# Cream of tartar Vs kaolin clay in bath bombs



## PuddinAndPeanuts (Jun 8, 2017)

Maybe a dumb question...  what's the difference between the function of cream of tartar and kaolin clay in bath bombs?  My bomb recipe works like a dream- but cream of tartar is pricey, and if I recall properly, kaolin is pretty affordable.  Wondering about making a switch.


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## WeaversPort (Jun 8, 2017)

I don't think it's a dumb question, and without the recipe any one would purely be guessing. 

Generally cream of tartar and Kaolin clay do completely different things. It would be like asking if you could substitute butter for baking soda when baking a cake. 

You'd likely substitute citric acid for cream of tartar when making bath bombs. Soap Queen has some recipes and resources you could check out if you are looking to get into making soap and bath products.  I've found many of her spotlights and recipes a good beginning resource for getting the sense of ingredients and their purposes.


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## PuddinAndPeanuts (Jun 11, 2017)

WeaversPort said:


> I don't think it's a dumb question, and without the recipe any one would purely be guessing.
> 
> Generally cream of tartar and Kaolin clay do completely different things. It would be like asking if you could substitute butter for baking soda when baking a cake.
> 
> You'd likely substitute citric acid for cream of tartar when making bath bombs. Soap Queen has some recipes and resources you could check out if you are looking to get into making soap and bath products.  I've found many of her spotlights and recipes a good beginning resource for getting the sense of ingredients and their purposes.




Really???!  I thought cream of tartar was mostly for a good, hard bomb.  I think of it as making them stronger- less breakable- though that part may just be an assumption on my part.  Citric acid, on the other hand, I think of as being there strictly to react with the baking soda and create a chemical reaction that fizzes when they make contact with water.  Cream of tartar does that too? 

I thought people add kaolin to make their bombs harder and as a scent fixative...

Can someone tell me where I've got stuff confused!


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## shunt2011 (Jun 12, 2017)

The cream of tartar makes the bath bomb.  I would try subbing it with the kaolin clay and see what happens.  Citric acid is what makes it fizz along with the baking soda. I would do a small batch.  If things ever settle down here and I can get back into the swing of making product I might give it a try myself.


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## PuddinAndPeanuts (Jun 12, 2017)

shunt2011 said:


> The cream of tartar makes the bath bomb.  I would try subbing it with the kaolin clay and see what happens.  Citric acid is what makes it fizz along with the baking soda. I would do a small batch.  If things ever settle down here and I can get back into the swing of making product I might give it a try myself.




I'm so sorry- I'm not sure what you mean by "cream of tartar makes the bath bomb"?


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