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No self-care session is complete without drawing yourself a warm, relaxing bath to unwind and de-stress. But in order to bask in a state of pure bliss, you’ll need to toss in a heavenly bath bomb to create the perfect atmosphere.
However, not all bath bombs are the same. Though there’s certainly never a shortage of psychedelic, fizzy spheres to choose from, you actually might want to consider ditching the traditional store-bought bath bomb in favor of a homemade one made with natural ingredients.
Because store-bought bath bombs are usually formulated with a variety of bad ingredients — such as, artificial dyes and fragrances, they may irritate skin or even cause allergic reactions. Even if your skin isn’t particularly sensitive, you’d probably be much better off leaving some of these ingredients out of the water you soak in.
Ready to start making your own bath bombs from scratch? Here’s some information to guide you through it, along with our favorite recipes for making DIY bath bombs without citric acid.
What do we Love Most About DIY Bath Bombs?
Making your own bath bombs out of natural ingredients is not only much better for your health, but it can also save you a ton of money in the long-run. To sum up, here are the main benefits of making your own bath bombs at home:
- Fun DIY project
- Easy to make
- Less-irritating, gentler on skin
- Contains safer ingredients
- More cost-effective
- Ability to customize the recipe to achieve the perfect bath bomb
What’s the Difference Between DIY Bath Bombs and Traditional Store-Bought Bath Bombs?
With so many different store-bought options to choose from, it might be hard to resist tossing one of these rainbow-hued spheres into your shopping cart. However, conventional bath bombs are mostly just great for enhancing the ambience and moisturizing your skin ever-so-slightly — which you can also achieve with a homemade bath bomb (minus the bad ingredients).
Better for health
Though traditional store-bought bath bombs are quite mesmerizing in appearance, you can probably imagine the amount of artificial ingredients that are being used to give them these qualities. By putting together your own bath bomb with more natural ingredients, you can rest assured you’re limiting your exposure to harmful substances.
Gentler on skin
As mentioned, conventional bath bombs are usually formulated with artificial dyes and fragrances. That said, some of these ingredients are known to irritate skin — which can be especially problematic for people with sensitive skin.
Less work to clean up after
Traditional bath bombs often contain large amounts of artificial dyes and glitter — which is definitely not a good combo when it comes to cleaning up after your bath.
If you’re not a huge fan of needing to do a major cleanup session after every bath, making your own bath bomb is your best bet. Because homemade bath bombs are colored with food coloring, you don’t have to worry as much about it staining your tub.
Add your favorite colors and scents
What we love the most about making our own bath bombs is that we get to customize the entire thing — from choosing our favorite colors and scents, to picking the right moisturizing oil to nourish our skin.
Budget-friendly
Instead of buying overpriced bath bombs (which can easily add up over time), you can just make your own at a fraction of the cost out of common household ingredients. The best part is that you probably already have most of the ingredients at home. But if not, homemade bath bombs are still the more budget-friendly option because your initial purchase of ingredients can last you several DIY sessions.
Why Not Add Citric Acid to your Homemade Bath Bomb?
Citric acid is commonly found in both conventional and DIY bath bombs — and it’s the combination of citric acid and baking soda that gives them their fizziness. But even if you don’t have any citric acid on hand, you can still create the perfect bath bomb with a simple DIY recipe that doesn’t require citric acid. But first, let’s take a closer look at why you might actually want to opt for a homemade bath bomb without citric acid instead:
- It’s hard to find citric acid in some regions
- It can get pretty expensive in some areas
- It may irritate your skin – especially if you have sensitive skin
Recipes for DIY Bath Bombs Without Citric Acid
Recipe #1: Coconut bath bomb
What you’ll need:
- ¼ cup cream of tartar
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup baking soda
- ½ cup Epsom salt
- 2 ½ tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp essential oil (whichever you prefer)
- 1-2 drops of food coloring (optional)
- 1 tbsp water
- Silicone mold
-> Get your ingredients on Amazon <-
Instructions:
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl — glass or stainless steel. Avoid using a bowl that’s made from either plastic or aluminum, because there’s potential for a reaction.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together with a fork or whisk.
- Grab another bowl for your wet ingredients. Combine the oil and food coloring in this bowl. Even though it’s optional to add oil to your bath bomb, adding in this step will make your bath bomb more nourishing.
- Spoon some of the second mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients — slowly adding more into the mixture as you start mixing. Use your hands (while wearing gloves) to mix everything together until it reaches a crumbly consistency.
- To see if the mixture is ready to be molded, squeeze it with your hand. If the mixture holds its shape, then you’re ready for the next step.
- Add the mixture into the silicone mold.
- Use a spoon to pack it in as tight as possible, then even it out at the top.
- Let your bath bomb sit for a couple hours (or overnight) to fully set.
- To ensure peak performance, use your DIY bath bomb within a few weeks of making it.
Recipe #2: Mini lavender bath bombs
What you’ll need:
- 1 tbsp lavender Epsom salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tbsp cream of tartar
- 2 tbsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp water
- 1/2 tsp almond oil
- Food coloring (optional)
- Mold for mini bath bombs
-> Get your ingredients on Amazon <-
Instructions:
- Grab two separate bowls — one for the wet ingredients and one for the dry ingredients.
- Use a fork or whisk to mix the dry ingredients together.
- Mix the wet ingredients.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients while continuously mixing.
- Use a spoon to fill the mold with your bath bomb mixture.
- Pack the mixture in as tight as possible.
- Leave your mini bath bombs out to set overnight — or for at least 5 hours.
Recipe #3: Mini bath bombs without Epsom salt
What you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 4 tbsp cream of tartar
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp flavor extract (almond, coconut, or banana)
- A few drops of food coloring
- Ice cube tray (as a mold)
-> Get your ingredients on Amazon <-
Instructions:
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and use a fork to mix it.
- Add the wet ingredients to a smaller bowl and mix.
- Combine both the wet and dry ingredients while continuously stirring the mixture.
- Once the mixture reaches a crumbly texture, scoop the bath bomb mixture into the mold (ice cube tray).
- Use a spoon to pack the mixture into the mold tightly.
- Leave the bath bombs out to set overnight.
Conclusion
Taking a nice, relaxing bath at the end of a long day can instantly improve your mood and alleviate stress. But before you draw yourself your next bath, you just might want to try out one of these recipes to make your own DIY bath bomb without citric acid. In addition to minimizing your exposure to potentially-harmful ingredients, these cute little spheres make for a thoughtful little gift for your loved ones.
Have you already tried making your own bath bombs from scratch? We always love hearing from you. Let us know in the comments about your experience with homemade bath bombs — and of course, if you have any questions or recipes for bath bombs without citric acid to share with us!
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