Here's an easy tutorial on How to Make a Bath Bomb Recipe (with video). With a few simple ingredients, you can relax in a warm bath with an awesome fizzy DIY creation. It makes a great gift idea!
DIY Donut Bath Bombs and Heart-Shaped Bath Bombs are also fun to make!
Having girls in the house means they're often looking for fun DIYs. Slime is a favorite, but so are do-it-yourself beauty ideas like this Easy DIY Bath Bomb Recipe.
These fizzy little balls are easy to make and suuuuper fun to watch as they start to fizz in the bath!
It's hard to believe that buying bath bombs can be soooo expensive!! Have you ever been into a Lush Boutique and looked at the Lush Bath Bombs??? Gorgeous, but with the $7 - $9 price tag for just one store-bought bath bomb, it makes creating them yourself that much more inviting!
The other fun thing about this recipe is that you can customize your homemade bath bombs with the colors and scents you love.
These Do-It-Yourself Bath Bombs are pink, but you could do blue, green, purple, or a swirly combination.
Speaking of DIY beauty ideas, you might want to try this easy Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub. It's easy and smells good enough to eat but is so luxurious to pamper your feet and rough patches. Plus, pennies to make!
Related: How about making a Donut Bath Bomb?? Cute, right?
Are Bath Bombs and Bath Fizzies the Same?
What a good question. Yes, for the most part, the two are the same. Obviously, there are many variations to the recipes, but they both produce a fizz once placed in a tub of warm water.
How To Make DIY Bath Bombs
Bath Bomb Natural Ingredients: (may contain affiliate links)
- 1 cup baking soda
- ½ cup citric acid
- ½ cup Epsom salt
- ½ cup corn starch
- 1 teaspoon water (or witch hazel)
- 3 tablespoons oil (olive, coconut, or castor oil)
- Vegetable-based food coloring (any color you want)
- Your choice of essentials oils
Bath Bomb Supplies:
- medium bowl
- whisk
- small bowl
- bath bomb molds
Note: We like to use essential oils because of their therapeutic properties. We don't recommend using Fragrance oils because they can be problematic. They use synthetic compounds and can be drying and irritating to the skin.
Step 1
Place the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together with a whisk.
Step 2
Now, mix the liquid ingredients together in the small bowl until well blended.
Step 3
In the large bowl, slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients a little bit at a time. The mixture should hold together when squeezed without crumbling.
Important Tip: Don’t mix the wet and dry ingredients too quickly. This will activate the mixture and it will begin to fizz.
Also, we've been told spraying witch hazel on the mixture instead of water helps get it moist without activating it.
Step 4
When well mixed, pack the mixture into your bath bomb mold (either silicone or regular) and pack tightly, then let it dry. Make sure you work quickly so the mixture doesn't dry out in the process.
Bath Bombs need a day to several days to fully harden. If they're not quite hardened enough, they may crumble when you handle them, so check to make sure before taking them completely out of the mold.
Store in an airtight container in a dry area until ready to use.
Bath bombs last for about 6 months.
So, plan accordingly 🙂
Tips for Making Bath Bombs
- Don't mix the wet and dry ingredients too quickly. This will activate the mixture, and it will begin to fizz.
- If you live in a humid climate, use 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol as the liquid.
- Make sure you pack your bath bomb (almost overpack it) tightly with your mixture for best results.
- Give your bath bomb plenty of time to harden. It may crumble if you take it out of the mold too soon. More time is better if you're unsure.
- Gently tap the sides of your mold with a spoon to loosen and remove your bath bomb easily!
- Depending on what food coloring you use, you can make your bath bombs in any color you wish.
Why Is My Bath Bomb Popping Open?
The most common reason bath bombs expand in the mold (explode) is the mixture is too wet, and the fizzing reaction is happening prematurely. In addition, bath bomb mixtures can fizz prematurely due to moisture in the air.
For example, making bath bombs on a moist and rainy day can cause the bath fizzies to expand in the mold.
If this happens, try using 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol as the liquid.
What Can I Use As Bath Bomb Molds?
If you don't have a traditional bath bomb mold on hand, try one of these ideas:
- Ice Cube Trays
- Measuring Cups
- Muffin Tins
- Your Hands to Form Balls
- Cookie Cutters (recommended if you're experienced at making Bath Bombs)
How To use a DIY Bath Bomb
Simply fill your tub with warm water, drop a bath bomb into your tub, and watch it start to fizzzzz! The show is fantastic 🙂
Now, soak for about 20 – 30 minutes. Ahhhhh, heavenly!
Why Do You Use Corn Starch in Bath Bombs
You may be asking, why put corn starch in a bath bomb??
The simple answer is corn starch provides the silky feel we all love from bath bombs. If you're relaxing in a warm bath, isn't it nice to come out silky smooth too?! 🙂
Here's an easy tutorial for how to make a Bath Bomb Recipe (with video). With a few simple ingredients, you can relax in a warm bath with an awesome fizzy DIY creation. <ol><li>Place the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together with a whisk. Tips for Making Bath Bombs As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Simple, easy and inexpensive Bath & Beauty DIYs. One of the best basic recipes for a handmade sugar scrub. This rejuvenating recipe for peppermint bath salts is an easy and fun DIY! Heart Shaped Bath Bombs make the perfect pampering DIY! Homemade Pink Lemonade Sugar Scrub is an easy DIY to pamper yourself or give as a lovely gift. It’s all natural and smells wonderful! This Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub recipe smells good enough to eat plus it’s super easy to make! Fizzy Donut Bath Bombs are such a relaxing treat! They’re easy and inexpensive to make for yourself to use in the bath or as give as gifts!Easy DIY Bath Bomb Recipe (with video)
Materials
Tools
Instructions
</li><li>In the small bowl, mix the liquid ingredients together until well blended.</li><li>In the large bowl, slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients at little bit at a time. Mixture should hold together when squeezed without crumbling. Important <em>Tip: Don’t mix the wet and dry ingredients too quickly. This will activate the mixture and it will begin to fizz. Also, spraying witch hazel on the mixture instead of water helps get it moist without activating it. 
</em></li><li>When well mixed, pack the mixture into your bath bomb mold and pack tightly, then let it dry. Make sure you work quickly so the mixture doesn’t dry out in the process. Bath Bombs need a day to several to fully harden. If they’re not quite hardened enough, they may crumble when you handle them, so check to make sure before taking them completely out of the mold. Until ready to use, store in an airtight container in a dry area.</li></ol>Notes
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Millie cox says
I love this recipe! I helped my brother propose to his girlfriend by putting the ring into a bath bomb, they were in a private pool and used 15 bath bombs for fun and she was so shocked! It was a night to remember. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Erin Henry says
What a great story, Millie! So glad the proposal (and bath bombs) was a success!
Katie says
Can't wait to make these as gifts for some of my friends! Thank you!
Erin Henry says
Your friends will love them...they are so pampering!
Athena says
I'm gonna make them for market day at my school, praying it goes well.
Laura Reese says
This is such a fun project. I’m going to make them with my girls. Thanks for all the extra tips.
Erin Henry says
The extra tips are helpful if you are making Bath Bombs for the first time. Enjoy!
Krissy Allori says
These are great! So easy to make.. I'm not really much of a crafter so if I can do it, anyone can.
Erin Henry says
Perfect! So much cheaper than buying them from Lush!
Eva Simpson says
Do you melt the coconut oil first?
Erin Henry says
yes, if it's solid, melt it a bit before mixing.
Jamie Bushman says
Can you use liquid coconut oil.
Erin says
You can, Jamie. However, it doesn't have the therapeutic benefit of non-fractionated (solid) coconut oil.
Stephanie D Nipper says
How many bath bomb does this recipe make? I am contemplating doing it for coworker christmas gifts...
Erin says
It depends on how big your mold is, Stephanie. We made about 12 small ones.
Joshua Gray says
Recipe worked great by using pre-scented Epsom salt but I'm curious what everyone else used for their essential oil amounts?
Erin says
It's entirely up to you, but 15-20 drops of essential oils seems to do the trick 🙂
Jessica Mongeau says
Why is my mold popping open. It wont stay shut
Erin says
Usually that means there was too much moisture in your mixture, Jessica.
Teri says
Ok what did I do wrong. My bombs exploded over night braking the plastic molds. Help
Erin says
Hi Teri, The most common reason bath bombs expand in the mold (explode) is the mixture is too wet and the fizzing reaction is happening prematurely. In addition, bath bomb mixtures can fizz prematurely due to moisture in the air. For example, if you make bath fizzies on a moist and rainy day, this can cause the bath fizzies to expand in the mold.
Rob says
I would recommend substituting the water for a nonreactive liquid such as a bit of witch hazel (make sure it's not diluted witch hazel as that will contain water). You don't need a lot -- just a few spritzes to make sure it stays together. Water and other solvents will cause the acid and base to dissolve into the mixture and then react. In order for them to not react, you have to make sure to keep them separately dry.
Erin says
Good Idea, Rob!
Alexa Jordan says
I agree- every time I see them priced so high after making them, it blows my mind!
Erin says
I know!! So much better to make them yourself!
Samantha says
This louds so easy
Katie says
I am so looking forward to making these with the added corn starch. My original bath bombs fell apart, sadly. Thank you so much for this new recipe to me!
Erin says
I'm so glad you found the recipe, Katie! It's an easy and fun one to make, so enjoy!