Relaxing in a warm bath relieves stress. Bath bombs enhance relaxation and turn an ordinary, routine bath into a luxurious treat. Bath bombs often contain chemicals labeled with strings of letters and numbers. Many scents come from artificial chemicals created in a lab.Is soaking skin in a chemical solution really healthy or relaxing? One advantage of homemade bath bombs is knowing exactly what they are made of. Homemade bath bombs also cost less than many commercial products. Shaped silicone molds create fun shapes, and meat baller forms smooth round bath bombs.

Valentine’s Day Bath Bombs

• 8-ounces baking soda
• 4-ounces Epsom salt
• 4-ounce cornstarch
• 4-ounce citric acid
• 3-teaspoons water
• 2-teaspoons fragrance oil
• 2-5 drops pink food coloring
• heart molds
• rainbow sprinkles

Stir the salt, cornstarch, baking soda, and citric acid in a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to avoid clumps. Mix water, food coloring, and fragrance oil in a separate bowl. Slowly pour and whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour the mixture into the heart molds and top with sprinkles.

Matcha Bath Bombs

• 1/2-cup baking soda
• 1/4-cup citric acid
• 1/4-cup corn starch
• 1-tablespoon rubbing alcohol
• 1-teaspoon matcha powder
• round molds

Mix baking soda, citric acid, and corn starch in a bowl. Slowly pour rubbing alcohol into the bowl, and remove 3-tablespoons of the mixture to set aside in another bowl. Add the matcha powder to the original bowl. The matcha powder makes the original mixture green. Add a thin layer of green powder to the bottom of each mold. Layer the white mixture from the other bowl on top of the green layer, and continue layering until the mold is full.

Moisturizing Milk and Honey Bath Bombs

• 1/3-cup shea butter
• 1/3-cup almond oil
• 1/4-cup honey
• 1-cup powdered milk
• 1/2-cup powdered milk (for rolling)

Put the mango butter, almond oil, and honey in a glass bowl, and boil water in a saucepan. Place the glass bowl in the pan of boiling water to melt ingredients. Remove the bowl from the saucepan, and stir in 1-cup of powdered milk. Roll the mixture into dense balls, and roll the balls in the 1/2-cup of powdered milk.

Pink Himalayan Salt Bath Bombs

• 1-cup baking soda
• 1/2-cup cornstarch
• 1/2-cup pink Himalayan salt
• 1/2-cup citric acid
• Two 1/2-tablespoons almond oil
• 2-teaspoons water
• 20-25 drops Lavender essential oil
• bath bomb molds or two sets of round molds

Mix baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and citric acid in a large bowl. Mix the almond oil, water, and essential oil in a separate bowl. Slowly pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and mix them together. Fill each mold with the mixture. Push the molds together for several minutes, so the bath bombs have a round shape. Carefully pull the top mold away and turn the bottom mold upside down to remove the balls. A meat baller can be used instead of the molds. Wrap each ball in cellophane for storage.

Charcoal Detox Bath Bombs

• One tablespoon activated charcoal
• 3/4-cup baking soda
• 1/4-cup and 2-tablespoons citric acid
• 3-tablespoons melted coconut oil
• essential oils (any scent)
• witch hazel
• molds of any shape

Mix the charcoal, baking soda, and citric acid in a large glass bowl. Add melted coconut oil and essential oils. Stir all ingredients together and add enough witch hazel to moisten the mixture to wet sand consistency. Fill molds and let them sit for 24 hours before using bath bombs.

Rosehip Oil Bath Bombs

• 1-cup baking soda
• 1/4-cup Celtic sea salt
• 1/4-cup rose clay
• 1-tablespoon rosehip seed oil
• 20 drops lavender essential oil
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil
• 1/4-cup citric acid
• 95 % Isopropyl alcohol
• Spray bottle
• bath bomb molds or meat baller

Put baking soda, salt, clay, rosehip oil, and both essential oils in a large bowl. Add citric acid and mix thoroughly. Pour Isopropyl alcohol into a spray bottle and spritz alcohol on the baking soda mixture 8-10 times while stirring. Push the mixture into bath bomb molds or scoop it with a meat baller. Place the balls on parchment paper to dry.

Lavender and Lemon Allergy Relief

• 1-cup baking soda
• 1/2-cup citric acid
• 1/2-cup corn starch
• 1-tablespoon coconut oil
• witch hazel and a spray bottle
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 10 drops lemon essential oil
• purple and yellow food coloring
• bath bomb molds or clear plastic ornament balls

Mix baking soda, citric acid, and corn starch in a large bowl. Add coconut oil and mix thoroughly. Put half the mixture into another bowl. Add ten drops of lemon oil and yellow food coloring to one bowl, and add ten drops of lavender essential oil and purple food coloring in the other bowl. Spray witch hazel on both mixtures until they form balls without crumbling. Layer the purple and yellow mixtures in the molds or plastic ornament balls to create stripes or patterns.

Ice Cream Cone Bath Bombs

• 1/4-cup citric acid
• 1/4-cup corn starch
• 1/2-cup baking soda
• 1/4-cup Epsom salt
• 1-teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/2-teaspoon wintergreen or peppermint essential oil
• 1/2-teaspoon vitamin E oil
• 1/2-teaspoon water
• Three different shades of food coloring
• ice cream cones
• rainbow sprinkles
• bath bomb molds or meat baller

Mix citric acid, corn starch, baking soda, and Epsom salt in a bowl. Mix essential oils, water, and vitamin E oil in a separate bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, and separate the mixture equally into three bowls. Add a different shade of food coloring to each bowl. Pack the mixture into molds or scoop with the meat baller. Let the bath bombs dry for 8 hours. Stack one bath bomb of each color on the cones for a 3-scoop ice cream cone. Add sprinkles over each stacked cone.

Snowflake Bath Bombs

• 1 -cup baking soda
• 1/2-cup citric acid
• 1/2-cup Epsom salts
• 3/4-cup corn starch
• 1-teaspoon water
• 2-teaspoons peppermint essential oil
• 3-teaspoon olive oil
• 3-5 drops blue food coloring
• snowflake mode

Mix the baking soda, corn starch, Epsom salts, and citric acid in a large bowl. Combine water, peppermint oil, olive oil, and blue food coloring in a separate bowl. Whisk the wet and dry ingredients together, and pack the mixture into snowflake molds. Let molds sit for 24 hours before removing bath bombs.

Essential Oil Guide

There are hundreds of essential oils to use in almost any bath bomb recipe. Some essential oils are used frequently. Lavender has calming properties to soothe anxiety and relax. Lemon is energizing with a sharp, clean scent. Peppermint relieves headaches and muscle pain or tension. Spearmint has an invigorating scent and mixes well with other oils. Ginger boosts circulation and relieves muscle aches or arthritis. Experiment with various essential oils, or combine them in different ways to find a new favorite.