Here in Colorado, we are right in the middle of winter. Which means the air is not only cold, but very dry. Even with our humidifier running my skin still longs for more moisture, so I take a lot of baths in the wintertime.
While a simple epsom salt bath usually does the trick, this weekend I decided to try to make something new and exciting. I had seen fizzy bath bombs at different stores and wanted to try my hand at making my own which turned out to be really easy and fun!
My fizzy bath bombs do still include epsom salts which have have lots of health benefits, including relieving stress and softening skin, which is exactly what I want out of my bath time.
just-barely-held-together mixture, ready to press into the mold
An optional step in this recipe is the addition of essential oils. I really like adding aromatherapy to my self-care time, and bath time is a perfect way to add that extra scent step. If you're not sure where to start with essential oils, a nice, simple blend would be 15 drops of lavender and 15 drops of clary sage. For respiration, I would use 5 drops of ravensara, 5 drops of hyssop, 5 drops of eucalyptus, 5 drops of peppermint, 4 drops of ginger and 6 drops of frankincense. If you really wanted to experiment, a very luxurious blend would be this rose essential oil kit.
example of the mixture when it's ready to press into the mold
Fizzy bath bombs are not only great to liven up your personal spa time, but they are also a fun science experiment to try with kids! Older kids will love learning that when you mix alkaline baking soda with acidic citric acid and then add water, a burst of fizzy fun happens! And younger kids will enjoy the process of making something with their hands, and seeing the fun bubbles that happen at bath time from what they made.
I used compostable muffin cups to make it easier to get the disks out of the muffin tin. If you plan on composting the cups, just give them a quick rinse before tossing them into the pile to remove any extra citric acid.
Most of the ingredients can be found at your local health-food store, or at Mountain Rose Herbs if you don't have a health-food store near you.
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Fizzy Bath Bombs
2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cups arrowroot powder (you could also use cornstarch)
1 cup citric acid
1/2 cup epsom salts
2+ tablespoons water
(optional) food coloring
(optional) 30 drops essential oil
In a large bowl, mix together the baking soda, arrowroot powder epsom salts and optional essential oil. Mix well. Let it dry for a few minutes, then add the citric acid. Mix well again. Then, put 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl with a pour spout, mixing in optional food coloring if using.
Next, drizzle the water slowly and only a few drops at at a time into the dry mixture. Make sure to use a whisk and stir constantly, if you start to see some fizzing make sure to stir that area extra well so that you have some fizz left for bath time! The mixture is done when it just barely holds together if you squeeze it with your hand. If you have used the entire 2 tablespoons of water and it still doesn't hold together when squeezed, add more water as outlined above, one-half tablespoon at a time until the mixture starts to hold together when you squeeze it. Remember: it won't look like it is holding together if you are just whisking it, you need to squeeze it with one hand.
Then, a little at a time, use your fingertips to tightly pack the mixture into molds. You can use a muffin tin with muffin cups if that is what you have on hand, or you can use fancy soap molds if you have those. Metal molds work best (not silicone) because they are firmer and help you be able to pack the mixture very tightly into the mold. Once packed, carefully remove the shapes onto a flat surface and allow to completely dry, usually around 10-24 hours but less if you live in a very dry climate.
Store in a cool, very dry place. To use: simply draw a bath, pop 2-3 bath bombs into the bath and enjoy!
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If you are using regular sized muffin tins, this recipe will make 12-15 bath bombs.
Let me know if you make my fizzy bath bombs, and I hope you enjoy bath time even more now!