Sometimes the best way to end a day is with a warm bath and your choice of homemade bath bombs. Buying bath bombs at the store really adds up, so making your own is not only fun, it’s cost-effective. And you can make any scents you love! Once they’re done, all you need to do is drop one in the tub and relax.
Ingredients to Make Homemade Bath Bombs
To make basic homemade bath bombs, you need to have on-hand the following easy-to-find ingredients:
- 1 cup baking soda
- half cup citric acid
- 1/2 cup Epsom salts
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2 teaspoons essential oils of your choice {try lavender, rose, and grapefruit, just to name a few!}
- 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- food coloring of your choice, optional
- two bowls and a whisk for mixing
- a bath bomb mold
- an airtight container for storage of your bath bombs
Directions for Homemade Bath Bombs
- Start by placing all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Use the whisk to combine them evenly.
- In a separate container, mix all of the liquid ingredients together (this includes the oils, optional food coloring, etc.)
- Slowly mix the liquid ingredients with the dry ingredients, adding only a few spoonsful of the liquid ingredients at a time.
- Repeat this process until all of the liquid ingredients have been added to the dry ingredients.
Best Tips for Homemade Bath Bombs
Once the dry and wet ingredients are well-mixed, it is time to form your bath bombs. Here are some helpful tips:
- After mixing, you should have a soft, crumbly mixture that holds together when compacted in your hand.
- Press the mixture into bath bomb molds.
- For best results, be sure to compress the bath bombs tightly into the molds.
- Allow your bath bombs to dry thoroughly, undisturbed, before removing them from the bath bomb molds.
- Store your new bath bombs in an air-tight container.
For more homemade bath bomb ideas, check out these 20 DIY bath bomb recipes!
Where do you get bath bomb molds?
You could get them online
Yes u can bye from lush
You can by them on amazon my boyfriend just baught a set of them to make me some
Amazon on line
You can cut a tennis ball in half and use it as a mold
what is your last name is it Courtney cogar
do you fill it halfway and it expands? or do you just fill two halves and put them together?
You fill up both of them, then put together. 🙂
I did this to the T and it swelled and busted out of the molds I got. 🙁
I believe they swell when too much water is added at 1 time. The chemical reaction of baking soda will react if too much water is added. Try adding only a bit at a time. If it swells, that means it won’t fizz once it’s in water. Hope that helps
How long do they have to sit in the mold before they are ready to use?
Until they are completey dry ?
So 24 hrs
You are to remove them from the mold after just a few min. Set them on a towel to dry overnight.
No you can’t there is stuff inside a tennis ball plus you won’t get to see the colors
What sort of tennis balls have you cut in half recently? Also, you take the bath bomb out of the mold once it’s set. You’ll see the colours.
You actually take it out it’s not rocket science I promise
Wow.
You cut the tennis ball in half. Not leave it together…and most tennis balls are made hollow. True some have stuff inside but not all. I have cut tennis balls lots of times for use
Any silicon mould works I use a heart shaped cake mould when I want to give them as a gift
Hobby lobby has plastic molds in the Christmas ornaments area, also in the birthday party section the have 1 1/2 ” clear plastic balls(they look like wrapped candy) that work pretty good.
If u have to go out to get the molds then why not go out to actually get the bathbombs?
The whole point of this post is to save $$ by making your own. It has nothing to do w taking a trip out….wow, not rocket science, people ?
You’re saving money by making your own if you use them often.. They go for a minimum of $4 each.
The whole point of this post(if you actually read it) is to make your own to save $$. Please pay attention ?
Or to make a heartfelt gift to give to someone you care about. Life isn’t all about money!!!
Great idea!
omgaaad thats so clever
I’m pretty sure they sell molds at craft stores like hobby lobby and Michael’s. I’ll have to look into it.
I saw them on Amazon
I get mine from hobby lobby over in the section that has the glass jars and wood crafts
You can also use the molds for chocolate melts. They come in a variety of things hearts, flowers etc… Really nice for gifts
They aren’t at those stores. I’ve looked. Amazon has them though in plastic and metal
I bought my metal molds from Amazon. When I use them the mixture gets stuck, even by tapping. Does any one know how I can stop it from sticking? Appreciate any advise.
You could spray with olive oil cooking spray? Or put a piece of ribbon in so it hangs out either end so you can just ‘pop’ it out by pulling the ribbon…
If your mixture is sticking to yout molds and seperating then your mixture is too wet . Your mixture has to be like damp sand and just stick together when squeezed with your hand before it’s in the mold. It’s just about getting the texture right not too wet and not too dry. Hope this helps.
I gotmedal ones from amazon and had no problems with them sticking
Maybe you could line them with plastic wrap, just a thought
They have them at Hobby Lobby I just bought a bunch last week
those rubber moulds you can buy at reject stores for muffins? would do the trick.you can get lots of shapes
Plastic Easter eggs work too
You can use an easter egg mold shell thingy from like easter lol
True you could that’s also a great idea
The one pictured looks like a Christmas ornament blank you get at Hobby Lobby
U can get them at any craft store like a.c moore ect.
I used a clear ornament
you can use starbucks plastic tops with duck tape on the straw wholes
you can use an plastic ornament mold from hobby lobby or buy them from Amazon
That would be a good idea?
I use plastic Easter eggs. Cheap, easy to find and comes in different sizes.
I use silicone cupcake molds.
Use ice cube molds
i bought 2 piece plastic Christmas ornaments (small) at Hobby Lobby
Those molds are nothing more than plastic ornaments.
you can get them on ebay for a $1
To make mini ones you could use ice trays
Use a plastic Easter egg.
Christine,
I use plastic Easter eggs! They work great! Thank you for sharing your ideas!
You can also use plastic photo Christmas ornaments.
Get them on amazon!
Maybe try old cup cake tins. I have made soap using them.. i will try this recipe and use my old cupcake . I have hearts and gingerbread boys and others..
u dont have to use a circle mold u can use silicone molds candy molds etc
You can also use a ice cube mold. Makes small squares and works well too.
The wish app has them for really cheap!
I think you can get them at Michaels
Pinterest,you are the best
i found some on Amazon
I bought some off of ebay from China. cost very little but took over a month to get here.(If you want to make them for Christmas, You have time to wait for them
Try a craft story or on amazon.
You can also use an alternative, like a cupcake tray
any mould will do they dont have to be round like a ball. use jelly moulds or small paper/plastic cups.stick ribbon in them so they are easy to pull out when dry.
You can order them off of amazon or Walmart but Walmart doesn’t have them in stores so theyveould have to be ordered
You can purchase them on the wish app!
You can get them on Amazon
Amazon has a great kit that comes with 3 different sized molds and even has shrink wrap bags for them.
I am going to try some large plastic Eggs from the Dollar Tree, I have a large bath tub. Also, I think I am going to dye the egg/bombs Robin’s Egg Blue!
I use silicone cupcake molds. They work great and there are lots of different shapes. Can find at craft stores or even dollar stores.
Hobby Lobby
A good place to look would be amazon.
I have used different things for molds such as little plastic easter eggs and break apart christmas ornaments so you can get all different sizes.
I bought a diy kit at wal mart it came with the round mold. Worked really well!!
You can use ice cube trays. Works really well!
how many molds does one recipe make? and Pam, I plan on using the small sized Easter egg molds for mine. but i have seen them made with chocolate molds that make different shapes and all kinds of things, some just shaped by hand.
You could make different types. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same size! Does it?
Ono they don’t have to be the same size, different ones are fun and cute!??
I just did it with easter eggs and made 5 of them with one batch
Can you use coconut oil instead of olive ? Or sweet almond
I doubled recipe and added 1/2 c melted coconut oil. Nice!
how many do you get from one receipe
Can you substitute coconut oil for the olive oil?
I used coconut. There are some really good tutorials on youtube.com
Yes, and coconut oil has a lot more benefits health wise. Great for dry skin!
how many do you get in recipe and how long does it take to dry
How long do they need to stay in the mold? And how many do you get from one batch?
They stay in the mold for 1 hr and after you let it sit out for another 1-2 hr. You yet about 3-5 from one batch of bath bomb mixture
You could also look it up on YouTube
If you want a better bath bomb that works better color wise leave it for 24 hrs ?
You can also put them in the freezer for an hour…works the same as letting them sit out for 24
How lobg do they have to stay in the mold
Where do you get citric acid?
Walmart. It will be in the section with canning goods.
I got mine from Walmart, but if you’re looking for cheaper “all around” go to Amazon and they sell it by the lb which will make it cheaper in the long run!
On the ones i did it was from youtube.com amd it said over night or 30 mins in the fridge
Can you use an Easter egg for the molding???
When do you take them out? Do they haft to sit over night or what?
What do u mean By essiental oils?
The essential oils add scent as well as any qualities that particular oil contains. You can use any essential oil of your choice..I personally like lavender for my bath bombs!
I used the bottom of a plastic waterbotrle the top to a little plastic gumball mashine and also I used a small plastic container also you can use a plastic red cup and not fill it up all the way that works great and even a big container and not fill it up all the way works great too???
What the heck?? Where’s the recipey for the bathboms!!
Rache, if you use the arrows located on the top of the page, you can scroll through the photos and find the recipe. Sorry for the confusion!
How long do you leave in the mold and how long before they get hard enough to give as gifts
Can you please source the links for the photos. I’m a business owner of one of the photos you are using and none of the businesses have been credited. This is technically copy-write infringement and the owners of the photos could take action, I’d hate to see that happen… Please source your photos (link the site you took them from) when taking them from others. Thank you – Ashley DuFresne – Owner of Seri’s Soaps
Thank you for pointing that out, I will definitely go back and give credit to the sites!
I only saw one business reference for the photos. I too would like to see where they came from. I tried to make Bath Bombs about 10 years ago in my aromatherapy business but I had problems with mine setting up, so I never made them again. I would like to see the businesses credited for their personal works because I would like to see the variations they make and the colors they use, as well as the sizes and prices if I want to make mine and give them out to customers as gifts for purchases. Knowing what they sell for would help me gauge the size of the ones I make to give out and how much people need to buy in order to give out one for free.
Most info comes from other blogs or just having done it myself. I’m sorry!
I just used cupcake liners and my muffing pans. Fill them about 2/3 fll and let them air dry. Mine were dry by the next day, maybe sooner but I did not check.
I made them tonight and the mix would like keep “exploding” it was really weird and when I put it in the plastic egg
mold, it would keep coming out the sides! Help!!!
it easier to put in the citric acid in last it sounds like you activated your citric acid
Where do you get citric acid?
I bought mine on Bulk Apothecary..8lbs for $15.84
Does the food coloring stain the tub or your skin?
What do you use for the color? I tried mica powder but the color is extremely light. I was worried if i used “food coloring” it would stain the tub?
Can you use an ICE CUBE TRAY as the mold? can they pop out okay?
Kathy, I actually have not tried this. I would assume that it would be okay. Maybe half the recipe and test it out. Good luck!
Just how big are these bath bombs supposed to be, because Im reading about some using Starbucks lids, ice cube trays, tennis balls, etc. I was thinking these bombs would be about the size of a golf ball? I mean unless you’re using a pool to bathe in I wouldn’t think you’d need a basketball size bath bomb. So are we making softball size, golf ball size, tennis ball size???
You’re totally right…they can be any size! It mostly depends on the size of the bath tub, and how dense you want it to be. These are more of a gold ball or Easter egg size!
Where do you get the ingredients from and how thick should the bath bomb dust/formula be.
Hello, wondering if you can tell me how many bath bombs your recipe yields? Appx what size molds are you using for this recipe? 2″, 3″, 1″? Thanks much!
I’m going to try this today. Thanks so much for the tutorial.
How long do u let the finished bath bomb set up? Like overnight?? Thanks!
Beth,
Yes, let them sit overnight or until they are completely dry!
I made these last night, BUT when I checked them this morning the coconut oil had “bubbled” and they were sticky. Any advise?
I just made them and am wondering if the bath bombs stick to the plastic mold after they dry? Or does the bath bomb just stick to itself and not the mold?
Sophie,
I have never had the issue of the bath bomb sticking to the plastic mold. Mine always come right out. Hope this helps!
Do you add all of the liquids to the dry mixture
I tried to make a bath bomb, i did it all right & let it sit overnight but I didnt let it sit in the mold. I woke up and it had flattened out into a big mess. Any advice? it still didn’t seem dry this morning too.
Yon need 24hr plus hours.. check one first after 24hrs. You might need longer..
Can you use bread soda instead of baking soda.
This recipe is calling for too liquids. Reduce the olive oil (or which oil you choose) to 2 tsps instead of 3. Use 3/4 tsps of water and keep your essential oil drops to 15-20 total. Also the coloring, keep it to about 3-4 drops.
By reducing the liquids, your mixture shouldn’t flow out of your mold now or flatten by morning.
Use your hands to mix everything really well.
Also IKEA, has silicone ice cube trays in different shapes; hearts or stars maybe a little smaller but still fun.
Could you just press flat about an inherent think then cut with cookie cutters for different shapes?
What can u use if u don’t have citrus acid ? Or do I need to buy it for sure
You can use cream to tartar found in Spice section at your grocery store
How many does this recipe make?
Qi successfully used cupcake paper cups they worked really well especially the firmer ones. When I wanted to use them I just peeled off the wrapper. They look just like cupcakes
How full do you fill the molds?
Use metal molds found on Amazon. Instead of water, I use a spritz or two of witch hazel. Holds bond better. Fill each side of metal mold, push together for a few seconds, tap each end to loosen mixture to separate from mold. You’ll have a round bath bombs. I set mine in cupcake tins to dry overnight.
Sounds really cool. But the only problem is that I don’t have a bath tub!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??
So get a bucket or a roasting pan, and soak your hands and/ or feet.
How many does this recipe make
That can entirely depend on what size molds you make.
How many ‘bombs’ does this recipe make approx? Thanks!
do you know approx how many bombs can be made with this measurement of ingredients?
Are the essential oils 100% or cut with carrier oil, 2 tsp is rather a lot if it’s 100%? I’d like to make these but want to make sure I use the right ingredient.
Either way is fine honestly. It is a lot for some people, other people like it heavily concentrated.
I use 15 to 20 drops of essential oils and use good carrier oils like coconut or jojoba o get the 2tsp
Can you put them in small dishes, so they are like a disc instead of a enclosed ball?
You know I’ve honestly never tried that!
does anyone know how many bath bombs one batch will make?
They usually make between 6-8 bathbombs when I make them!
Is it possible to use eucalypus oil in the bath bombs? are there other oil to help with colds? yes I’m useing face book Do you comment ,so I will see it? [email protected]
Sandy,
Yes! Adding essential oils to bathbombs is totally possible. Just make sure you use therapeutic grade oil, since you will be submerging your body in it!
Are you really using food coloring?
Yes, I did!
you can try getting different molds in to different shapes on amazon
If you use 100% pure essential oils, like young living you should not put bombs in anything except glass or food grade stainless steel molds. The oils will pull out poisons from plastic molds or tennis ball molds. You can purchase molds from amazon.