that bath bombs are renowned for, you want to use the bath bombs within the first 3 months after making them. You’ll find a bath bomb will lose its powerful fizz when they aren’t as fresh. 

Next up!

Once you get the hang of this easy-breezy technique, you can now customize your next batch of bath bombs with various shapes, sizes, colors and scents to really get extra. Try experimenting with an ombre of colors as well as other additives like petals, gems or glitters. You can even mix and match fragrance oils to come up with a unique smelling bath bomb! Once you have the main ingredients, it will be a cinch to adapt this recipe to what you already have, 

Not the DIY type?

Making bath bombs is very easy but can sometimes get a little tricky! So if you’d rather go online shopping, our handmade CBD bath bombs are ready at your dispense! 

After many trial and errors, we found the perfect CBD bath bomb recipe that yield amazing soothing bath balls. At Tub Therapy, we make careful effort in choosing our bath bomb ingredients because our aim has always been to get you in the tub, not running from it! Our ingredients are a miscellany of locally sourced plant-based and food grade ingredients to ensure a safe and skin-benefitting soak. As an extra treat to your senses, we’ve sprinkled our products with IFRA-certified and phthalate-free fragrances in playful, nostalgic scents so you can reminisce your favorite memories while you sink your woes away. 

If you're looking for a bath bomb complete with skin-nourishing ingredients and happy-trigger scents, Tub Therapy bath bombs will make a luxurious addition to your relaxing bath.