Homemade Bath Bombs
We are knee deep into toddlerhood with Mabel these days and with that comes the unexpected big feelings over previously-enjoyed activities. Since the day she was born, we have bathed her every single night before bed. However, over the past couple of weeks, her bathroom has become a battleground. Needless to say, I have been pulling every trick in the book to try and get her in the tub - reading a favourite book, playing with new toys, or even watching the odd episode of Cocomelon while she soaks. Something that has been helping is giving her responsibilities related to her bath, such as getting her wash cloth from the drawer or washing her own arms and legs.
The other day, as I was trying to think of other ways to make her bathtime more enticing for her, I remembered how much fun it can be to use a bath bomb. I had made my own shower melts a couple of years ago and knew that I probably still had all the supplies necessary, so I decided to give some homemade bath bombs a try. I whipped up a (very easy) batch in a matter of minutes. It was so easy that I figured I would share the recipe I used here in case you’d like to bring a little fizzle to your own kiddo bathtime routines. Mabel loves the job of throwing one of these into her tub as it fills up and I feel good knowing that they aren’t full of artificial colours and fragrances.
Supplies
1/2 cup of baking soda
1/4 cup of citric acid
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1/4 cup of epsom salt
1 tablespoon of jojoba oil (you could easily use an alternative oil, I just had this one on hand)
3/4 teaspoon of water
10-15 drops of essential oils (optional if you want a natural scent. I used both lavender and orange, which are perfect for pre-bedtime)
Silicone mold (I had a square cube one on hand, but any shape would work)
To Make The Bath Bombs
Mix together all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Be sure to stir them well so they are well combined. In a separate small bowl, combine the oil, water, and essential oils (if you choose use them). Mix these wet ingredients together well too.
Very slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add very little bits at a time and mix after each addition. If you add it too quickly, the liquid ingredients will cause a reaction with the citric acid, causing it to foam. This is the reaction you want to occur in the tub water when you use the bath bombs, so do your best to work slowly. It will foam a little bit as you mix, but do your best to take your time.
Grease your mold with some of the excess oil mixture left over in the small dish you mixed the wet ingredients in. Just use your finger to rub it along the walls of the mold to prevent any sticking. Once you are done, scoop the bath bomb mixture into your mold. Use your finger to compact the mixture slightly into the mold.
Allow your bath bombs to rest overnight so they harden completely. As the moisture evaporates, the bath bombs will slightly rise and expand. Ensure they are fully hardened before removing them from the molds (I left mine for 24 hours). The drying time will depend on the size of your mold. Once you remove them, store them in a dish or closed container. This recipe made nine cubes out of my mold, so I simply put them in an open wooden dish in Mabel’s bathroom. If you make more, you may want to use a larger, sealed container or jar to store yours for a longer period of time.
That’s it! To use them, simply throw them in the running tap as you fill the tub and enjoy watching the bubbles fizz. These natural bombs don’t create as much of a show as the colourful store-bought versions, but the smell of natural essential oils is so peaceful and calming before bedtime and the fizz is enough to impress any little eyes. That certainly makes the effort worth it for me!
Faux Plant // Bowl (thrifted) // Basket (Homesense) // Shelf Brackets
What scent would you make? I think a woodsy version or a citrus version would both be heavenly. Maybe I’ll give that a go with the next batch, as I’m sure these will be a staple in the bath time routine over the next little while.
If you missed it, I shared all about Mabel’s kid-friendly bathroom refresh in this post.
