# bath bomb benefits?



## Manchy (Oct 7, 2009)

i've made few of them, and like them so-so. what i wonder is what are the benefits of bath bombs? like, what's each ingredient good for. 
i gave it a thought, and this is what i came up with:

citric acid - softens water, thus making it more easily absorb to and cleanse your skin.
sodium bicarbonate - cleanses
salt (if added) - nourishes your skin with minerals
almond oil - nourishing
essential oils - nice, therapeutic effects...
color - fun

am i on to something with this?? i'm especially worried about the first two, cause i have no idea really is that true at all??

also, if i make a globe shape or dome shape, after some time they flatten a bit. how do i prevent this? i'm happy with the end product's firmness - in 12 hours they're rock hard, so i don't know what should i do that it keeps it shape in first few minutes, or hours??

p. s. i make mine with sodium bicarbonate (2 part)s, citric acid (1 part), almond oil, essential oils and a little bit of color.


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## carebear (Oct 7, 2009)

Now remember, I'm a cynic.  This said...

citric acid can chelate minerals so I guess it might be true that it softens water.  but it doesn't make it absorb or anything.  it might have a small effect on soap scum but you don't have soap in bath bombs
baking soda doesn't cleanse - it also might work as a water softener but I don't know about that
colors are fun - that I agree with

salt - nourishing?  I am not a believer but some thing *dead sea salts *have a therapeutic effect.  regular salt is tasty but I don't know that you can say any more than that.  Epsom salts do have a benefit but I don't know how much you'd need to use, and only for people with a deficiency I believe (magnesium?)
almond oil - moisturizing
EOs - therapeutic would depend on what you add, I guess


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## Manchy (Oct 7, 2009)

weeell, i was just trying to thin out the most of it, cause it got me dubbed - what's it good for?? so, i was trying to go all the way there, as that could be the only imaginable benefits.. so, the conclusion is: bath bombs are fun bcs of fizziness and color, may be therapeutic if specific eos in specific amounts are used (so, scratch that),  and almond oil is moisturizing (yes, that's the word i was looking for, actually!).

i guess this does not satisfy me.. anyone can say why do you enjoy bath bomb? why would one go through the process of making or even buying (often very pricey) bath bombs?? why is it better than just soaking in a tub, adding few drops of moisturizing oil and some nice eo's? it sums down to fizzy fun in the end, doesn't it??

btw, i guess i'm cynical myself, too - that's why i have these worries


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## Tabitha (Oct 7, 2009)

What is anything good for if you want to take the cynical route? What is the point insoda? There is no nutritional value. What is the point in cake? Bread will due just fine. Why go to the movies? Your life is not any better afterwards.

The point is, a bathbomb gives you an excuse for a little me time. It allows you to soak in the tub which in return destresses your mind while the hot water works on your body. 2+2 may not equal 4 but there are benefits.

Bathbombs please the eys, please the nose, please the skin and offer a 20 minute escape & are healthier than a beer or a cigarette. Sounds pretty good to me :wink: . 

I love bath bombs. I don't use them often, but I do love em'!


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## carebear (Oct 7, 2009)

I enjoy them because I am doing something special that's all about me - they are a small luxury, like perfume.  I like the fizziness - it's fun.  I like some scents, and if I put glitter in I like the way my BF whines about ending up shimmery  :twisted: .


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## Tabitha (Oct 7, 2009)

> I put glitter in I like the way my BF whines about ending up shimmery  .


 My hubby too. You would think they would wear it like a trophy  .

My Jr year in high school my mom chaparoned mye high school Halloween dance. I wore lots of glitter. At the end of the night my mom told me she could 'see' where I had been   . I left a little trail.


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## Manchy (Oct 7, 2009)

no, no, no - that all sounds just fine by me! it's just that mostly bath and body products have some very straight forward uses and benefits, and i kept scratching my head over the bath bombs, that's all..

and, i think you described why you like them pretty well!


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## Manchy (Oct 7, 2009)

and, what about your bath bombs, are they keeping their shape?
maybe mine have to many wet ingredients??


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## ohsoap (Nov 4, 2009)

# Citric acid is an astringent, which helps to make skin tight, sodium bicarbonate is what makes the bomb fizz, and corn starch helps to create a smooth, hard bath fizzer.
# The witch hazel (because of its alcohol content) will allow the fizzer to release from the molds very quickly. Just using water as the moisturizing agent would have the fizzer take hours to release from the molds. Adding any oils or other moisturizers can also make the fizzer harder to release from the mold.


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## KSL (Nov 5, 2009)

carebear said:
			
		

> I enjoy them because I am doing something special that's all about me - they are a small luxury, like perfume.  I like the fizziness - it's fun.  I like some scents, and if I put glitter in I like the way my BF whines about ending up shimmery  :twisted: .



*giggle*  Tell him to watch Twilight...... 
Edward is shimmery.... and yummy.....


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## lhaase0217 (Nov 13, 2013)

carebear said:


> I like the way my BF whines about ending up shimmery  :twisted: .


I bet he doesn't whine about how soft your skin is or how good you smell, does he? roblem:


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## Obsidian (Nov 13, 2013)

I just got out of a bath that I used a bath bomb in. The amount of soap scum was reduced significantly but I can't say it did anything for my skin. I came out of the water with dry and tight skin. I had to slather on lotion. I like scented water but I'd like to find a better way to achieve it.


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## ourwolfden (Nov 15, 2013)

Obsidian said:


> I just got out of a bath that I used a bath bomb in. The amount of soap scum was reduced significantly but I can't say it did anything for my skin. I came out of the water with dry and tight skin. I had to slather on lotion. I like scented water but I'd like to find a better way to achieve it.


 
Hmmm, it is interesting to see the differences in people’s skin types because my skin always feels so soft after using a bath bomb.


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## Bath Baubles (Jan 8, 2014)

I love bath bombs. They make my skin feel soft, no lotion needed after the bath. I add grape seed oil to mine.


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## cmzaha (Jan 8, 2014)

salt - nourishing? I am not a believer but some thing *dead sea salts *have a therapeutic effect. regular salt is tasty but I don't know that you can say any more than that. Epsom salts do have a benefit but I don't know how much you'd need to use, and only for people with a deficiency I believe (magnesium?)
almond oil - moisturizing
EOs - therapeutic would depend on what you add, I guess[/QUOTE]

Salt can be very healing and can stop itching especially combined with lavender essential. Being a person with mild to severe eczema I can assure you it can be very healing. I spent most of my life going to the beach to get in the water. Even just being in the salty air is beneficial


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## Seawolfe (Sep 28, 2016)

I like to grate hard cocoa butter into my bath bombs - it melts in the hot bath and mmmmm
Im also a big fan of using epsom salts in my bombs, but that's more of a filler than anything because a decent epsom salt bath needs at least 2 cups, I like 4.
EO's only, but that's just me - I have yet to find an FO that's not too perfumy for me.
And I dont see why they need to be round - takes too much time IMHO. I fill a perfect half-round plastic bowl and BAM BAM BAM BAM onto the drying tray - done! Easier to wrap too.


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## snappyllama (Oct 1, 2016)

Manchy said:


> also, if i make a globe shape or dome shape, after some time they flatten a bit. how do i prevent this? i'm happy with the end product's firmness - in 12 hours they're rock hard, so i don't know what should i do that it keeps it shape in first few minutes, or hours??
> .



You have a few options to help with flattened bottoms (no snickering). 

1. After unmolding, you can put the bombs in a pan filled with baking soda. it helps to make little round indentations in the baking soda so each bomb can rest in its own little spot. Trust me... your bottoms will remain super perky (no snickering). 

That's kinda a pita though so...

2. After unmolding, put your bombs on one of those bedding egg crate things that people use for a mattress topper. 

That's kinda expensive though so...

3. After unmolding, put each bomb in a soft toweled nest inside of a tray. I use my ancient kitchen tea towels or cloth diapers for this (bought for cleaning and never used on bums). I normally go for this method since it's easy. The key is to not have them resting on a flat surface.


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