Bath bombs are great project for both beginner and advanced crafters.
Making bath bombs is an easy process, but it takes practice.
Bath bombs are sensitive to moisture and can be finicky. Without the right mixture of ingredients bath bombs can crumble, fall apart or fizz incorrectly.
Below are some of the most common bath bomb questions to make you understand them better.
The standard ratio is 2 parts baking soda to 1 part citric acid. Once the dry ingredients are combined, a small amount of liquid is introduced to create a moldable, wet sand texture.
The liquid is usually witch hazel, but oils can also be added for moisture and additional skin benefits.
The bath bomb mixture can be further customized with your favorite scents , color and the shape of the mold.
Now, let’s get to the questions!
A bumpy texture on your bath bomb is usually a result of clumps in the dry ingredients or not fully mixing the essential oil.
Baking soda in particular tends to clump together.
Before adding oil, color, essential oil or other additives, break up large clumps with your hands.
To remove and break up smaller clumps, pour the dry ingredients through a fine mesh sifter.
This extra step gives a smooth texture.
Bath bomb warts can also occur when the fizzy contains too much moisture.
Usually the culprit is essential oil so mix extra well to ensure the wet is fully incorporated into the dry.
If your bath bomb is not fizzing in the tub as much as you’d like, you may try increasing the amount of citric acid in your recipe.
You can start with a mix of 2 parts baking soda to 1.5 parts citric acid.
In addition, if you use cornstarch in your recipe, you may try decreasing the amount or eliminating it all together.
Fizzing can also decrease if a large amount of oil is used.
If your bath bomb comes in contact with moisture from the air or from a damp environment, the fizzing reaction can decrease.
To protect it from moisture, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.
If your bath bombs are expanding in the mold, this means the mixture is too wet and the fizzing reaction is happening prematurely.
If this happens, the bath bombs may still may fizz in the tub, although the amount of fizz may be decreased. In addition, bath bomb mixtures can fizz prematurely due to moisture in the air. For example, if you make bath fizzies on a moist and rainy day, this can cause the bath fizzies to expand in the mold.
How do I package bath bombs?
If you live in a humid climate, you may want to wrap the fizzies tightly in plastic wrap before putting them in a box or bag. The plastic wrap helps protect the fizzies from excess moisture. You can also pop a silica packet in the package with your fizzy. The silica packet will help absorb excess moisture. Just make sure whoever has the fizzy doesn’t throw the silica packet in the tub as well! Using a dehumidifier or running a fan over the fizzies as they dry helps too.