DIY bath bombs are the epitome of fun. Are you having a stressful day? Include some scented fizz into your bathtub and blow your stresses away. Bath bombs can turn your regular boring bath sessions into the time of your day that you’d be excited about.
Although bath bombs are so much fun to make, gathering supplies can often be challenging as the main ingredient, citric acid, is expensive and difficult to find.
However, we have the perfect recipe for you to make a bath bomb without using citric acid. Another reason to remove citric acid from your bath bomb recipe is that it can cause skin irritation and itchiness to children as their skin is sensitive.
Contents
Pros of Making Bath Bombs Without Citric Acid
Here are few benefits of making DIY lush bath bombs without citric acid –
- It eliminates the hardship of finding citric acid.
- Easy to make
- Safe for children and toddlers as they have sensitive skin, which may get irritated when you use citric acid in bath bombs
- The capability of producing a tremendous fizzy experience
- The recipe involves three pantry staples that are harmless and cheap.
What Will You Need?
- A small bowl and a large bowl for mixing
- Spoons with measurements
- Mixing spoon
- Any two-sided mold
Key Ingredients Needed
Gathering all the supplies before starting is essential. You must measure the ingredients and make sure that everything you need is available in the correct quantity.
Once you do that, every step coming ahead goes by very smoothly. Here is what you will need:
- 1 cup baking soda (220g)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch (65g)
- 1/2 cup of Epsom salt, sea salt, or any non-iodized table salt
- 1/4 cup of tartar cream (40g)
- 2 teaspoons of essential oil (10ml)
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or vegetable oil (30ml) (optional)
- Food coloring
- Apple cider vinegar
Instructions for Making DIY Bath Bombs Without Citric Acid
Step 1 – Make Sure that Everything You Need is with You
Once you start mixing the ingredients, the last thing you want is to hunt for additional components and supplies. The quantity specified in this recipe will make one softball-sized bath bomb.
If you’re going to make a different size or quantity of balls, modify the recipe while ensuring that the proportions are the same. A digital weighing scale helps in being precise with the amount of ingredients.
Step 2 – Combine the Dry Ingredients
Combine baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, and salt in a glass or stainless steel bowl. We suggest not to use bowls made of aluminum or plastic as the oils may cause a reaction.
Keep blending the mixture with a metal whisk thoroughly and break any lumps that you find.
You can use any kind of salt. However, Epsom salt works best for making a bath bomb. You can also skip using corn starch in your recipe. It will make the bath bomb fizzier, but the fizz will not last as long.
Step 3 – Mixing the Wet Ingredients
Add two teaspoons of essential oil into a separate clean bowl. Now blend food coloring (optional) and carrier oil with essential oil using a spoon. The food coloring won’t mix instantly with the oil if it is water-based. Therefore, we suggest you consider using oil-based colors.
Carefully add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. It will help if you do it quickly as you will see a reaction when the vinegar comes in contact with baking powder. The fizz created from the reaction will eventually die down.
Try to avoid touching the essential oil directly with your hands as it may cause irritation. However, once you blend it into the DIY bath bomb, it won’t cause any problem.
Step 4 – Combine the Dry Mixture with the Wet Mixture
You need to carefully pour the wet mixture into the dry one and keep stirring with your hands as you pour. If you see foam forming on the mixture, you may be pouring the wet mixture too quickly. You can wear plastic gloves to avoid staining your hand.
The result after combining both the mixtures should be dry and sandy. To test if the ingredients have blended well, smoosh the combined mixture together. If the lump holds together without falling apart, then the mixture has blended well.
You can spritz the mixture with isopropyl alcohol if it becomes too dry and struggles to stick together. Spraying water will also help in mixing the bath bomb mixture with the right consistency.
Step 5 – Filling the Mold
It is much easier to use a mold to shape a bath bomb. All you have to do is fill the mixture into the two sides of the mold. Then press the two sides together and keep it like that for a minute. It would be best if you use a plastic or a glass mold.
Now, slowly and gently open the sides of the mold and flip out the bath bomb ball from it. Smoothen the seam of the ball with a spoon. Handle the bath bomb delicately as it may be fragile like damp sand.
Step 6 – Let the Bath Bomb Dry
Before using the bath bomb, you need to let them dry for 12-24 hours. Although it is best to use them in the first few weeks, storing them in an airtight container may help preserve the fizziness of the bath bomb for a brief period.
Bath bombs made without citric acid have a shelf life of approximately a month. Avoid storing them in a place with high humidity as it may cause a fizzing reaction.
Wrapping Up
With this recipe, you are now ready to make fizzy scented bath bombs with simple, natural ingredients and save yourself from the side effects of using citric acid for your bath bombs. Use fancy food coloring and try different combinations of essential oils to enhance your fizzy bath experience with the numerous benefits of various essential oils
