What are Bath Bombs?

Bath Bombs are hard packed mixtures of different mixtures that bubble when they touch water. They are mostly spherical in shape but they can also be in the shape of stars, flowers or tablets. 

 

Bath Bomb Recipe

Dry Ingredients

1. 4 oz. Baking soda
2. 2 oz. Corn Starch 
3. 2 oz. Epsom salt
4. 2 oz. Citric acid

Wet Ingredients

1. 1 teaspoon of essential oil 
2. 1-2 drops of food colouring.

You will also need molds. You can use Christmas decoration molds that are mare of 2 parts and snap together or chocolate molds.

Equipment needed

1. Gloves 
2. Bath bomb molds
3. Metal or glass mixing bowl- If you use a plastic mixing mold it will absorb the smell of the essential oils and forever smell like that.
4. Sieve

Method

1. Mix together the citric acid and baking soda in the bowl
2. Add the essential oils, coconut or olive oil and food colouring. Mix it rapidly with your hands before it fizzes.
3. Spray a little nit of water at a time. Aim for a consistency where mixture is still pretty crumbly but will just hold its shape when you squeeze it hard in your hand.
4. Pack the mixture tightly into the molds. If you're using a two-part mold slightly overfill both halves and press them together as tight as you can.
5. Tap the mold to release the bath bomb.
6. Let your bath bomb creations dry for a couple of hours, out of direct sunlight.
7. Use them with a month or so. The longer you wait the less fizzy the become.

 

 

History of Bath Bombs

Bath bombs were created by Mark Wolverton in the 1980"s. Mark Wolverton is the owner of Lush. He failed to trademark his bath bombs so now everyone can produce bath bombs.

 

The Science Behind Bath Bombs

A weak acid and bicarbonate base are it's primary ingredients.The weak acid is citric acid and the bicarbonate base is baking soda. When it is dry nothing happens, it is unreactive, but when it comes into contact with water it reacts vigorously and fizzes for several minutes. This fizzing is called effervescence. This is the chemical reaction: 

C₅H₇O₅COOH + NaHCO₃ → C₅H₇O₅COO⁻Na⁺ + H₂O + CO₂

 

How Do You Use Bath Bombs

It's quite easy. Fill your bathtub with warm water, drop in the Bath Bomb and enjoy the wonderful smell and colour.

 

Videos About Bath Bombs