Homemade Bath Bombs

Oh, these smell so good. Oh, these look so cute. Oh, these are so much fun, to make and to use. Bath bombs for all, we say!

Drop one in your bath. BOOM! Instant fun.

How they work: The citric acid and the baking soda react to make a soda-like fizz as they dissolve. It tickles the skin and the fancy. Sea salt adds minerals and helps to cleanse skin, as well as promote circulation. The oil is moisturizing, and binds the ingredients together, while cornstarch gives a silky feel. We must admit that the dried flowers are there primarily for beauty, but then again, beauty is important in this world. The petals have a lovely smell, too, of course, and their colors can be used to indicate what scents they contain. The essential oils are what really give these bombs their fragrance, but if you prefer not to use them, you can make the bath bombs unscented, or add another tablespoon of finely ground dried flowers to the mix. Dried spices such as ground ginger, or cardamom, may also be used for fragrance in lieu of essential oils, though the fragrance will not be as strong.

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the baking soda, citric acid, sea salt, and cornstarch. Mix well.

Place the dried flowers, if using, in a mortar and pestle, and add to this a tablespoon sized scoop from the dry mixture.

Grind the tablespoon of dry mixture with the flowers, until the flowers are ground and the mixture has reached a fine speckled consistency. Return the contents to the large bowl.

In a small container, combine the almond or olive oil, witch hazel, and drops of essential oil, and mix well. You can use a single fragrance, such as lavender, or a blend of scents to call up a particular mood. Here, we used lavender, rose geranium, and cedarwood, with a few drops of bergamot, for a relaxing, warm, earthy blend.

Add the liquid ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, a few drops at a time, mixing well with your hands after each addition. (Try to touch the dry ingredients rather than the liquid at first, which contains a high concentration of essential oils.) Continue adding liquid until it is all incorporated.

Form the mixture into balls with your hands, squeezing it together firmly. If the mixture does not come together and is too dry and crumbly, add a few more drops of witch hazel to help it hold together. If you prefer, the mixture may instead be pressed into a muffin tin, or other molds to form shapes. Be aware that it may expand as it cures.

Allow the balls to sit out at room temperature overnight. During this time, they will harden and become more durable.

Wrap the bath bombs individually for gifting, or seal them in an airtight container. Use within 2 weeks for best results.

Over to You

It’s part of our mission here at Mountain Feed to help you make your own homemade, healthy home products more often. Stop by and say hello on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. Or, as always, you can do it the old-fashioned way and come by the store to speak with one of our in-house experts.