itty bitty bath bombs

craft September 14, 2013 May 17, 2016

I am a sucker for girly stuff. Lip gloss, nail polish, scented candles. My only consolation when summer ends every year is that I can wear perfume again. And bath bombs are the yummiest. And it’s actually very easy to make bath bombs. Which is good, since spending $8 to take a smelly fizzy bath kind of makes my eye twitch.

I made some mini versions this time. Because sometimes I don’t have time for the full on bath experience. Sometimes it’s all about the bath quickie. These give just a little color and fizz. I put a lot of essential oil in them so even in a mini version they would still give a good stink.

Supplies:

1 c. baking soda
1/2 c. citric acid
1/2 c. cornstarch
1 tbl. baby oil
1/2 tsp. witch hazel
1 tsp. essential oil
food coloring
silicone ice cube mold

The only ingredient that is tricky to find is the citric acid. I’ve heard you can find it in craft stores with the soap making supplies but I had no luck. I found mine in a wine making supply store for $6. I made 3 full batches of bath bombs from a 1lb. bag, For the essential oil, I used lavender for it’s supposed sleep inducing effect. The ice cube mold I got at IKEA for $1. Once you use it to make bath bombs, you won’t want to use it to make ice, since it absorbs the smell of the essential oil.(I learned this the hard way after I made cupcakes in the mold I used last time. They were a horrible chocolate/almond oil flavor that I can’t seem to forget).

To make, whisk all your dry ingredients together in a bowl. I wanted to make 2 different colors so I separated mine into 2 bowls. In a separate bowl, whisk wet ingredients together. Add food coloring if you want. Your bath bombs will be paler than the liquid in the bowl, so don’t be shy.

Use a medicine dropper to add a few drops of your liquid into your dry ingredients. It will start to fizz. Quickly whisk all together to stop the chemical reaction. Keep adding the liquid, a few drops at a time and whisking together until your mixture will form a clump in your hand when squeezed together. You may have some liquid left over. Pack it firmly into your mold. I got 9 bath bombs from the half mixture. Dry at least 4 hours or overnight.