How to Make Homemade Fizzy Bath Bombs

Nathalie Roy is a Canadian living in France and a stay-at-home mom. She enjoys all things DIY.

Nicely packaged, homemade bath bomb balls make a beautiful, one-of-a-kind gift. They are also great to sell at the farmer's market, especially if you use local herbs and flowers. So sit back and relax because this article includes everything you need to know to make your own fizzy bath bombs and bath cupcakes.

Fizzy Bath Bomb Ball Recipe

• 1 cup citric acid
• 2 cups baking soda
• 3 tablespoons kaolin clay (optional)
• Fragrance or essential oil
• Coloring
• Witch hazel
• Molds

Essential Oils or Fragrance Oils?

In these recipes, you can use fragrance oils or essential oils. I prefer natural ingredients, so I use essential oils. There are plenty of scent options available. Pregnant women should be careful when using essential oils.

Instructions

1. Combine citric acid, baking soda, and kaolin clay (if using) in a large bowl and mix well, making sure to break up all lumps.
2. Add fragrance or essential oil and mix well.
3. Add coloring and mix until color is evenly distributed. If making more than one color, divide the batch beforehand and color each portion individually.
4. Test the mixture to see if it holds together. If it needs more moisture, add a light spritz of witch hazel while continuously mixing. Careful: Adding too much witch hazel can cause the mixture to become too moist and lose its fizz. It should feel like brown sugar in texture, and should hold its shape when pressed firmly into a ball.
5. Firmly pack the mixture into molds, making sure that the filling is level with the top of the mold. Allow bombs to sit for 10 minutes.
6. Turn mold over and gently tap, allowing the bomb to fall out. Keep your hand under the mold so that the ball doesn't fall onto a hard surface and break.
7. Lightly wrap in a towel and let dry overnight.
8. Store wrapped in cellophane or in an airtight container, and keep away from moisture. Bath balls that are old or have been allowed to sit out and get damp will lose their fizz—and may even break apart.

Helpful Tips

• Keep ingredients in a cool, dry and moisture-free location.
• Have ingredients and molds ready to go before you start.
• Work quickly. You'll be working with very little liquid, and you need to get the mixture into the molds before it starts to dry.
• If you live in a very humid location and you're having trouble getting your bath balls to stay molded, try drying them for an hour or so in a 250-degree oven instead of wrapping them in a towel. It might just be that there's too much humidity where you live and you need them to dry faster.
• Kaolin clay will make your bombs a little more sturdy and will also act as a skin-softening agent.

Important

If you live in a humid climate, you'll need to add very little witch hazel. Test the mixture first to see how well it holds together before adding any moisture; then, slowly add witch hazel a few drops at a time.

Fizzy Bath Cupcake Recipe

• 1 cup citric acid
• 2 cups baking soda
• Fragrance or essential oil
• Coloring
• Cupcake liners and tin

Instructions

1. Line cupcake tin. In a large bowl, combine citric acid and baking soda and mix well, making sure to break up all lumps.
2. Add fragrance oil and mix well.
3. Add coloring and mix until color is evenly distributed. If making more than one color, divide the batch beforehand and color each portion individually.
4. Test mixture to see if it holds together. If it needs more moisture, add a light spritz of witch hazel while continuously mixing. Careful: Adding too much witch hazel can cause the mixture to become too moist and lose its fizz. It should feel like brown sugar in texture, and should hold its shape when pressed firmly into a ball.
5. Firmly pack mixture into cupcake liners, over-filling so that each cupcake is rounded on top. Allow molds to sit for 10 minutes while preparing frosting (recipe below).

Fizzy Bath Cupcake Icing Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups meringue powder
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 8 tablespoons jojoba oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 3/4 cup sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
• Fragrance or essential oil
• Coloring
• Jojoba beads or glitter (optional)

Caution

SLS is a very light-weight powder that will irritate your throat if inhaled. It's recommended that you wear a mask while working with SLS.

Instructions

1. Place warm water in large mixing bowl and add meringue powder. Mix well until blended and smooth, scraping the sides.
2. Add jojoba oil, cream of tartar, powdered sugar and sodium lauryl sulfate.
3. Stir in dry ingredients with a spoon or spatula until saturated enough that powder doesn't fly out of the bowl.
4. Continue mixing with a mixer and add in 1 to 2 teaspoons of fragrance oil (adjusted to preference) and coloring. Mix until well blended.
5. Icing should be stiff enough that it holds its shape when piping. If it's too thick, gradually add water, one teaspoon at a time, until you achieve desired consistency.
6. Leave your bath cupcakes in the tin while decorating and let sit overnight to harden. Store wrapped in cellophane or in an airtight container, and keep away from moisture.

Get Creative and Mix and Match Fragrances for Unique Blends

Now that you know the basics, it's time to have some fun!

• Pretend you're Coco Chanel and mix fragrance oils to create unique blends!
• Try layering colors within the mold.
• Use glitter, sprinkles, seed beads or even real seeds to decorate cupcakes. Mmm . . . imagine the fragrance of pure vanilla seeds mixed into your steaming hot bathwater.
• Add sea salt, coarse salt, Epsom salts or kosher salt. Use as sprinkles to make your bath balls sparkly. As a plus, your skin will be even softer after your bath.
• Add fresh or dried herbs to increase therapeutic value. Just be careful that you don't add too much; otherwise, the bombs might not pack together as well as they should.
• Add fresh or dried flower petals or buds. Use sparingly! It only takes a few to make your bombs more elegant.
• Start hiding little prizes inside. Position the prize so that it will end up in the middle of the ball. Make sure it's packed well inside the mixture—don't just hollow out the ball and let the prize rattle around inside.
• Try making each half a different fragrance. Imagine a lemon-lime fizz or a coconut-pineapple fizz. My favorite combination? Rose and lavender!

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Why Make Your Own Fizzy Bath Bombs?

I've paid for my fair share of store-bought bath bombs. Who hasn't? They are everywhere these days. They make great gifts, and I particularly like the ones that have little surprises hidden inside.

If you're only picking up one, it's no big deal; paying $7 five or six times a year doesn't make that much of a dent in your wallet. These things start to add up, however, and over time they can be quite expensive. Who can afford to pay $7 every time they take a bath? Also, it can be challenging to find bath products made with natural ingredients.

You can save a lot of money by making them at home. Depending on how big you make your bath balls, you can save up to two-thirds of the retail price, and even more if you were previously buying expensive boutique ones.

Luckily, they are quite easy to make at home. They take very little time to prepare, there's no huge mess to clean up, and you can have tons of fun creating your own fragrances!

What Makes a Bath Bomb Fizzy?

There are both regular and fizzy bath bombs. And never the twain shall meet! What's the difference?

The fizz, of course! Regular bath balls can be scented, colored and can contain special oils and salts to soften your skin. But they just. Don't. Fizz!

The fizziness comes from the combination of baking soda and citric acid. When baking soda is combined with an acid and a liquid, it creates carbon dioxide bubbles.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2012 Nathalie Roy

Do you enjoy making your own spa products at home?

Shinichi Mine from Tokyo, Japan on January 22, 2014:

I've never tried but it looks doable.

Lynn Klobuchar on January 20, 2014:

Too busy, but I could see how this would be a great party idea for a ladies get together or teens!

evawrites1 on January 18, 2014:

Yes I love to make my own spa products!

sherioz on January 03, 2014:

This would be great to make as gifts.

Lorelei Cohen on December 15, 2013:

Wishing you an amazing holiday season. It is going by so quickly this year.

Kylyssa Shay from Overlooking a meadow near Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA on November 10, 2013:

I haven't made any in years but I may just be making some of these effervescent bath fizzies for Christmas gifts.

julieannbrady on November 09, 2013:

You know something? It has been AGES since I actually had a bath -- more than 3 years! But, I feel a need to have one with a fizzy bath bomb. Thank YOU.

Monica Lobenstein from Western Wisconsin on September 29, 2013:

I've never made any spa products but this has me inspired. I love scents and fizz in my bath!

Lorelei Cohen from Canada on April 02, 2013:

The cupcake fizzy bath bombs looks gorgeous. These would make fantastic holiday gifts.

Michelllle on March 14, 2013:

Cute ideas for homemade presents. Great lens,

Linda Jo Martin from Post Falls, Idaho, USA on October 05, 2012:

This looks like so much fun! I have everything I need to make them except for the citric acid and witch hazel. Thanks for sharing ...

Marie on August 29, 2012:

Great gift idea for Christmas.

Heather McGlaughlin from Marryland on March 28, 2012:

Great info. on how to make homemade bath bombs.

Peggy Hazelwood from Desert Southwest, U.S.A. on March 24, 2012:

Very cute idea! Fizzy bombs are great added to a bath.

crstnblue on March 23, 2012:

Very nice ideas & lot of joy! Thumbs up to you!

Looking for my colorful fizzy bath bomb now! : )

Sheila from Omaha, NE on March 23, 2012:

I can't wait to make these! I love to play "mad scientist" and this is the perfect project for something new that I will really use! Fabulous lens, thank you!

anonymous on March 23, 2012:

Enjoyed reading about something like this.

Lorelei Cohen from Canada on March 22, 2012:

Relaxing in a nice hot tub with a little fizzy bath bomb thrown in sounds like a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. I love it!

WriterJanis2 on March 19, 2012:

These look likw fun to make.

Darcie French from Abbotsford, BC on March 19, 2012:

Sounds easy and fun to make your own bath bombs, thanks!

TapIn2U on March 19, 2012:

I love to make these. I'll try on my free time. Sundae ;-)

Rose Jones on March 18, 2012:

I've made these, they are really nice. Good presents at Christmastime.