Make Your Own Bath Bombs

One of my favorite ways to refresh or relax myself is by taking a bath. I find that a large tub of warm-to-hot water, scented beautifully, with a touch of moisturizing oils added is a simple and effective way to take a break and impart a feeling of restoration.

A fun bath indulgence is the "bath bomb." These bath additives are often molded into a ball shape, anywhere from golf ball to softball size, and they fizz when you drop them into the water. They add skin conditioners and fragrance to the water. Sometimes they seem to be really expensive, when in fact, they are made from simple ingredients and are very easy to make at home. They are great to for a rainy day kids project, and work well for a homemade holiday gift or a cute wedding favor!

A "bath bomb" is an attractively-molded ball of bath salts. The underlying formula is almost the same no matter what recipe you find, with variations in the binder (what makes it stick together), coloring and fragrance. Depending on your individual craft budget, you can make very natural and simple bath bombs, or you can put expensive and exotic colorings and oils into them.

The two ingredients that are part of all bath bombs are Citric Acid (a gently acidic liquid or powder derived from fruit) and Bicarbonate of Soda (aka baking soda). These two ingredients are what form the bulk of the product and which give it the characteristic fizz. These are blended with salts, oils or colorings and shaped to make what most of us buy in stores as a bath bomb. Ready to make your own?

The most basic formula is

• 2 parts Baking Soda

• 1 part Citric Acid

• 1 part other (salts, corn starch or oils)

• small amounts of other ingredients such as color and fragrances

Determining how much a "part" is depends on how big a batch of bath bombs you are trying to make. If you are just trying a simple test for yourself, a part might only be 1/2 Cup. It's a good idea to make a very small batch and try it yourself before you invest in large amounts of ingredients or try and make a lot of something to give away to your friends.

Listed below are links to LOTS of recipe variations for bath bombs, along with links to some of the most common ingredients. You might be surprised how much of what goes into a fizzy bath bomb are just common household items.

Now that I'm a bit older and my skin is drier, I like a moisturizing element in my bath bombs. Here's my favorite recipe:

• 2 ounces baking soda

• 1 ounce citric acid

• 2 ounces cocoa butter

• 3 Tbsp cornmeal

• 6 drops essential oil (or three each of two different scents)

Sometimes I like to use fancy ice cube trays to mold my bath bombs and then drop two of them in the bath instead of one big one. I spray a bit of non-stick cooking spray on the trays. Then I melt the cocoa butter using a double-boiler. Once it's all melted, I take it off the stove and add the baking soda, citric acid and cornmeal, and stir it all together well. Once combined, I add the essential oil and stir again. Then I use a small ladle to pour the mixture into the molds. Set the tray(s) in a freezer until the mixture is hard (this cools the cocoa butter quickly). Unmold and wrap in waxed paper or store in a large, moisture-proof jar until ready to use.

For fizzies that don't contain cocoa butter, I like to use a 2 Tbsp measuring cup for a large tablet shape.  And those don't need non-stick spray.  Firmly press the loose fizzy powder into the cup, then tap it against your hand until it drops back out again, then set out on a baking tray until it dries and really firms up.

If you want a "natural" bath bomb, only use essential oils. Fragrance oils are chemical immitations of real oils.

If you are prone to yeast infections, don't use a recipe with corn starch in it, as that can sometimes aggravate yeast issues.

Don't use too much coloring as that can leave a stain in the bathtub or on towels. Just a few drops is all it takes. This is really important when you are giving bath bombs as gifts!

If you don't want huge bath bombs, you can use smaller soap molds or fancy ice cube trays to make small tablets or shapes. Putting two smaller fizzes into a bath works just as well as one large one.

If you are giving them as gifts, make sure to package them in a way that keeps them dry so they don't get gummy or wet before you gift them.