Herbal Bath Bomb Recipe
This is a simple bath bomb recipe that includes ingredients that add fizz, scent, conditioning, and therapeutic properties. It makes eight small bath bombs or two large rounds, and feel free to customize the dried herbs with others, such as rose petals or dried chamomile.
Servings 8 mini bath bombs
Cost $10
Equipment
- digital kitchen scale optional
Ingredients
Herbal bath bomb mixture
- 1/2 cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) 120 g
- 1/4 cup Epsom salt 65 g
- 1/4 cup citric acid 60 g
- 1 tsp jojoba oil or sweet almond, apricot kernel, or fractionated coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp lavender essential oil
- 1/2 tsp marjoram essential oil
- 1/2 tsp peppermint (mentha piperita) essential oil
For decoration
For wetting the mixture
- witch hazel in a small spray bottle
Instructions
Make the Bath Bomb Mixture
- In preparation, decorate the bottoms of each cavity of the mold with a scattering of dried herbs and flowers. These will be visible on the tops of your herbal bath bombs. After you're finished, put on gloves.
- Place the baking soda, citric acid, and Epsom salts in a bowl and mix them together. You can use a spoon or whisk, but I often use my gloved hands.
- Pour in the liquid oil and essential oils and blend them in, too.
- Spray the mixture with a couple of squirts of witch hazel, then mix it together with your hands. Continue spraying and stirring until it feels like the right consistency. It should be like lightly damp sand. Not too wet, but just enough to hold its shape when you squeeze it in your hand. If the mixture easily crumbles, add another spritz of witch hazel, mix, and try again.
- Once the bath bomb mixture holds form easily, you'll need to work quickly. The next few steps are all about artistry, and you can customize it however you'd like.
Construct the Herbal Bath Bombs
- The first bits of dried herbs and flowers should already be in the mold cavities. You did that before making the bath bomb mixture.
- Spoon about a Tablespoon of your bath bomb mixture into each cavity. You're aiming to only fill the cavity halfway. Press down slightly.
- With your fingers, scatter a layer of dried peppermint on top, especially around the edges. This will create a pencil line along the sides of the herbal bath bombs.
- Spoon another Tablespoon of the fizzy mixture on top and then press the whole thing down with your fingers. Press as hard as you'd like without leaving finger marks*
- Decorate the bottoms with more peppermint leaves if you'd like. Press them in lightly with your fingertips.
- Leave the herbal bath bombs to harden in the molds for a full day. After that, you can safely pop the herbal bath bombs out of the mold.
- Store them in a container that's both airtight* and watertight, or use them right away—it's up to you. Though they can still fizz after a long time, it's best to use or gift these herbal bath bombs within six months to one year of making them. After that time, the scent and color will fade.
Notes
*If the mixture starts to fizz at all, it's a little too wet. You can press it down with the back of a spoon, but it may need to be done several times before it sticks and stays.
*Epsom salts can absorb moisture from the air, so ensure that no moisture or damp air gets into the container or package you store them in.