DIY Christmas Bath Bombs

Happy Monday, Friends! Have you ever made your own bath bombs? After learning that Ginger Grand has become fond of including them in his bath time ritual, I decided to create some to add to the Christmas package I planned to ship to him. I soon learned that not all bath bombs are equal and I'm sharing my tips with you today...

DIY Christmas bath bombs

Over the weekend, I ended up making several batches. Since I read that living in a humid climate--and I do--can affect the adhesion of the typical round mold, I selected a darling soap mold from Hobby Lobby. (I also found citric acid and bath and body coloring there.) For the first batch, I followed the instructions on the citric acid package, using the soap mold. 

DIY Christmas bath bombs

I was thrilled with how cute they were right out of the molds, but when I woke up the next morning, they had begun to crack. Afraid that they wouldn't survive shipping without crumbling, I did a little research and I discovered that too much moisture will cause them to crack. Although most recipes (including the one on the citric acid bag) call for some type of oil, I learned that using only baking soda, citric acid, essential oil, and optional coloring helps prevent cracking.

DIY Christmas bath bombs

In hindsight, the deep molds probably didn't help, so for the subsequent batches, I used shallow cookie cutters that I already had on hand...and voila--no cracking! 

DIY Christmas bath bombs
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Here's what you'll need:

2 parts baking soda to 1 part citric acid (1 c baking soda and 1/2 c citric acid makes about 3 small bath bombs.)
8-10 drops essential oil (Peppermint smells heavenly!)
Spray bottle of witch hazel 
Optional bath and body coloring (Do not use food coloring unless you want tub stains!)


DIY Christmas bath bombs

First: Combine the dry ingredients. Next: Whisk the essential oil and a few drops of coloring together. Once they are mixed thoroughly, gradually add them to the dry mixture. Before molding, the mixture should resemble damp sand. If needed, spray it sparingly with witch hazel to achieve the desired consistency. Last: Press the mixture into the cookie cutters, wait a few minutes, and gently press the shaped bath bomb onto wax paper to dry. Allow to dry overnight, wrap in plastic wrap, or store in an airtight container. (One last tip: I opted to create the best version for gift giving/shipping. However, if you live in a less humid climate or desire the added moisture for personal use, add 5 tablespoons of almond or coconut oil to the essential oil mixture.)




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DIY Christmas bath bombs


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  1. Cute! Your trial and error is very helpful - pinning!

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  2. Great project Cecilia. Your little will love these!

    Cindy

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  3. I have yet to do bath bombs; have made bath salts, soap, sugar and salt scrubs! Your recipe sounds easy. Thanx!

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  4. Cecilia I love these so much! Especially the snowman he's so cute! These are a great gift idea! I hope you will come and share over at my weekly link party! https://www.ourtinynest.com/2022/12/07/weekly-wednesday-link-party-325/

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