# Bath Bomb Ingredient Questions



## bathbomb (May 31, 2017)

Super common thread time, wanna ask about what goes into my bath bombs and what I want to avoid. Currently this is what goes in.

Baking Soda
Citric Acid
Epsom Salts
SLSA
Mica
Coconut Oil
Fragrance / Essential Oils
PS80

They haven't been turning out too well, too wet. But I have been reading and want to address some things and need opinions. I read a few places that Epsom salts like to draw in moisture and cause premature reactions. I.E. Stick or 'warting'. I also saw that coconut oil is a bit heavy, especially for bath bombs, I want to swap that for almond which appears to be much lighter. SLSA also seems to not be added a ton, what do you think about it? I like the foaming but if it's going to be a pain I would be okay with not using it. I also want to use Kaolin Clay to make them sturdy. I am not a fan of corn starch. What are your opinions on all of this? This is my proposed new recipe.


Baking Soda
Citric Acid
POSSIBLY SLSA
Mica
Almond Oil
Mica
Fragrance n stuff
PS80


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## BattleGnome (May 31, 2017)

Can you add percentages to your recipe? The difference between 1% and 10% is huge and will make a difference for each ingredient.

As a list of ingredients it looks close to what I use but details are needed if you need help troubleshooting


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## bathbomb (May 31, 2017)

I use an edited version of Dean Wilson's. Other than what I have below, he usually adds 100 grams of epsom salts and 15 grams of rubbing alcohol. Since I want to take out the salts I removed the extra 15 grams of rubbing alcohol liquid. 

600 grams ( 21.16 oz ) - Baking Soda
300 grams ( 10.58 oz ) - Citric Acid
20 grams ( 0.70 oz ) - Kaolin Clay
30 grams ( 1.05 oz ) - SLSA
1 tsp of Mica Powder

5 grams ( 0.17oz) - Polysorbate-80
10 grams ( 0.35 oz ) -  Almond Oil
15 grams ( 0.52 oz ) - Fragrance Oil


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## icg (May 31, 2017)

I've had 0 adverse reactions with epsom salts, but I do keep them at pretty low percentages. Kaolin clay is definitely something you can add. One tbsp or so per bath bomb would be enough. My problem with kaolin clay is that my mini bath bombs got so hard that it won't melt in the water, but larger sizes were fine. I've never used SLSA but I've found bath bombs are pretty much fine without it and it can lower the price tag a ton. I've heard of people avoiding almond oils because they were allergic. You can maybe test the two oils and see which one is indeed lighter.


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## bathbomb (May 31, 2017)

icg said:


> I've had 0 adverse reactions with epsom salts, but I do keep them at pretty low percentages. Kaolin clay is definitely something you can add. One tbsp or so per bath bomb would be enough. My problem with kaolin clay is that my mini bath bombs got so hard that it won't melt in the water, but larger sizes were fine. I've  used SLSA but I've found bath bombs are pretty much fine without it and it can lower the price tag a ton. I've heard of people avoiding almond oils because they were allergic. You can maybe test the two oils and see which one is indeed lighter.



Is there a light oil that you do recommend that is pretty universal? I like the bubbles of SLSA but I also hear a lot of negative things, especially with people's skin. Also do you grind your epsom salts down? I have these big ol crystals and it honestly bums me out because I like my baht bombs to look smooth, as a personal opinion the big clear crystals look meh to me.


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## icg (May 31, 2017)

bathbomb said:


> Is there a light oil that you do recommend that is pretty universal? I like the bubbles of SLSA but I also hear a lot of negative things, especially with people's skin. Also do you grind your epsom salts down? I have these big ol crystals and it honestly bums me out because I like my baht bombs to look smooth, as a personal opinion the big clear crystals look meh to me.



Oh whoops, typo, I mean "I never used SLSA". I've tried bath bombs with it though, and there was barely any difference. I buy my epsom salts extra fine. There are places online, saltworks to name one, that sell different epsom salt sizes. They are great for epsom baths too. I'm pretty sure almond and coconut oils are pretty common oils but I've seen many use olive, avocado, and butters as well.


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## TwystedPryncess (May 31, 2017)

I grind my epsom salts down as fine as I can get them. Beware--this can tear up blenders. :headbanging:

Mostly I make them for my son, so I can't leave the salts out, as he is seriously addicted to a hot bath soak with a big bad bath bomb after a 14 hour work day. Can't blame the kid. I'm also happy to feed his addiction.

That being said, I add a little SLSA in mine, not much, kaolin clay works wonders in it, some cornstarch (watch your amounts, you don't need as much as one might think) and a little cream of tartar. I also use sweet almond oil or the lightest oil I happen to have on hand. 

I use a spritzer of roughly 75% witch hazel and the rest the 90% isopropyl alcohol. Mine were expanding sometimes while drying and once I had that bright idea, they quit that mess. Hope this helps a little. Play with your amounts to get them right for you.....I'm a full believer that climate and where you live makes a difference.


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## bathbomb (May 31, 2017)

TwystedPryncess said:


> I grind my epsom salts down as fine as I can get them. Beware--this can tear up blenders. :headbanging:
> 
> Mostly I make them for my son, so I can't leave the salts out, as he is seriously addicted to a hot bath soak with a big bad bath bomb after a 14 hour work day. Can't blame the kid. I'm also happy to feed his addiction.
> 
> ...



Hm can I put Epsom Salts in just a regular old blender to get a fine powder? It doesn't have much use, maybe I can exploit it.


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## toxikon (May 31, 2017)

I'm going to sneak into this discussion and ask if bentonite clay can be used instead of kaolin? I have a big bag of bentonite sitting around, wondering if I can put it to use in a bath bomb.


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## icg (May 31, 2017)

toxikon said:


> I'm going to sneak into this discussion and ask if bentonite clay can be used instead of kaolin? I have a big bag of bentonite sitting around, wondering if I can put it to use in a bath bomb.



I used to use bentonite clay, but switched to kaolin for 2 reasons.

1. It made the colors a bit gray and drab.  

2. Its lead levels are "considered toxic" and there are people who avoid even touching it. Personally, I feel like this is unreasonable as you don't even drink the bath water and soil, tap water, and even air in many places have considerable amounts of lead. I just didn't want to deal with the drama.


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## TBandCW (Jun 1, 2017)

I save my slsa for bubble bath.  My bath bomb buyers don't want bubbles in their bath bombs.   Just a observation:  last year I couldn't make bath bombs fast enough, now it's the bubble bath that's selling like crazy!   Is it just me?


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## Dahila (Jun 1, 2017)

Benonite is not good in BB,  I would go with 1.5 tbsp of SLSa ,  I am born with atopic dermatitis and a lot of allergies and can not take the regular bath, My skin reacts to chlorine, I can take bath with Bath bomb and my skin feels so good. Slsa is acutally pretty good ,  SLS is not good, but slsa is good for me and my girls both have eczema.   Epsom salts wil attract moisture,  I do not use them,  I use Apricot kernel oil it is pretty light and cheap too.  I had used Almond too but stopped, so many people are sensitive to almonds. 
Witch hazel and 70% RA


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## SunRiseArts (Jun 2, 2017)

Personally, I do not add any cooking oil to my BB, They tend to sink IMO. I only use an oil I buy, that if you are interested, I can post a link. Poly80 is needed only if you use colors that can stain your tub. If you want lots of colors, less weight, and more fizzy action you can skip it and use lakes. Micas can stain your tub.

Epson salt use very little, or only as decoration in your bomb, and if you want bubbles, and not use SLSA, you can use SCI, or cocoate.

Just my 2 cents.

What are you trying to achieve with your BB? Skin softness, fizzy action, lots of color in your bath tub? Depending on what you want to achieve you can tweak your bombs. The better they are for the skin, the more they will sink, and the more fun is when they float and spew colors IMO.

I have some videos of mine on my flicker page :mrgreen:


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jun 2, 2017)

The poly80 is not just for colours - any emulsifier will help the oils and bath water to "lotionise" somewhat, stopping the oil just floating in the water/sticking to the tub when emptied


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## Dahila (Jun 2, 2017)

Poly is to emulsify the oils and the colors, I do not use it , I use slsa for this reason


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## duckinatub (Jun 2, 2017)

Nothing wrong with the ingredients. You can skip the epsom salt. I also use olive oil+coconut oil. and witch hazel. You can still use SLSA.

Baking Soda
Citric Acid
Epsom Salts
SLSA
Mica
Coconut Oil
Fragrance / Essential Oils
PS80


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## TwystedPryncess (Jun 2, 2017)

bathbomb said:


> Hm can I put Epsom Salts in just a regular old blender to get a fine powder? It doesn't have much use, maybe I can exploit it.



What it does to mine is causes leaks. You may not have an issue. I used a regular blender, not forseeing any issue, grounded up a few pounds of salts to a powder, and then went to blend something later that had liquid in it and it leaked the liquid. So when I say it 'tears up blenders', I should have stated how it tears up blenders. It made leaks.  So the motor still works fine, and I ended up using that blender just for grinding the salts and getting another blender for every thing else blending.


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## SunRiseArts (Jun 5, 2017)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> The poly80 is not just for colours - any emulsifier will help the oils and bath water to "lotionise" somewhat, stopping the oil just floating in the water/sticking to the tub when emptied


 
I understand, but I personally do not see any other benefit than attract the oils and colors.  JMO.

Are you saying that without it there is no benefit of the oils in the water?  Because they sell bath oil out there here in the US.


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## BattleGnome (Jun 5, 2017)

I think there are emulsifiers in bath oils as it can also be a liability issue. The emulsifier will help the oil drain with the water instead of having oil slicks left in the tub. You could put all the warning labels you want on it but that one idiot will get a good lawyer.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jun 6, 2017)

SunRiseArts said:


> I understand, but I personally do not see any other benefit than attract the oils and colors.  JMO.
> 
> Are you saying that without it there is no benefit of the oils in the water?  Because they sell bath oil out there here in the US.





In your post before you only stated colours as a benefit for an emulsifier which is why I posted. 

But, for example, we bathed our wee baby in water with some oil BUT the midwife suggested a touch of salt to help the oil to disperse more evenly


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## TwystedPryncess (Jun 6, 2017)

Well now see, I think the addition and/or quantity of the epsom salts is going to depend on your customer. If my son were a paying customer, or if I were selling to those in physically demanding jobs, they would want the bombs with the high quantity epsom salts. At least that's the general consensus I get. Demographics may differ, of course, but mine read that should I sell, I'd need to carry a line of high-epsom content for those types. (Construction workers, waitresses, roofers, asbestos removal workers <----son, etc.)

I guess because my son is a fan of the salts, I'm a fan of them for him. So I'm saying don't rule them out, but judge wisely. Play. I've learned how to make a good hard, solid bomb with a LOT  the stuff present, in a humid climate, so if I can, there's hope.


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## BattleGnome (Jun 6, 2017)

I'll just note that a "therapeutic dose" of Epsom salts is around 2c and if you are selling with "therapeutic doses" then the FDA is going to rule the product as a drug. You can certainly use Epsom salts as a selling point but be careful not to make any claims.


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## LilyJo (Jun 6, 2017)

Dont forget that epsom salts are contra indicated if you have high blood pressure so you need to make sure you are covered on labelling etc.


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## threewildoils (Jan 13, 2019)

Just wondering if kaolin clay in bath bombs can cause water to turn a bit grayish... I made BB with baking soda, citric acid, coconut oil, kaolin clay, e-wax, SLSA, fragrance, and no colorants. At first water is clean and after a few minutes or so turns grayish. Any thoughts/advice?


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## shunt2011 (Jan 13, 2019)

I’ve never noticed any discoloration from kaolin clay bit if I use it I don’t add much. However, I’ve also never used ewax in a BB.


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## Dahila (Jan 14, 2019)

yeah ewax in bath bombs will clog the draining system, color is from colorants,  are you sure you used the ones for BB?


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## threewildoils (Jan 14, 2019)

Dahila said:


> yeah ewax in bath bombs will clog the draining system, color is from colorants,  are you sure you used the ones for BB?


I did not use colorants , that's what confused me.


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## amd (Jan 15, 2019)

Wondering if the SLSA pulled dirt from the tub? My tub is always cleaner after testing bubble scoops made with SLSA.


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## Dahila (Jan 17, 2019)

amd said:


> Wondering if the SLSA pulled dirt from the tub? My tub is always cleaner after testing bubble scoops made with SLSA.


it does,   it will clean your bathtub at the same time as your skin


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## Christine Beale (Feb 23, 2019)

I have eliminated epsom salts in my bath bombs because of the warting issues.  I am still trying to perfect that perfect bath bomb!!    I heard that ewax in the bombs, in a small amount, will help with them staying hard.


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## SideDoorSoaps (Feb 23, 2019)

I use Dead Sea salts and pink Himalayan instead of epsom in my BB, the pink is just pretty. Also, to harden mine up a bit, I use coconut oil and cocoa butter. I did have some problems in the beginning with blooming after releasing from the molds but now I use less witch hazel to bind them because the coconut firms up pretty well. I want to add some gaining action as well but haven’t gotten that far yet.


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## Alexis Anderson (Mar 10, 2019)

I Need Help With My Ingredients! I Have Kaolin Clay, Essential Oil, Baking Soda, Citric Acid, Mica, Polysorbate 80, Epsom Salt, Castor Oil, And Witch Hazel. Does Anyone Have A Recipe, Only Using Those Ingredients?


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## Clarice (Mar 12, 2019)

Super thread thanks all. 

Now I know what to call those ugly bumps on my bombs. Warts!  Perfect description.  Good to know that Epsom salts can contribute. I used the last of what I had on hand yesterday and I won’t be getting more sine I like “no wart” bombs!  

Is e wax : emulsifying wax?  Do you have to melt it before adding?  Is it difficult to incorporate?  Any particular kind you like? 

Would cocoa butter serve the same purpose to firm up the bombs?


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## shunt2011 (Mar 12, 2019)

@Clarice - I use cocoa butter quite frequently with no issue.  I use Epsom salts sometimes but have never had a warting problem.   I prefer a bit of sea salt.  Yes, Ewax is emulsifying wax.


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## Clarice (Mar 12, 2019)

Thanks @shunt2011   do you use cocoa butter instead of / as a substitute for e-wax?  

Are Epsom salts the primary cause of warts or should I look for other culprits?  Thank you!


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## shunt2011 (Mar 12, 2019)

@Clarice I've found the biggest cause of warts is using water or too much witch hazel to wet the mixture.  I use 91% alcohol if additional wetting is needed.   I've never used e-wax nor have I seen a recipe call for it.   I've used cocoa butter or coconut oil.


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## Dahila (Mar 12, 2019)

my workshop is like 21% of humidity,  heat is on.  I found that using water gives me the most time to work with the powders,  I stopped using WH cause it causes powdery bath bombs at least for me.  Ewaz in bb does not do anything. in 1200 grams of powders I use like Shunt 1 tbsp of sea salt , it helps with hardening but it is not enough to catch the moisture from the air, When the humid weather arrives i will not add the salt


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## Clarice (Mar 12, 2019)

@shunt2011 

I am guessing too much spray on my part!  I had a recipe that recommended 50:50 91% alcohol: witch hazel. 

If I eliminate the WH will I have fewer issues?

Thank yoU!


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## shunt2011 (Mar 12, 2019)

@Clarice you should.  sometimes it's just playing with them.   It took me a long time to get it to where they work most of the time.    I don't make a lot of them as they are not big sellers here. But I make enough during my show season.   I've had fails.


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## Clarice (Mar 12, 2019)

I am going to a friend's house tonight where I will be giving away my "warty fails" LOL!  

More notes!  Thanks for your help!


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