Homemade Bath Bombs

This is a foolproof tutorial for making homemade bath bombs. I have really been enjoying “testing” these out at home. 🙂

I’m thinking I should have some friends over for a make-your-own bath bombs party. Added bonus: It seriously makes your whole room smell amazing when you make these!

Below, you’ll find a super quick video tutorial to make your homemade bath bombs, or you can scroll down to see the text and image tutorial.

I actually went to make some of these around Valentine’s Day and a couple different tutorials I tried did not produce very good results.

One of them actually completely stuck to the molds, and I had to chip it out with a fork so I could start over. Bummer! But hey, if at first you don’t succeed, sometimes you just have to try again.

On what I had already decided would be my final attempt, I tried this tutorial but changed up the amounts based on how many I wanted to make, and … it worked! I do have a few additional tips if you plan to make these yourself, so check those out below.

Homemade Bath Bombs, makes two (you can easily double or triple this recipe)

–bath bomb molds
–4 ounces baking soda
–2 ounces cornstarch
–2 ounces citric acid
–2 ounces epsom salt
–1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons water
–5-10 drops essential oil of your choice
-1 1/4 teaspoon oil (I like coconut or olive oil here)
-1-2 drops food coloring (optional)

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients (the first four listed above). Whisk to remove any clumps (cornstarch tends to be clumpy). In a small glass jar, stir together the wet ingredients (the last four ingredients listed).

If you’re using coconut oil, give it a quick melt in the microwave or stovetop so it will easily combine with the other ingredients.

Slowly pour the liquid mixture in with the dry mixture, whisking as you go. If you see the mixture fizz or foam, you may be adding the liquid too quickly.

Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, take a small amount in your hand and squeeze it together. It should stick together fairly well in one or two big chunks.

What if the mixture is too powdery?

If it’s still too powdery to hold together, add a tiny bit more water and mix until it holds together. If you find that adding the liquid slowly is difficult, use a spray bottle to add them instead of pouring. 

Next, fill half of your bath bomb mold with the mixture until it’s just slightly overflowing. Press together, and then gently remove one side of the mold. Place the bath bomb on a tray and allow it dry out before removing the other side.

How long do you wait before removing it from the mold?

Wait one hour before removing the bath bomb and then see if it removes from the mold without breaking. If it breaks, just press into the mold again and let it dry out longer.

The goal is to get the bath bomb out of the mold so it can further dry out overnight. I’ve found that if you leave them in the mold too long, they can begin to stick and then it’s more difficult to remove without cracking.

So, find the balance here and remember that if something cracks at this point it’s totally OK to just press the mixture back into the mold. No worries!

Once you are ready to remove the other side, gently invert the bath bomb so the uncovered side is facing down, then gently remove the other half of the mold from the top. These can fall apart on you very easily if you’re not careful.

What do I do if the bath bomb cracks?

If a bath bomb cracks in half while you’re removing it, you can gently press it back on top of the other half, or remove all the mixture back to the mixing bowl and start the molding process again.

I had this happen to a few, so don’t fret, it’s easy to fix.

Once they are completely out of the mold, allow them to dry out for 8 hours or overnight. Once very dry, you can wrap them in plastic wrap and store in a dry place until you’re ready to use them, or you can gift them to friends. 

In case you’re curious, the flavors I created included lemongrass (green), lavender (purple), and peppermint (white and red). You can mix essential oils into each bath bomb, too.

I’ve had some people ask about using citrus essential oils, since they can sometimes cause photosensitivity. I think citrus is OK here since you will be washing it off your skin in the bath and not leaving it on and then immediately going out into the sun.

That being said, if you’re new to essential oils, it’s always good to find what scents you prefer and what works best for you and your skin.

We are all different so it’s possible some allergies or sensitivities may occur, so just be aware and use what is best for you. 

What else can I add to my bath bombs?

You can add dried flower buds (like lavender buds) to these pretty easily. Just remember to use food-grade dried flowers to avoid flowers that might have been grown with pesticides, as you don’t want to soak in a bath with those.

Keep in mind that after using a bath bomb with dried petals you will have to remove these from your tub.

If you want to create two-tone bath bombs, like my peppermint ones, just mix up your batter in two separate bowls and only add the food coloring to one. Easy!

Customize your DIY bath bombs for the seasons by using shaped molds! This is fun for making your own, or it can make a great gift. You can add different color fillings, or even use a little bit of watered down food dye to paint onto the finished bath bombs.

Halloween molds:

• Ouija Board
• Candy Corn
• Pumpkin King

Making Christmas bath bombs as homemade gifts? Here are some of our favorite molds.

Christmas molds:

• Gingerbread Man
• Peppermint Candy
• Snowflake

Snowflake / Ouija Board / Peppermint Candy / Gingerbread Man / Candy Corn / Pumpkin King

More DIY bath bomb ideas:

• Green Tea and Lemon Bath Bombs
• Rainbow and Gold Lustre Bath Bombs

These turned out to be a lot of fun to make, and they are even more fun to use. I highly recommend giving them a try, or you could make a batch to give away to friends or family. Enjoy! xo. Emma

P.S. If you’re not the DIY type, I recommend buying natural bath bombs like these.

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Get the How-To

A foolproof way to make bath bombs that don't crack or crumble

Yield 2 bath bombs

Supplies

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 ounces baking soda
• ▢ 2 ounces corn starch
• ▢ 2 ounces citric acid
• ▢ 2 ounces epsom salt
• ▢ 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons water
• ▢ 5-10 drops essential oil of choice
• ▢ 1¼ teaspoon oil (I like coconut or olive oil here)
• ▢ 1-2 drop food coloring (optional)

Equipment

• ▢
  bath bomb molds

Instructions

• In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients (the first four listed above). Whisk to remove any clumps (corn starch tends to be clumpy). In a small glass jar, stir together the wet ingredients (the last four ingredients listed).
• If you’re using coconut oil, give it a quick melt in the microwave or stove top so it will easily combine with the other ingredients.
• Slowly pour the liquid mixture in with the dry mixture, whisking as you go. If you see the mixture fizz or foam, you may be adding the liquid too quickly.
• Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, take a small amount in your hand and squeeze it together. It should stick together fairly well in one or two big chunks.
• If it’s still too powdery to hold together, add a tiny bit more water and mix until it holds together. If you find that adding the liquid slowly is difficult use a spray bottle to add them instead of pouring. 
• Next, fill half of your bath bomb mold with the mixture until it’s just slightly overflowing. Press together, and then gently remove one side of the mold. Place the bath bomb on a tray and allow it dry out before removing the other side.
• Wait one hour before removing the bath bomb and then see if it removes from the mold without breaking. If it breaks, just press into the mold again and let it dry out longer.
• The goal is to get the bath bomb out of the mold so it can further dry out overnight. I’ve found that if you leave them in the mold too long, they can begin to stick and then it’s more difficult to remove without cracking.
• Once you are ready to remove the other side, gently invert the bath bomb so the uncovered side is facing down, then gently remove the other half of the mold from the top. These can fall apart on you very easily if you’re not careful.
• If a bath bomb cracks in half while you’re removing it, you can gently press it back on top of the other half, or remove all the mixture back to the mixing bowl and start the molding process again.
• Once they are completely out of the mold, allow them to dry out for 8 hours or overnight. Once very dry, you can wrap them in plastic wrap and store in a dry place until you’re ready to use them, or you can gift them to friends. 

Video

Notes

In case you’re curious, the flavors I created included: lemongrass (green), lavender (purple), and peppermint (white and red). You can mix essential oils into each bath bomb, too.

If you want to create two-tone bath bombs, like my peppermint ones, just mix up your batter in two separate bowls and only add the food coloring to one. Easy!

© Author Emma Chapman

Keywords bath bombs