Lyla Lindsey
Making bath bombs in Australia is a fun and inexpensive activity that can easily be done at home. With a few simple ingredients, such as sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, and essential oils, you can create colourful and fragrant bath bombs in various shapes and sizes. Whether you're making them for yourself, as gifts for friends, or even starting a small business, the process is straightforward and allows for endless customisation. In addition to the basic ingredients, you can add dried flower buds, food colouring, or glitter to make your bath bombs unique and appealing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Bicarbonate of soda, citric acid, cornstarch, Epsom salt, water, essential oil, botanicals, mica, food colouring, dried flowers, coconut oil, soap dye, sugar, spice, cocoa butter, plastic-free glitter |
| Equipment | Moulds, sieve, mixing bowl |
| Time | 30 minutes to prepare, 2-8 hours to set |
| Cost | Low start-up costs, inexpensive ingredients |
| Space | Compact, easy to store |
| Market | Worldwide trend, surging consumer demand, broad demographic appeal |
| Regulation | Cosmetics or drugs, FDA approval required for medicinal claims |
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Ingredients and equipment
Making bath bombs is easy, and you can do it with inexpensive, easily available ingredients and no machinery. You can buy the ingredients and equipment online or in-store. Here is a list of the ingredients and equipment you will need to make your own bath bombs:
Ingredients:
- Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
- Citric acid
- Essential oils
- Botanicals (e.g. dried flower buds such as lavender)
- Epsom salts
- Castor oil
- Water
- Food colouring (liquid, not gel)
- Cornstarch
Equipment:
- Large bowl
- Sifter or sieve
- Moulds (you can use anything flexible, or buy a two-piece spherical mould)
- Plastic wrap
- Teaspoon
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Mixing the base
To make bath bombs, you'll need to mix a base of sodium bicarbonate and citric acid. For the best results, use a sifter or sieve to get out any lumps, and combine your citric acid, Epsom salts, and sodium bicarbonate in a large bowl. Mix these ingredients thoroughly until they are fully combined.
Once you have your base, you can add in your choice of essential oils, botanicals, and mica. Create a well in the centre of the mixture and add your castor and essential oils. Using your fingers, start mixing the ingredients together.
You can also add dried flower buds, such as food-grade lavender buds, to your bath bombs. Simply mix the buds into your batter. If you want to create two-tone bath bombs, prepare your batter in two separate bowls and only add food colouring to one of them.
Be cautious when using food colouring in your bath bombs, as the oil in the bombs can trap the colouring and leave a visible ring around your bathtub. To avoid this, use liquid food colouring instead of gels, as gels will clump together when mixed with the bicarbonate. Once you've added the liquid to your mixture, work quickly to combine everything.
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Adding extras
Essential Oils
Essential oils can be added to bath bombs to enhance their scent and provide therapeutic benefits. Popular essential oils for bath bombs include lavender, peppermint, and citrus oils. However, it is important to use essential oils with caution, as they can potentially cause allergies or sensitivities. It is also important to note that some essential oils, such as citrus oils, can cause photosensitivity, so it is recommended to use them in moderation and avoid exposure to sunlight immediately after use.
Flower Petals and Dried Flowers
Flower petals and dried flowers can be added to bath bombs for a romantic and luxurious touch. Fresh flower petals such as rose petals and orange peels can be used, or dried flower buds such as lavender buds. It is recommended to use food-grade dried flowers to avoid any pesticides that may be present in non-food-grade flowers.
Coloring
Food coloring or soap dye can be added to bath bombs to create colorful and vibrant creations. It is important to use liquid food coloring instead of gels, as gels can clump together when mixed with the other ingredients. Additionally, it is important to ensure that any coloring agent is FDA-approved and stain-free to avoid any unwanted stains on the skin or bathtub.
Other Add-Ins
Other add-ins that can be used in bath bombs include Epsom salt, which is added for its soothing properties, and castor oil, which is said to have restorative benefits for the skin. You can also get creative with the shape of your bath bombs by using shaped moulds, such as hearts, stars, or any other shape you can find.
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Moulding
Firstly, select an appropriate mould. You can purchase a bath bomb mould online, or you can get creative and use anything flexible from around your home. For a spherical bath bomb, you will need a two-sided mould. If you are adding decorations such as flower petals or dried flowers, place them at the bottom of the mould first and then pack your mixture on top, pressing down gently and smoothing out the surface.
If you are creating a two-tone bath bomb, prepare two separate mixtures in different colours and pack them into the moulds separately. You can also layer different colours in the mould to create a rainbow effect.
Once the mixture is in the mould, gently press the sides together and secure them with elastic bands if necessary. The bath bomb mixture should then be left to dry for 2-4 hours or even overnight. The drying time will depend on the humidity of your environment, so choose a cool, dry place away from taps and humidity.
After the drying time, carefully remove the bath bomb from the mould. This step should be done with care as the bath bombs can be fragile and may crack or fall apart if handled too roughly. If your bath bomb does crack, don't panic! Simply press the pieces back together or return the mixture to the bowl and start the moulding process again.
Finally, allow the bath bomb to dry completely for another 8 hours or overnight. Once they are fully dry, you can wrap them in plastic wrap for storage or gift them to friends.
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Drying and storing
After you have removed your bath bombs from their moulds, place them in a cool, dry place, away from humidity and taps. They will need to dry for at least eight hours, or you can leave them overnight to ensure they are completely dry. The drying time may vary depending on the humidity; they will take longer to set in humid weather.
Once they are completely dry, you can wrap them in plastic wrap to store them. Store your bath bombs in a dry place until you are ready to use them. You can also gift them to friends—they make excellent presents!
It is important to note that bath bombs are sensitive creations, and they can easily crack or fall apart during the removal process. If this happens, simply press the pieces back together, or gently place the mixture back into the mould and start again.
By following these steps, you will be able to effectively dry and store your bath bombs, ensuring they are ready for a relaxing bath experience or to be given as gifts.
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Frequently asked questions
The ingredients you need to make bath bombs include sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, essential oils, botanicals, and micas. You can also add in extras such as dried flower buds, food colouring, and Epsom salts.
You will need a large bowl, a sifter or sieve, moulds, and plastic wrap.
It takes around 30 minutes to prepare the bath bomb mixture, and then you will need to leave it in the mould to dry for 2-8 hours.
Be aware that the bath bombs can easily fall apart when removing them from the moulds, so be very gentle. Also, if you are using mica colourings, the oil will trap the mica and can leave a visible coloured ring around the bath.
