Transform Your Bath Routine

"Taking time to do nothing often brings everything into perspective." – Doe Zantamata

In our busy lives, finding time to unwind and take care of ourselves can be challenging. One simple yet luxurious way to practice self-care is with a homemade bath bomb. These fizzy, fragrant creations not only make your bath time more enjoyable but also offer therapeutic benefits depending on the ingredients you choose. By incorporating essential oils and natural ingredients, you can customize your bath bombs to target specific needs, such as relaxation, congestion relief, or muscle relief.

Why Use Bath Bombs?

Bath bombs are more than just a fun addition to your bath routine. They dissolve in water to release essential oils, nourishing butters, and soothing agents that enhance your bathing experience. The fizzy reaction of bath bombs helps to disperse these healing ingredients evenly in your bathwater, creating a spa-like experience right at home.

Benefits of Key Ingredients:

1. Essential Oils: Essential oils are the heart of bath bombs, offering a range of therapeutic benefits. For instance:

   • Serenity Oil: Serenity Blend promotes relaxation and helps you wind down after a long day.  Perfect for a warm soak just before bed.

   • Breathe Oil: Breathe blend supports respiratory health and eases congestion.  Such a relief when I am feeling under the weather.

   • Marjoram Oil: Marjoram is my go to oil for relief of sore muscles.  This or the AromaTouch Blend is the perfect soak after a strenuous workout.

   • Lavender Oil: Lavender is known for its calming and soothing properties, Lavender oil helps reduce stress and anxious feelings. It is also great for skin irritations.

   • Rose Oil: Rose oil is celebrated for its ability to uplift mood and reduce stress. It is amazing for the skin and is known for its hydrating effects, making skin appear more radiant.

   • Eucalyptus Oil: Eucalyptus oil is excellent for supporting respiratory health. It is also excellent at helping to soothe sore muscles.

   • Peppermint Oil: Peppermint oil provides a cooling sensation, and is fantastic when you are feeling overheated or if you’ve gotten too much sun. It can also help relieve muscle tension and ease head tension. I like to use it when I need digestive support. Or as a quick “pick-me-up” to improve mental clarity.

   • Ginger Oil: Ginger oil is known for its warming properties - think chilled to the bone after sledding for a couple of hours. It can help improve circulation and relieve muscle soreness. It is also great at reducing feelings of nausea.

   • Roman Chamomile Oil: Roman Chamomile oil is renowned for its calming and soothing properties. It can help soothe irritated skin, reduce stress, and promote relaxation for better sleep.

2. Oils: Ingredients like coconut oil, almond oil, and olive oil moisturize and nourish your skin, leaving it soft and hydrated.  **Remember to use caution when entering or exiting the tub anytime you are using slippery oils.

3. Citric Acid: This alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) offers several skin benefits:

   • Exfoliation: Removes dead skin cells and unclogs pores, promoting smoother skin, and reducing acne.

   • Anti-Aging: Helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles, tackles hyperpigmentation, and boosts skin's hydration support.

   • Protection: Shields skin from environmental stressors and maintains pH balance, keeping skin's natural fats intact.

   • Additional Benefits: Brightens skin, evens out skin tone, and helps fade dark spots.

4. Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate): Known for its versatile skin benefits:

   • Exfoliation: Gently removes dead skin cells, brightens the complexion, and unclogs pores when mixed with water or a gentle cleanser.

   • Soothing: Relieves minor skin irritations like itching and redness; a baking soda paste can calm these symptoms.

   • Healing: Aids in treating skin conditions such as fungal infections, eczema, poison ivy reactions, diaper rash, insect bites, sunburn, and razor burn.

5. Epsom Salts:

   • Skin Benefits: Epsom salts, rich in magnesium, can exfoliate and hydrate the skin, improving texture and assisting with conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and acne. They also help in minor wound relief and sunburn treatment but should be avoided on open wounds or severe skin issues.

   • Body Benefits: May ease pain and inflammation, soothe sore muscles, aid in proper muscle and nerve function, and improve overall bodily functions such as blood circulation and insulin effectiveness.

   • Mood Benefits: May enhance sleep quality, reduce stress, and promote relaxation by replenishing magnesium levels, although scientific support for these claims is mixed.

By incorporating these powerful ingredients into your homemade bath bombs, you not only enjoy a fizzy, fun bath experience but also benefit from their natural healing and soothing properties.

8 Delightful Recipes

Let’s dive into some easy DIY bath bomb recipes. With the right ingredients, you can customize your bath bombs to cater to different needs, whether you're looking to relax, alleviate congestion, or soothe sore muscles. Feel free to experiment with your favorite essential oils, just be sure they are the purest, most tested, most trusted oils available, as your body will absorb them.  I chose Serenity, Breathe, and Marjoram, plus a few other delightful options to start. These recipes will make anywhere from 2 to 8 bath bombs each, depending on the size of your mold. Let’s get started!

Ingredients You'll Need

Base Ingredients:

• baking soda

• citric acid

• Epsom salts

• cornstarch

• oil -  coconut oil, almond oil, or olive oil - or feel free to experiment with your other favorites

• water

• essential oil - start with 10 - 20 drops per recipe and then experiment up or down for your preference with your next batch

• Natural Food coloring (optional)

• Molds (silicone molds or plastic ornaments work well.  I purchased some metal molds from amazon that I love.)

For Color and Texture:

• Dried flowers (like lavender or rose petals)

• Glitter or mica powder (for shimmer)

Basic Bath Bomb Instructions 

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together baking soda, citric acid, Epsom salts, and cornstarch.  Make sure all clumps are broken apart (cornstarch can be clumpy).

2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the oil, water, and essential oil. Add food coloring if desired.  If you’re using coconut oil, give it a quick melt (microwave or stove) so it will easily combine with the other ingredients.

3. Combine Mixtures: Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture, a little at a time, while continuously stirring. The mixture should hold together when pressed but should not be too wet.  When you squeeze it together in your hand, we are looking for one or two clumps when you release.  If it is too dry I like to add more water using a spray bottle while stirring until it reaches the correct “clumpability”.

4. Add Additives: If you’re using dried flowers or glitter, gently fold them in.

5. Mold Bath Bombs: Press the mixture firmly into your molds. If using two part molds, fill both halves and press them together tightly. I like to check them in about an hour or two.  If they release from the molds I will pop them out and let them dry in the open for at least 24 hours. If they break apart when trying to pop them out, I pack them back in the mold and squeeze the molds together tightly and try again in another hour. 

6. Unmold and Store: Once thoroughly dry (at least 24 hours in the open, I will pack them for storage.  If I am giving them as gifts I wrap each bomb in cling-wrap or cellophane with a cute ribbon or tag and then pop them into an airtight container. If these are just for me I stack them into an airtight container until I’m ready to use them. “Airtight” is important to keep the bombs dry and also because the essential oils are volatile and will evaporate. Pro Tip: store bombs with different essential oil aromas in separate containers.

Recipe 1: Serenity Sleep Bath Bombs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda

• 1/2 cup citric acid

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons water

• 10 to 20 drops Serenity essential oil blend

• Purple food coloring (optional)

Instructions: Follow the basic instructions, but add 10 to 20 drops of Serenity essential oil blend to promote relaxation and better sleep. Use a natural purple food coloring for a calming look.

Recipe 2: Breathe Easy Bath Bombs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda

• 1/2 cup citric acid

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons almond oil

• 2 tablespoons water

• 10 to 20 drops Breathe essential oil blend

• A few drops of blue food coloring (optional)

Instructions: Add 10 to 20 drops of Breathe essential oil blend to help clear congestion and promote easier breathing. Blue food coloring will give a refreshing look.

Recipe 3: Muscle Relief Bath Bombs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda

• 1/2 cup citric acid

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons water

• 10 to 20 drops Marjoram essential oil

• Green food coloring (optional)

Instructions: Add 10 to 20 drops of Marjoram essential oil to soothe sore muscles. Use green food coloring for a vibrant, earthy look.

Recipe 4: Lavender Bliss Bath Bombs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda

• 1/2 cup citric acid

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons almond oil

• 2 tablespoons water

• 10 to 20 drops Lavender essential oil

• Lavender buds (optional)

Instructions: Add 10 to 20 drops of Lavender essential oil and a sprinkle of lavender buds to help relax and unwind. This recipe is perfect for a calming bath experience.

Recipe 5: Rose Garden Bath Bombs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda

• 1/2 cup citric acid

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 to 2 drops Rose essential oil (you read that correctly.  If you are using a pure Rose oil, then 1 to 2 drops is all you need)

• Dried rose petals (optional)

Instructions: Incorporate 2 drops of Rose essential oil and dried rose petals for a luxurious, floral bath bomb. Ideal for a romantic or soothing bath.

Recipe 6: Eucalyptus Mint Bath Bombs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda

• 1/2 cup citric acid

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons water

• 5 to 10 drops Eucalyptus essential oil

• 5 to 10 drops Peppermint essential oil

• Green food coloring (optional)

Instructions: Combine 5 to 10  drops each of Eucalyptus and Peppermint essential oils for a refreshing, invigorating bath. Use green food coloring to match the fresh, minty aroma.

Recipe 7: Ginger Spice Bath Bombs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda

• 1/2 cup citric acid

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons almond oil

• 2 tablespoons water

• 10 to 20 drops Ginger essential oil

• Cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Instructions: Add 10 to 20 drops of Ginger essential oil and a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for a warm, spicy bath bomb that soothes and comforts.

Recipe 8: Chamomile Calm Bath Bombs

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda

• 1/2 cup citric acid

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons water

• 10 to 20 drops Roman Chamomile essential oil

• Dried chamomile flowers (optional)

Instructions: Add 10 to 20 drops of Roman Chamomile essential oil and dried chamomile flowers for a calming and soothing bath experience. Ideal for winding down after a long day.

Transform Your Bath Time with DIY Bliss

With these homemade bath bombs, you’ve not only created fizzing delights but also embraced a new level of self-care. Each natural ingredient has been carefully chosen to enhance your bath experience, offering relaxation, relief from sore muscles, and a soothing escape from daily stress. Enjoy the calming scents and therapeutic benefits of your creations, turning every bath into a personal sanctuary. Pamper yourself with the luxury of a spa-like retreat right at home. Take a moment to unwind, soak in the nourishing effects, and savor the joy of your DIY bath time transformation.