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Have you also been charmed by pictures and videos of gorgeous fizzy bath bombs? Would you like to make a few original ones for yourself, but you don’t know where to start? We offer you an overview of the basic ingredients for making homemade cosmetic bath bombs. From now on, you can prepare bath bombs in the comfort of your own home exactly according to your ideas. All you need are three basic ingredients!
The first basic ingredient for making bath bombs is citric acid. In cosmetics, its anhydrous form or monohydrate is commonly used, and we will present their differences to you below. Let’s now look at the general properties of citric acid regardless of the water content in its molecule.
Citric acid is an organic acid, commonly found in citrus fruits and occurring as a white crystalline substance. It is easily soluble in water, and its aqueous solutions are used for pH adjustment of products.
Its use in cosmetics includes the ability of citric acid to lower pH, to provide a reaction with bases such as sodium bicarbonate, which is used in the production of bath bombs. At the same time, thanks to its ability to lower pH, it also helps to partially preserve cosmetics, but it is not a substitute for preservatives.
In bath bombs, citric acid reacts with sodium bicarbonate to release CO2, which creates a foaming reaction. It helps to achieve a bubbling effect during bathing.
The difference between anhydrous citric acid and citric acid monohydrate lies mainly in the water content of these forms.
Anhydrous citric acid is the pure form of citric acid without water. It is used especially in cases where precise control over the water content in the formulation is important. By contrast, citric acid monohydrate contains one molecule of water per molecule of citric acid.
Both forms of citric acid, i.e. anhydrous and monohydrate, can be used in the production of bath bombs. In most cases, the choice between them is more a matter of preference and specific requirements for the formulation. Below you will find some factors that may influence your choice.
Solubility: The monohydrate is more rapidly soluble in water, while the anhydrous form is less hygroscopic (absorbs less water) and not as quickly soluble. If you want the bath bomb to break apart quickly in water, the monohydrate may be the better choice.
Water content: Anhydrous citric acid does not contain water, which can be desirable if you are trying to minimise the presence of water in your product. The monohydrate contains one molecule of water per molecule of citric acid.
Availability: In some cases, one form may be more readily available than the other. Therefore, it may happen that your decision is influenced by what you currently have at your disposal. In most cases, substituting one type of citric acid for another will not cause a significant change in the formulation.
Both forms are safe to use in cosmetic products, including bath bombs, if correct dosage and safety at work are observed. Try both forms and you will see which one suits you better with regard to your preferences and the requirements for the final product.
Another substance essential for creating the base for bath bombs is sodium bicarbonate. Many of you will certainly find it in your kitchen, but let’s now look at its use in cosmetics.
Sodium bicarbonate is a basic (alkaline) substance, so upon contact with water it helps to increase the pH of aqueous solutions. For this reason, in cosmetics it is used not only in bath bombs but also for pH regulation, since handling it requires fewer safety precautions compared to sodium hydroxide. Sodium bicarbonate is in fact a carbonate.
In addition, you will grow fond of sodium bicarbonate also for the production of homemade cleaning agents, it is also used for washing hair in the no‑shampoo method.
In bath bombs, sodium bicarbonate is a basic component that reacts with citric acid. Upon contact with water, it releases the aforementioned CO2 and forms bubbles.
The last ingredient that forms the base of bath bombs is corn starch. Of course, you can also reach for other types of starch, but corn starch is readily available and sufficiently fine, and thus creates the desired texture of bath bombs.
Corn starch is a fine white powder that is also used in the food industry. Its main properties include the ability to bind oil and grease, thereby naturally degreasing the skin. For this reason, it is used in baby and facial powders, dry shampoos and even body butters to reduce the greasy feel on the skin.
You will find corn starch in many dry and powder cosmetic products, as well as in products based purely on oils. It helps to control skin shine, so you will not be able to do without it when making decorative cosmetics. Furthermore, it is very gentle on the skin, and thus it also finds use in baby dusting powders.
In bath bombs, corn starch can be added to soften and improve the texture of the bath bombs. It also has absorbent properties and thus binds the oils added during the production of bath bombs.
When making homemade bath bombs, it is important to observe a few safety measures and to take several factors into account. In the following lines, you will find an overview of things you should watch out for.
Working conditions: Work in a well‑ventilated environment to minimise inhalation of dust, especially when handling powdered ingredients such as soda, citric acid and corn starch.
Skin protection: Use gloves to protect the skin of your hands when handling chemicals. Soda, citric acid or essential oils can irritate especially sensitive skin, so make sure you protect your hands.
Respiratory protection: If you work with powdered ingredients, do not forget to put on a respirator or other protective mask to minimise inhalation of dust.
Accurate measuring and weighing: Accurate measuring and weighing of ingredients is important so that you achieve the correct ratio and consistency of substances in your mixture.
Safe ingredients: Use only safe and harmless ingredients. Make sure that the ingredients you are using are intended for cosmetic use and are not past their expiry date.
Storage: Store bath bombs in a dry place to prevent premature activation.
The use of a finished bath bomb is simple: just drop it into water and enjoy a fizzy bath with a pleasant fragrance and the addition of moisturising oils. Do not forget that you can customise the fragrance and colour according to your preferences by adding various essential oils and colourants, such as mica powders.
