# Bath Bombs...UPDATE



## LJA

....are evil.  Straight.  Up.  Evil.

I love making all kinds of products.  Body mousse, scrubs, soap...you name it.  Bath bombs will be the death of me.  I tried 3 separate recipes tonight to see if I can finally get what I'm looking for.  I just want floating, non-speckling bombs...is that too much to ask for?  ;o)


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## pepperi27

What kind of recipe are you using? I've made perfect bombs with shredded cocoa butter cause it makes it stick really well together. This new recipe I use

baking soda 1 cup
cornstarch 1/2 cup
citric acid 1/2 cup
epsom salt 1/4 cup
rice bran oil 1 tbs
water 2 tbs
witch hazel in spritz bottle
fragrance 1-2 tsp
colorant if desired (smidgen)


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## LJA

Do they float, Pepperi?  (And thanks for the recipe!)

I did the Coastal Scents recipe (but they speckle, and I suspect it's the Wilton Cake coloring)

I also did  this one: 

 Dry ingredients:
  1 cup baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
  ½ cup citric acid (sifted or finely ground)
  ½ cup corn starch
  dry herbs or flowers (optional)

Wet ingredients:
  2 ½ tablespoons sweet almond oil
  ¾  tablespoon water
  ¼ - 1 teaspoon of essential or fragrance oil
  colorant (optional), iron oxides, FD&C colors or mica powders

and...
This one: 
 1 part citric acid
• 2 parts baking soda
• Witch hazel
• Coloring of your choice
• Fragrance oil of your choice


The coastal scents one floats for me but I hate the speckles and they wart on me.  The other two are drying out as we speak....we'll see what happens.  I used mica in one for colorant, and "la Bomb" colorant in the other.


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## KSL

"they wart"

THANK YOU!
I was forever trying to figure out what the heck to call it when they did that!!  Try less water or none at all.

I love making bath bombs.. but not ones that float... what is the ingredient that makes them float?  

My base is 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup citric, 1/2 cup epsom and 1 tbsp melted shea butter.  Then add colors and/or fragrance as needed.

Mine don't float though.. is it the corn starch?
And I like speckles personally.. it depends what colorant I"m using.  The gel colors are harder to blend in.. you really have to squishy squishy for a long time.  

Where did you find labomb colorants?


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## LJA

naturliche said:
			
		

> "they wart"
> 
> THANK YOU!
> I was forever trying to figure out what the heck to call it when they did that!!  Try less water or none at all.
> 
> I love making bath bombs.. but not ones that float... what is the ingredient that makes them float?
> 
> My base is 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup citric, 1/2 cup epsom and 1 tbsp melted shea butter.  Then add colors and/or fragrance as needed.
> 
> Mine don't float though.. is it the corn starch?
> And I like speckles personally.. it depends what colorant I"m using.  The gel colors are harder to blend in.. you really have to squishy squishy for a long time.
> 
> Where did you find labomb colorants?



Brambleberry carries the colorants.  I think other places do too, but I ordered from Anne-Marie.   

I wish I knew what made them float...I've heard it's the corn starch (which is why I'm trying some with it - the Coastal Scents one didn't have it in there).  I just love how Lush's bombs roll and bob on top of the water.  I didn't use any witch hazel in my repeat of my original (and warty) recipe last night, so we'll see what happens.  It takes a week or so before they show up, usually.


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## KSL

wow, really?
my warts show up alot quicker than that when it does wart out.
It gets worse over time, but as soon as I unmold, about 10 mins later i will see warts if its going to wart.

Hmm.. maybe I'll try a recipe with cornstarch and see if it floats!


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## LJA

If you get it right let me know...lol.  It's making me a crazy person!   :twisted:


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## KSL

I will! LOL
I'm going to check out those labomb colors too.
I have lab colors, wilton gel, cake craft paste, and the normal FD&C colorants and have tried them all.. I hate them all, but they all work.. LOL

I'm very curious about the floating thing!!


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## LJA

Okay so I have the results of the third recipe (see above) I used, and have two glaring observations.  

1.) They fizzed out in 3 seconds.  Fizz fizz fizz - done.  Pretty boring.  They were also non-floating ::cursing the bomb Gods:: and very powdery/crumbly.

2.) Mica as colorant in bath bombs is the *WORST* idea in the history of bad ideas.  Nasty ring around the tub and a purple film floated on top of the water and stuck to my body.  Pretty gross.

In conclusion:  These sucked.

Carry on...


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## KSL

aww man!
Sorry to hear it was a flop!

Where are you getting your supplies from?
Someone testing my stuff said that my bath bombs fizzed longer than the ones she got from LUSH......

Maybe its the quality of the fizz?  I also have seen someone on here say that the stuff she got from one place fizzed less than another.... so....

darn!  I was totally rooting for ya!


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## LJA

Hi.  I actually get my citric acid from a local arabic store that sells lots of spices, botanicals, teas and various things in "bins" like bulk candy at a supermarket.  He even has rose petals and chamomile etc.  Great selection.  I wondered initially if the fact that his citric acid isn't in an air-tight container reduces the potency of it, but that isn't the case.  In the bombs that I make that are perfect in  every way but the floating, they fizz like crazy.  I'm convinced it's a matter of the right combo.  I'll get this right if it kills me...lol.  I'm on a MISSION ya'll!   :twisted: 

I still have two more recipes to test out that are drying on my counter.  One is brick hard and doesn't have speckles (thank you La Bomb colorants) and just might be right (keep your fingers crossed).  And the other one...well...the jury is out 'til I throw it in the tub.  You know...once I sandblast the mica ring off of it.  :x 

HOWEVER (grueling testimony continues...) someone AWESOME just gave me something to try, so I'm going to test it out tonight.  If it works, I'm leaving her all my money, and my vintage Journey albums when I die.   :wink:


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## SimplyE

I just made some with La Bomb color and they are beautiful, non speckly and nonwarty thus far.  I have yet to put them in the tub, though.  New recipe, as well.  I used more oil and less water/alcohol for the lack o' wartyness.  They seem to be drying hard as a rock.   

NEVER use oxides, either!  You think micas are bad, try getting a green oxide line off your tub, body, and white towels.  That was my worst faux pas!   :shock:


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## LJA

SimplyE said:
			
		

> NEVER use oxides, either!  You think micas are bad, try getting a green oxide line off your tub, body, and white towels.  That was my worst faux pas!   :shock:



Ugh.  I hear ya.  I had to scrub the bajeezus outta the tub after that.  I can't believe ANYONE uses those in their bombs and yet I see it in recipes all over the internet.

Crazy talk, I tell ya!


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## Guest

Thanks for posting the bath bomb recipes, I have wanted  to try these out. 

Kitn


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## LJA

The coastal scents recipe has been the best one, Kitn.  Not perfect, but the best of the lot.  (I still haven't tried the suggestion from someone awesome).

Tried the remaining recipes above and no dice on the float front, still.   Maybe I should mix  the dry stuff with a blender to fluff it up with air?  LOL.  Maybe I have unusual water?  

 :wink: Ugh whatever.


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## SimplyE

Now you got me going on the floaties...

I think my original (Coastal Scents basically) float, but I altered it because I wanted more...stuff.  I added a touch more oil to some last week to give it more oomph.  The plummeted like a lead bomb.  Me thinks fewer liquid ingredients for floaties maybe?


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## LJA

SimplyE said:
			
		

> The plummeted like a lead bomb.  Me thinks fewer liquid ingredients for floaties maybe?



Yeah, I think you're definitely onto something there.  Less really does equal more sometimes.  Except in the case of diamonds....and chocolate.  :wink:


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## SimplyE

LJA said:
			
		

> Less really does equal more sometimes.  Except in the case of diamonds....and chocolate.  :wink:



Your are DEFINITELY on to something there!


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## NewSoapieFreak

I'm trying these tonight for the first time.  Do you think that a thick plastic dog ball cut in half would work for a mold??


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## LJA

As long as it's stiff and doesn't bend on ya, I don't see why not...
Good luck.


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## KSL

diamonds ARE a girl's best friend ya know.. lol

So.... how did those bombs work out?

I used a muffin tin to make some last week.  They slid out with some knocking... only thing is they kinda look like GIANT FISH FOOD PELLETS to me... lol


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## LJA

naturliche said:
			
		

> diamonds ARE a girl's best friend ya know.. lol
> 
> So.... how did those bombs work out?
> 
> I used a muffin tin to make some last week.  They slid out with some knocking... only thing is they kinda look like GIANT FISH FOOD PELLETS to me... lol




LOL!!  That's so funny!  I give up on the bombs.  They're just more trouble than they're worth.  Maybe I'll package them as "fizzy bath powder" and forget it.


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## KSL

hahaha.. add milk and call it a fizzy milk bath!

Hm.. does taht mean I can market mine as mermaid pellets?
Now there's an idea =D


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## SimplyE

LJA said:
			
		

> I give up on the bombs.  They're just more trouble than they're worth.  Maybe I'll package them as "fizzy bath powder" and forget it.



You are kidding me!  They are so easy and simple to make!  Don't be so hard (or critical) on yourself!  There are so many ways to create a luxurious bath experience...don't give up!!!


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## LJA

SimplyE said:
			
		

> LJA said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I give up on the bombs.  They're just more trouble than they're worth.  Maybe I'll package them as "fizzy bath powder" and forget it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You are kidding me!  They are so easy and simple to make!  Don't be so hard (or critical) on yourself!  There are so many ways to create a luxurious bath experience...don't give up!!!
Click to expand...


It's become obvious to me, E, that I have some sort of bath bomb birth defect.  LOL. I still make them for friends etc. -  but I don't wanna SELL something I'm not totally happy with or wouldn't buy myself.  If Ellen's Essential's would ever mail my stuff I ordered (becoming a bit PO'd) I can start trying to make bubble bars instead.  I even emailed them...no response.


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## KSL

I agree with that statement, even though your bombs are probably just fine, and you're over-reacting! LOL

How long has the order taken now?
MM.. bath bars.... do THEY float? LOL just teasing!


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## LJA

naturliche said:
			
		

> I agree with that statement, even though your bombs are probably just fine, and you're over-reacting! LOL
> 
> How long has the order taken now?
> MM.. bath bars.... do THEY float? LOL just teasing!



LOL!!!  (grrr.)   :wink: 
This is day 12.  It shouldn't take this long.


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## SimplyE

LJA said:
			
		

> This is day 12.  It shouldn't take this long.



That is bad biz.  I'd be PO'd too.  What do you use in your bubble bars?  I keep meaning to try these, but keep not...


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## LJA

I actually havent tried them yet (NO SUPPLIES!!!!  GRRRRR!!!) but you use cream of tartar, cocomide dea, cocomoidopropyl bentaine (say _that_ 5 times fast), Sodium laurel sulfoacetate and baking soda.

Yeah, I'm pretty annoyed with this company.  At the very least, reply to my inquiry.  I get that things happen, and I'm a reasonable person, but don't blow me off.
We'll see how this plays out.


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## LJA

Here's a recipe too:

http://www.pvsoap.com/recipe_bubble_bath_drop.htm


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## KSL

oh I'd be pissed and threaten to cancel my card transaction wiht the card company.  Not even an email saying its shipped/held?  Ugh!

I'm ordering as much as I can through local suppliers.
Trying to avoid shipping charges, as well as back ordering!!


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## LJA

I emailed again.  She apologized and said she missed my first email and that the package should be here in a couple days.

Whatever.  I'm not here to bash suppliers but 14 or 15 days to get your order isn't okay with me.  I'll get it elsewhere next time.  I'm spoiled by WSPs shipping time.  Unfortch - they don't carry what I need in this instance.


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## KSL

Well, I hope you get it really soon!
I'm used to waiting forever for packages because I ship alot between the US and Canada.  A package typically can take up to 3 weeks to get to my mailbox and I've waited for goods for a month before.  

There's tonnes on the WSP sight that I am drooling over, but I don't think they ship to Canada.  There's some conflicting things on thier website.  I tried putting on order in the cart, and everything was fine, until I started adding fragrances.  Then the cart would only let me choose "pick up" option. 

Oh well.. I am sticking with local as long as I can.

I did get an order yesterday of packaging.  
I got some shrink wrap and tested out wrapping a bath bomb in it.
OMG - I just about died at how ugly it was!  now I don't know what to do!!!!!!! =(  Cello I guess is the only way to go.


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## LJA

naturliche said:
			
		

> Well, I hope you get it really soon!
> I'm used to waiting forever for packages because I ship alot between the US and Canada.  A package typically can take up to 3 weeks to get to my mailbox and I've waited for goods for a month before.
> 
> There's tonnes on the WSP sight that I am drooling over, but I don't think they ship to Canada.  There's some conflicting things on thier website.  I tried putting on order in the cart, and everything was fine, until I started adding fragrances.  Then the cart would only let me choose "pick up" option.
> 
> Oh well.. I am sticking with local as long as I can.
> 
> I did get an order yesterday of packaging.
> I got some shrink wrap and tested out wrapping a bath bomb in it.
> OMG - I just about died at how ugly it was!  now I don't know what to do!!!!!!! =(  Cello I guess is the only way to go.



Really?  It was ugly?  How ugly can clear wrap be?  I've seen them packaged in clear tubes.  I thought that looked pretty cool but I don't know how cost effective it would be.  They look good in boxes too.  Again - probably not the cheapest option, though.


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## KSL

It just looked... yucky.
I really didn't like it.

I know... you'd think clear shrink would look well, like nothing.. but it just looked blah!

I'm thinking of other ways to wrap them - maybe 3 or 4 together instead of one by one.


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## rupertspal42

I downloaded the Coastal Scents Bath Bomb recipes and looked through them they seem like they will work out fairly well.  The others I have found seem a little iffy to me.. : / BUUTTTT we'll see how everything plays out when I go on leave after this stupid deployment and force my mother and sister in law to partake in the fun  :twisted: MUHAHAHAHAHA!! sorry.. I understand slavery is a horrible thing but I have to enslave my family to test and make them work for me  :wink: 

*No family member will be harmed in the making of the products*


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## eucalypta

I hope I am not too late, but perhaps you should try it the "easy" way first.
I like this recipe; it does not have anything interested added, but you could do that next time.


> • 1 part citric acid
> • 2 parts baking soda
> • Coloring of your choice - food color works great
> • Fragrance oil of your choice
> • Basic oil of your choice - I use Almond Oil
> • A few drops Mulsifan (oil/water emulgator) - could be skipped
> • Dome Shaped Mold



Mix the dry ingedrients very well
(if you use dry color mix it in now)
Put in some drops of the (food) color 
Put in the Mulsifan
Add the Almond Oil - not more than a teaspoon or less at a time
Mix thouroughly, 
add some more oil - mix .... repeat until the desired consistency is reached.
Mold it and unmold directly afterwards.

Tip make a second bowl with a bit of the same baking soda/citric Acid mixture. If your mix gets too wet, you can immediately put some extra in.

As you may have noticed, I don't use any water or additional liquid!

These bombs get hard like a rock! Success guaranteed 

My originall recipe measurements (if you need to convert)
120 gr natriumbicarbonaat 
60 gr citric acid
4 drops orange food colouring 
30 drops EO tangerine 
20 ml almond oil - or less
2 ml mulsifan 

You could  change the proportion of baking soda/citric acid to 3:1 - same good result!

have fun


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## LJA

It's not the hardness I have issues with, it's that I want them to float.  I gave up on 'em.  Things that are powder based hate my guts.  :roll:


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## Guest

*bath bombs*



			
				LJA said:
			
		

> It's not the hardness I have issues with, it's that I want them to float.  I gave up on 'em.  Things that are powder based hate my guts.  :roll:



the recipe I gave you did't work for you???


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## LJA

They crumbled on me.   :cry:   I'm convinced I just lack some essential gene that prevents me from making these **** things.


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## Guest

*bath bombs.*



			
				LJA said:
			
		

> They crumbled on me.   :cry:   I'm convinced I just lack some essential gene that prevents me from making these **** things.



OK..then you were half way there!!!!....they did the same thing to me in the beginning. That is the kaolin clay that makes them powdery like that. All you need to do is add more oil until it's like wet sand...it sticks together in your hand. Then press into the mold.....firmly. 

Let them set in the mold for about five minutes. Carefully remove them. Then let them cure on a drying rack for about a week. 

They get hard as rocks the longer they cure.


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## eucalypta

I am so sorry LJA 
When I add corn starch they float.... but I don't like the corn starch on the bottom of the tub nor on my body


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## AshleyR

Does anyone know why they "wart"? I just made some bath bombs... first ones in a very long time, and I used the Coastal Scents recipe. They started "warting" about 5 minutes after I made them. I kept pushing the "warts" back in, but they kept popping out. I've just left them alone for now but am 90% sure they're going to be cracked and warted when I go back to check on them later!

Is there anything I can do next time so that they don't wart on me?


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## Shani

AshleyR said:
			
		

> Does anyone know why they "wart"? I just made some bath bombs... first ones in a very long time, and I used the Coastal Scents recipe. They started "warting" about 5 minutes after I made them. I kept pushing the "warts" back in, but they kept popping out. I've just left them alone for now but am 90% sure they're going to be cracked and warted when I go back to check on them later!
> 
> Is there anything I can do next time so that they don't wart on me?


Try lowering your liquids-i.e. water, oils, etc.  Warting usually occurs when there is too much liquid.


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## AshleyR

Thanks Shani!

I made a whole bunch of bath bombs today and they all turned out AWESOME! I used 50% less oils in these ones and didn't even spray them with witch hazel this time because they already seemed damp enough without it. They turned out perfectly! YAY!

How long should I let them dry before packaging them? I'm planning to shrink wrap them for now and will probably package them in clear cello bags when I actually sell them. Should I wait to package them in 24 hours or so, so they are completely dry?


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## Shani

no prob Ashley.  Yes, depending on the size of the bomb, I would wait a min of 24 hrs and a max of 48 before packaging.


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## angbaby4974

OK, so I've been reading this since it started & I have to say...I just made 14 perfect bombs!!!  7 scented with lemongrass sage & 7 with coconut lime verbena.  I'm so totally stoked with these!  I have to admit, I was a little wary at first, but I am so gonna add these to my line of spa delights!


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## AshleyR

I was surprised.... I had a pretty easy go at it too. Some tips:

- Sift your dry ingredients (I noticed my citric acid and borax had a lot of tiny hard clumps in it).

- Mix your dry ingredients in your Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment! When you add the oils/wet stuff, mix it again in the mixer for a minute or so on the highest speed. This REALLY blended mine well, and even my Wilton colours mixed in really good with minimul spotting!

- As sooooooon as the mixture holds together at all, start molding the bombs. I was positive my mixture was too dry (I didn't even use witch hazel the second time around and cut my oils in half), but those bombs came out the best!

- Package them air tight pretty much right after making them. I did a little experiment and shrink wrapped two of them about 10 minutes after I made them (they were already hardening), and left the other three unwrapped overnight. The ones that were wrapped looked great the following day, but the unwrapped ones had wee little fizzy bumps all over them. My house is not humid but the citric acid was set off a wee bit. I will package all of them right away from now on!

Hope this helps!


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## angbaby4974

Well, I woke up this morning to 7 warty bombs & 7 perfect bombs.  The only thing I did differently was to use my stick blender to mix the liquids.  I added the color to the liquids & it dropped to the bottom & wouldn't mix in, so I SB'd the heck out of it & added it slowly to the dry ingr.   The warty ones aren't too bad I guess, kinda rustic looking.  My daughter loves them.  And, they float! (all of them, not just the SB'd ones.)  I think incorporating the water into the oil helps keep the citric acid from fizzing up prematurely & causing the warts.

I'm sooooo glad I tried these & I will definitely be making more!


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## Galavanting Gifts

LJA, I don't know if I should laugh or cry for you, I TOATALLY understand how you feel, my bombs don't just wart the explode out of their moulds lol, the other day I made some with next to no alcohole and NO other liquid and they still burst open, it's gotta be our humidity :x 

I've given up now cause citric acid here is reallly expensive to buy.


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## AshleyR

I made another successful batch of these last night!

I think the warting could be caused by little clumps of citric acid in your dry mix? I didn't sift my first batch and had warts, but the last two I sifted them to make sure there were NO hard clumps and I didn't get warting. 

Also, I've found both times if you wrap them right away - like 10 mins after making them, they don't fizzle. Mine were super dry but after letting some sit out overnight they had teeny fizzy bubbles all over them. I didn't have any issues with the ones I wrapped right away!


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## LJA

Galavanting Gifts said:
			
		

> LJA, I don't know if I should laugh or cry for you, I TOATALLY understand how you feel, my bombs don't just wart the explode out of their moulds lol, the other day I made some with next to no alcohole and NO other liquid and they still burst open, it's gotta be our humidity :x
> 
> I've given up now cause citric acid here is reallly expensive to buy.



Sing it, sister.  lol.  I've made peace with it.  They hate me and the feeling is mutual.  Hrumph.   :wink:


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## Guest

LJA said:
			
		

> Galavanting Gifts said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LJA, I don't know if I should laugh or cry for you, I TOATALLY understand how you feel, my bombs don't just wart the explode out of their moulds lol, the other day I made some with next to no alcohole and NO other liquid and they still burst open, it's gotta be our humidity :x
> 
> I've given up now cause citric acid here is reallly expensive to buy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sing it, sister.  lol.  I've made peace with it.  They hate me and the feeling is mutual.  Hrumph.   :wink:
Click to expand...


LJA you just crack me up..

Kitn


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## Galavanting Gifts

ROFL, mayby we need to start a "bath bomb victim recovery" club, and then ask all the successful Bath bombers to fund us in our endevor to restore us back to some sort of sanity lol.


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## Guest

*bath bombs*

It took me 15 batches of CP to get the technique down. So keep trying. It will pay off!


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## heartsong

*x*

okay, dumb question:  :roll: 

is a bath tablet the same as a bath bomb? 

i know some are round balls, some are kinda muffin cakes, some look like a scoop of icecream,but technically do they use about the same ingredients?

baffled in alabama


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## KSL

I just made a batch.. tried to get fancy with two colors.. they're falling apart =(  sitting here waiting to see what happens to them.... grrr... lol


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## LJA

*Re: x*



			
				heartsong said:
			
		

> okay, dumb question:  :roll:
> 
> is a bath tablet the same as a bath bomb?
> 
> i know some are round balls, some are kinda muffin cakes, some look like a scoop of icecream,but technically do they use about the same ingredients?
> 
> baffled in alabama



Yeah...the main ingredient being evil.   :wink:   Same thing.


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## heartsong

*x*

okay, another dumb question   

have you tried a bath tablet maker? it's a tube that you pour your stuff in, place a wooden "pusher" to tamp it down and tap it with a hammer? these come out very hard.

www.ellensessentials.com  (this is the one i have)

instead of using witch hazel, i use a little 100+ proof alcohol.


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## LJA

*Re: x*



			
				heartsong said:
			
		

> okay, another dumb question
> 
> have you tried a bath tablet maker? it's a tube that you pour your stuff in, place a wooden "pusher" to tamp it down and tap it with a hammer? these come out very hard.
> 
> www.ellensessentials.com  (this is the one i have)
> 
> instead of using witch hazel, i use a little 100+ proof alcohol.



I use 100 proof alcohol too, but only AFTER I try to make them.  :wink: 
I actually _did_ contemplate a tablet maker.  Maybe after some extensive therapy and a motivational casette tape, I'll try it again with one of those.  I hate squishing them together in those ball molds like some nazi boob excerize from hell.  My shirt ends up all powdery and gross, my arms hurt, my nostrils look like Lindsey Lohans.....ugh.  All set with it.  A mold I can whack with a mallet would be easier.


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## KSL

I had seen that tamper.. looks cool!
Hmm.. I should try some alcohol... now, alcohol evaporates, so i guess once the ingredients meld together, there really isn't any alcohol left in it, right?


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## heartsong

KSL said:
			
		

> I had seen that tamper.. looks cool!
> Hmm.. I should try some alcohol... now, alcohol evaporates, so i guess once the ingredients meld together, there really isn't any alcohol left in it, right?



that's right-and the higher the alcohol content the faster the evaporation.  everclear or 150 proof vodka works the best. or you can use perfumer's alcohol (SDA) but it's kind of a hassle to find.


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