DIY Bath Bombs: Where to Find Supplies Plus Tips and Tricks

October 14, 2016 By Heidi 39 Comments
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I love making these pretty bath bombs at home and it is a fun project to do with kids, tweens or teens. These bombs make great affordable gifts for a variety of ages or they are fun treats to use at home. It is so much fun to experiment with different scents and colors to create these amazing bath fizzies. I love adding body glitter to add some sparkle or other decorative sprinkles. My young teen daughter loved helping me with this project and she is already planning to make these as treats for her friends. I was surprised how much my young boys loved using these bombs too!

Finding the ingredients for bath bombs at your local brick and mortar stores can be pricey and challenging, so we have compliled some resources on how to find quality bath bomb ingredients at a great price and they will come right to your doorstep. It takes an initial investment for some of the molds and oils, but you will end up with ingredients to make lots of bombs at an affordable price. Make sure to order a good amount of supplies so you have plenty to experiment with.

There are so many recipes out there on the internet for bath bombs, but I have found this recipe, which includes the addition of skin-softening kaolin clay to create durable bombs that can easily be gifted without breaking. Plus, kaolin clay is great for your skin and has other household uses. Creating bath bombs takes a little practice, but it is a great project for both beginner and advanced crafters. I will say my first batch wasn’t the best, but my kids were thrilled to use my flopped bath bombs and they fizzed just the same. Just be sure to order plenty of ingredients so you can experiment. Once you get the hang of it, making bath bombs is so much fun!

Be sure to read all the directions and tips before making your DIY bath bombs. Scroll down to find my favorite recipe, tips, and directions on how to make your own bath bombs.

Citric Acid

Citric acid is the main ingredient that will make your bath bomb fizz and I love that it is both all natural and also used in the food industry. It can be pricey in your local store, but I buy it in a big 5 lb bag and if I order other items with it, I can get it shipped at an affordable price for free. It also has other uses such as for cleaning toilets, descaling your coffee machine, unclogging drains and cleaning the inside of your dishwasher. Store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.

Citric Acid is sold by the pound:

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has so many great uses in the kitchen and it is also a great softening oil for your skin. You may also love cocoa butter to use as an oil in this recipe. I used coconut oil in my bath bombs, but you may like to try one of these other oils or butters in your bombs. Solids should be melted for a few seconds in your microwave to liquify them for use.

Oils that can be used in your bombs:

Kaolin Clay

Kaolin Clay is often used in bath products or in mineral makeup and it will soften your skin. Plus, it also makes your bath bomb harden properly so it won’t break.

The 1lb bag lasts a long time:

Kaolin Clay

Fragrance Oils

There are so many great fragrance oils available. I had fun ordering the scents that my kids would love like vanilla ice cream, cotton candy, toasted marshmallow and pink sugar from Chelsea’s. I included information on how to order from Chelsea’s, plus some other types of fragrance oils. Be sure you check the size of each bottle that you are buying. I found that each 1/2 ounce bottle will work for two batches of these bath bombs. You can buy these fragrance oil in sets or individually. I bought several bottles so I could make multiple batches. These oils can be used for other DIY skin and body projects as well.

Bath Bomb molds

I prefer stainless steel bath bomb molds myself. They are more durable than the aluminum molds and they don’t have a chemical reaction to your ingredients. They also clean easily and don’t retain the scent of your oils. I mold them one after another and let my bombs dry in a muffin pan covered in plastic. Plastic molds can also be bought in large packs. Some people like to let their bath bombs dry in their molds and this way, you have lots of molds to use. Molds also come in a variety of sizes. I prefer the medium to large size for larger bathtubs like this 2.5 inch mold that I used in my project.

Body Glitter

I love putting body glitter in my bath bombs for that princess effect. When your bomb fizzes in the water, a light layer of glitter floats on the surface. It is both fun and pretty! Body glitter comes in teeny bottles, but I have found that it lasts a while. I like sprinkling it in the mold first and then packing in my mixture. That way it is on the top of the bomb.

Coloring

I used the Wilton Color Right System to color my bath bombs. There is a brochure included on how to achieve different, hard-to-mix colors and it was very helpful, plus each bottle lasts a long, long time. It took about 45-50 drops of color to achieve vibrant colors. If you are splitting the recipe in half and doing marbled coloring, I did about 25-30 drops of each color in the proportions listed in the brochure. You can also use more “professional” products to color your bombs called mica colors. Mica is similar to coloring that is used in eye shadows.

Bath Bomb Recipe

1 cup Citric Acid

2 cups Baking Soda

2 Tablespoons melted butter or oil (either Cocoa Butter, Coconut oil or shea butter)

4 Tablespoons Kaolin Clay

1 Tablespoon Fragrance Oil

Food Coloring or Mica Color

Witch Hazel in a spray bottle

Optional: Body Glitter or Sugar Sprinkles

Other items needed:

Bath bomb molds, either plastic or metal

Disposable Rubber gloves

Large Strainer

Bowls (I prefer stainless) and wisks (large and small)

Parchment paper and plastic wrap

Muffin tin covered in plastic wrap for drying

Cello bags for wrapping

Make sure you set out everything you need within arm’s reach so you can mix quickly.

Measure your citric acid, baking soda and kaolin clay and place in your strainer over your bowl. Use a wisk inside the strainer to break down any lumps. Take your wisk and thoroughly mix your dry ingredients. If your oil of choice is solid, melt it for a few seconds in the microwave. In separate, small bowl mix the oil and fragrance oil together. **If you want to make two-colored bombs, you can divide your dry ingredients evenly in separate bowls and divide your wet ingredients into separate bowls.** If you choose to divide, you will have two bowls of dry ingredients and two bowls of your oils. Add your coloring to the wet ingredients and wisk.

Get your witch hazel handy and put on your disposable gloves. Use one hand to slowly add your wet ingredients to your dry, only a few drops at a time (so that your mix does not fizz), and use your other hand to knead the mix. Once all of your oil and color mixture has been added, keep kneading. Spray a few spritzes of witch hazel in at time until you get the perfect texture. If you live in a dry climate, you will need lots of spritzes. If you live in a humid climate, you won’t need as much. Your mixture should be like wet sand. Squeeze a handful together and if it stays formed, it is ready. If it cracks, it is too dry. If you are doing two colors, repeat for the second color until you have two bowls of colored mixture, the texture of wet sand.

If you are using sprinkles or body glitter, put a little bit into one side of your mold. Pack each side of your mold with the wet sand mixture, until it is mounded and overflowing. If you have two colors of mixture, I alternate layers of colors in my mold for a fun effect. Press together. If you are using a stainless mold, you can remove immediately and place on a muffin tin covered with plastic wrap. If you prefer to have multiple plastic molds, fill and leave for a few hours, then gently tap on the mold to remove. Allow your bombs to dry a full 24-48 hours and then place in an airtight container or airtight bag.

DIY Bath Bomb Tips:

Sift all of your dry ingredients to removed clumps. Any clumps in your dry ingredients causes warts and lumps in your bath bombs. I use my wisk to push the ingredients through the sieve. It makes the dry mix sift quickly.

Use a wisk to thoroughly mix your dry ingredients until they are well-blended.

If you are dividing your ingredients to make two colored bombs, after your oils are mixed (no color yet!), divide your oils into two small bowls like this. THEN, add your colors to each bowl. I used these Wilton food colors and I used about 25-30 drops of color in my divided bowls. Then I wisked the wet ingredients.

Add your wet ingredients just a few drops at a time to make sure your wet ingredients don’t react with the dry. If you pour in too much wet ingredients at a time, it will remove the “fizz” from your bombs. Use your gloved hands to bury and mix the drops of wet.

After all the wet is mixed in, start spritzing your Witch Hazel, just 1-2 sprays at a time and keep mixing. Too many spritzes at one time will also cause your mix to have a fizzy reaction. Your mix should resemble wet sand. Squeeze handfuls of your mix together to test it. When you handfuls no longer crack, your mix is done. If your mix is too dry, your bath bombs will crack after they are molded. If they are too wet, then will not hold their shape after they are molded and they will flatten.

Tips For Molding

-Optional: Place a few drops of mineral or baby oil in your mold and wipe out excess with a paper towel. This can help your bombs unmold easier.

-Sprinkle glitter or sugar sprinkles in your mold first before adding your mix so that they glitter will appear on top of your bombs.

-Overpack each side and press firmly together

-If you are using a stainless mold, you can mold one after another. If you are using a set of plastic molds, you can leave them in your molds for 1-3 hours before unmolding. Just tap the outside of your plastic mold gently with a spoon.

-Cover a muffin pan with plastic wrap to create hammocks for your bath bombs. Place each unmolded bomb in the hammocks to dry.

-Allow your bombs to dry 24-48 hours and then place in an airtight container or an airtight bag.

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