Baking soda, citric acid, Epsom salt, and a binding oil to bring everything together – making DIY bath bombs starts with a simple base recipe. It works, it makes your creations fizz and foam, but it doesn’t make them stand out. To do so, you’ll need a few extra ingredients such as ultramarine powder, fragrances, and other flair ingredients.
Ultramarine Powders
If you stick to the classic basic recipe, your DIY bath bombs will turn out white. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but why stick to plain colour when you can make bold statement pieces in colours like deep blue or rich purple?
To create such eye-catching designs, you’ll need cosmetic-grade ultramarines. These powders are finely ground mineral pigments known for their vibrant, stable colours. You can find these mineral pigments in a wide spectrum of hues, from soft pastels to rich blues and purples.
Beyond looking stunning, coloured bath bombs can also help set the mood and elevate your bath time. For instance, blue is often associated with tranquillity, serenity, and calmness. It has a soothing effect on both the body and the mind. Taking a bath with a blue bath bomb can help you relax and unwind after a long, stressful day.
Purple is often associated with luxury, mystery, and spirituality. Using a purple bath bomb can help you unwind and tap into your creative side. Yellow, on the other hand, is a cheerful, uplifting colour that can brighten your mood. A yellow bath bomb adds a fun pop to your bath routine.
Ultramarine pigment powders are also easy to use. To achieve an even, consistent colour blend, add a small amount to your dry ingredients. You can keep things simple with a single shade or mix ultramarines to create custom tones and depth. This approach gives you control over how subtle or dramatic your DIY bath bombs look.
One drawback of ultramarine powders is that they can clump. To avoid this, it’s important to break up any clumps before adding the pigment to your recipe. A simple way to do this is to mix the powder with a neutral oil with a hand mixer. This step helps the pigment disperse evenly.
Scents
It’s no secret that scents can affect our mood and trigger memories. This said, fragrance, alongside ultramarine powders, is another ingredient that can add a sensory layer to bathtime. Same as colour, scents help create a more relaxing, invigorating, or uplifting bath experience.
The best way to add scent to your bombs is to use fragrance oils or essential oils. The main difference between these two is that fragrance oils are manufactured in a lab while essential oils are extracted from plants.
As already mentioned, fragrance oils are artificial. However, this gives you the freedom to create unique blends that aren’t available as essential oils. Want a bath bomb that smells like tobacco and caramel for a decadent bath experience? With fragrance oils, you can make that happen.
Essential oils, on the other hand, offer pure, natural fragrances. They are usually more subtle, complex, true-to-life, and can bring a richness and authenticity to your bath bombs that’s hard to replicate with artificial blends.
These oils have strong fragrances, so make sure not to add too much. For a standard bath bomb recipe (around 100 g of dry mixture), you’ll need about 5–10 drops of essential oil. If you use citrus oils like orange or lemon, start with around 5–6 drops. For deeper scents like lavender or patchouli, you can go up to 10 drops.
Other Flair Ingredients
Apart from colour and scent, you can add other flair ingredients to make your bath bombs even more exciting. Rose petals are a classic addition to bath bombs. They add a gentle, fragrant touch to your bath. You can sprinkle petals on top of the bath bomb before it dries, or mix a few into the dry ingredients.
Other flair ingredients you can try are dried lavender, chamomile, calendula, and rosebuds. These botanicals add visual appeal and bring gentle aromas as well as skin-friendly benefits to your bath routine. Some dried botanicals, like chamomile or calendula, can leave the water feeling soft and soothing against your skin.
For a little extra wow factor, you can add sparkle and shimmer to your bath bombs. Glitter creates eye-catching effects as the bath bomb fizzes, catching the light and making the bath feel luxurious. You can sprinkle glitter on top for a sparkling finish or mix some into the dry ingredients for a more subtle, shimmering colour throughout.
When choosing sparkle and shine for your projects, pick cosmetic-grade biodegradable glitter instead of plastic, so it’s safe for your skin and won’t harm the environment when it washes down the drain.
