How to Make CBD Bath Bombs: The Bits And Bobs
Bath bombs are compacted mixture of wet and dry ingredients moulded into balls or several other shapes. When dropped in water, the bath bomb will begin to fizz and release an explosive show of colors, moisturizing oils and calming scent that takes one’s bathing ritual up a notch. But what makes an already-therapeutic bath even better? We say, a CBD-infused bath bomb!
CBD bath bombs are infused with CBD or cannabidiol, a potent compound extracted from the cannabis plant that contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. There are many amazing CBD bath bombs available in the market, but if you want to get crafty and learn how to make your own, check out our CBD bath bomb recipe for some serious DIY indulgence.
Ingredients
Bath bombs follow a very simple recipe but searching for high-quality ingredients can be challenging if you don’t know where to look. Make sure that you purchase from locally sourced wholesalers that comply with the strictest global RIFM and IFRA standards. Below is a list of ingredients you will need to get started.
Food Grade Baking Soda
For baking soda, we only trust the Arm & Hammer brand (yes, the one sold at your local grocery). It makes a significant difference in the bath bomb’s cohesiveness.
Baking soda and citric acid are the main ingredients of a bath bomb and having top notch brands for these two basic ingredients is crucial. Thanks to this powerful duo, we awaken into a fizzy funfetti explosion of aroma and moisturizing oils that turn our boring bath time routine into a magical one!
Granular Citric Acid and Fine Grade Citric Acid
To make a solid fizzy ball, we like to use two different types of citric acid: 50% ground powder and 50% fine powder.
The extra fine size of the granules allows your bath bomb to readily dissolve in water, producing more effervescence and also helps prevent premature breakage and shrinking by hardening the surface. On the other hand, the fine powder improves the appearance of the bath bomb, giving it a smoother feel and polished finish.
Phthalate-free Fragrance/Essential Oil
Aroma is one of the most important parts of making an amazing bath ball! We like to mix fragrance oils and essential oils together for a unique, longer lasting blend! Natures Garden is a RIFM and IRFA-approved fragrance wholesaler with a great selection of aromas you can mix and match.
Full Spectrum CBD Oil
Full spectrum CBD oil contains all the cannabinoids that are naturally found in the hemp plant including other beneficial compounds like terpenes and flavonoids. It also contains small traces of THC which is the main psychoactive compound responsible for producing the high sensation (but remember, the legal limit of 0.3% THC won’t get you high).
Full spectrum CBD is less processed as opposed to other forms of CBD which means it is less altered, more natural and of superior quality; however, its biggest benefit is the “entourage effect,” a term used by researchers suggesting that CBD works better when taken together with other cannabinoids and organic compounds. For this reason, we prefer to use Full Spectrum CBD oil in our recipe of CBD bath bombs and soaps.
We recommend only using high-quality and third-party tested CBD oil from licensed hemp farms in the United States that cultivate their plants in accordance with the highest cultivation standards.
Olive Fruit Oil
Other bath bomb manufacturers will choose sunflower oil or almond oil but olive fruit oil is our choice for our base oil because it’s packed with essential fatty acids and vitamin E, making your bath bomb experience extra moisturizing.
Cocoa Butter
Adding skin-loving fats to your bath bombs like butters make bath bombs an inexpensive luxury and beneficial to your skin. Cocoa butter will have you coming out of the tub with super soft and clean skin! When the butters cool to room temperature, they also help solidify the bath bombs.
Epsom Salt
Others like to use sea salt in their recipes but we prefer to add Epsom salt in ours. Epsom salt offers soothing relief for tired muscles and joints, easing tension and fostering relaxation at the end of a taxing day. With its inherent detoxifying qualities, it effectively purges toxins and impurities from the skin, imparting a sense of cleanliness and rejuvenation.
FD&C Colorant
Our go-to colorant supplier is Bitter Creek. Use a FDA-approved water soluble colorant to make it skin-safe.
We also incorporate polysorbate 80 into our formulation to ensure our product leaves no stains. Polysorbate 80 is a versatile surfactant and emulsifier commonly used in various industries, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food. It acts as a solubilizer, helping to disperse oil-based ingredients evenly in water-based solutions. In bath bombs, polysorbate 80 is added to ensure that oils and colorants mix uniformly with water without leaving a greasy residue or staining on the skin or bathtub.
Other ingredients
Over the years, manufacturers started getting more creative by adding glitters, petals, gems and even rings. We use some of the additives below in a few of our recipes to add a bit of a fun, festive look but note that too much might be hard to get off skin, clog your drain and harm the environment. It's always best to use these additives sparingly.
- Mica Glitter (naturally produced and safe to use on almost all skin types with little to no side effects)
- Lavender Buds
- Rose Petals
- Lemongrass
- Ground Oatmeal
- Peppermint Leaves
Wait, did we miss Cornstarch?
A bath bomb recipe without cornstarch may actually work just fine and in fact, we haven't been using cornstarch in ours. The cornstarch in a bath bomb has just one job: it slows down the chemical reaction between baking soda and citric acid so you can enjoy the fizzing action longer. If you want to add cornstarch to your recipe, that's totally fine! However, one can still make a good bath bomb even without cornstarch.
Equipment
Next up, gather your army! The great thing about bath bomb making is that you need very little to get started. You will most likely already have everything you need in your kitchen except for a bath bomb mold but this can be purchased everywhere from online at Amazon, Etsy or Ebay to your local craft stores.
- Bath bomb mold
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups or spoons
- Whisker or mixing spoon
- Gloves
Ready? Put on your gloves!
1. Mix the dry ingredients together and make sure the mix isn’t too wet nor too dry. They need to be just the right consistency otherwise, the bath bomb will crumble when trying to separate the mold.
- 8oz - Baking Soda
- 4oz - Citric Acid
- 4oz - Epsom Salt
- 3/4 tsp. - Water
- 2 tsp. Essential/Fragrance Oil
- 2 tsp. Full Spectrum CBD Oil
- 1 tsp Olive Fruit Oil
- 1 tsp Cocoa Butter
- Colorant (start with a few drops, add until desired color is reached)
3. Combine your dry and wet ingredients but not before making sure that you've mixed the dry ingredients thoroughly. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients while mixing simultaneously to help spread the wet ingredients out better. Make sure that the mixtures stick together otherwise, you may add teaspoons of water until you have the right consistency.
4. If you’re adding additives like petals and glitters, sprinkle a little amount into both sides of your molds.
5. Push the mixture into your bath bomb mold then press the sides firmly together to create a ball. Let it dry in the mold overnight in a dry, well ventilated area before individually packing them. When drying your bath bombs, avoid excess humidity that can cause the bath bombs to pre-activate and deform.
6. To release the bath bombs from the molds, just tap! Once the bath bombs are out of the mold, we recommend sealing them up in individual shrink wrap right away for protection.
Voila! You’ve just created your version of this therapeutic spherical delight! Making your own CBD bath bombs is a piece of cake but if after reading this article, you still find it a daunting task, don’t worry - our CBD bath bombs are readily available at your dispense.
At Tub Therapy, our products are handmade using locally sourced plant-based emollients that do more than just moisturizing and hydrating. Each of our bath bombs contain 100mg of full spectrum CBD oil extracted from US grown hemp and tested by an ISO certified laboratory to comply with FDA standards. Whether you make your own or shop, a CBD bath bomb is just the thing you need to make your bathing routine something more than a mere daily function.
