My Cadettes have been asking about making bath bombs. Since stress seems so high when you’re a teen or tween, we’ve been trying to add in stress-reduction and a bit of pampering from time to time.

Last year, we made Thin Mint Inspired Bath Salts. I’ve since gotten requests to try bath bombs, but in truth, it took some time to find a working recipe that I was happy with. I tried a lot of bath bomb recipes, with varying results. Here is my favorite.

Ingredients

• 1 cup baking soda
• ½ cup citric acid
• 2 tablespoons Epsom salt
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil (olive oil may require slightly more dry ingredients, however)
• 10-15 drops essential oil (see scent combinations below)
• 1 teaspoon water
• 3-5 drops skin-safe soap colorant (optional)
• Bath bomb molds or silicone molds
• Bowls or cups to carry the bath bombs home.

How to Make Bath Bombs

I love the analogy that making bath bombs is like making cookies.

In your bowl, mix your dry ingredients together first. In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients. Add the wet to the dry and mix together.

(You may see some fizzing, that is the water interacting with the citric acid. Just keep stirring fast to minimize this.)

You will want the mixture to be somewhat dry but holds its shape when packed together. Squeeze some of the mixture in your hand. If it stays in its shape, then you are good to go.

Let the mixture dry in the molds for at least 12 hours. This is important! I’ve had bath bomb fails where the bomb grew in size during drying or lost its shape. My children haven’t let me forget about the time I ended up with a bath bomb “bread” because I set bath bombs into a bread pan early – and they molded together overnight!

Then you can gently pop them out. You might have to softly tap the mold to remove the bath bomb.

Where Do I Find Bath Bomb Molds?

You can buy bath bomb molds in the traditional round shape. (I constantly use these metal bath bomb molds I found on Amazon.)

Or you can get creative.

If you are sending your scouts home before the bath bombs are expected to be dry, you can use Easter eggs or plastic fillable Christmas ornaments (make sure you get the kind you can open in half, so you can remove them later.

If you have the luxury of time (such as during a spa overnight), you can make bath bombs using traditional molds, fun shapes like a Death Star from Star Wars, or silicone molds of all kinds of shapes.

Here are some cute examples to get you thinking:

   

  

What Scents Should I Use?

My go-to scent for bath bombs is lavender.  For large projects like bath bombs, I use Plant Therapy’s lavender essential oil, which gives me a very similar scent to some of the more high-end brands of essential oils.

Other scent combinations I like for bath bombs:

• Euchalyptus
• Lavender with a drop of peppermint (too much peppermint will be cooling, however)
• Spiced orange
• Vanilla

Have another idea you didn’t see above? Share it below!

Buying multiple scents of essential oils? You can get $10 off a $25 purchase at the Plant Therapy website with this link. 

What If My Bath Bombs Don’t Turn Out?

I have had more than my share of bath bomb fails! This is basic chemistry, so too wet or too dry of mixtures and air can impact your final results.

Too wet? Add a bit more dry ingredients (if you haven’t molded it yet) or let them dry longer.

Break while taking them out? You can still use them just fine. 🙂

Dry crumbling mess? You’ve just created fizzy bath salts!

Just have fun and enjoy the process! 🙂

Looking for More Spa Ideas?

Check out these ideas we’ve enjoyed with our troop:

• Spa in Your Kitchen
• Tween Spa Day for Girl Scouts
• Back to School Spa Party

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which help support our scouting adventures and this blog.