Bath bombs cracking and crumbling

[Skinsoul]

Hi I am very new to making these , I have a kit with ingredients in already I substituted the vanilla essence for my favourite essential oils but the bombs sometimes crack.

Our home is quite damp is there anything I could do to avoid this problem please?

 

[glendam]

I have had bath bombs crack when I use too much liquid, usually towards the end of the mix, when I spray it with alcohol. I have learned to work in smaller batches, but the main thing would be to get a recipe for humid environments (they usually have solid oils such as cocoa butter instead of a liquid oil) plus other rations for the rest of the ingredients.

 

[BWt]

There is a new way to mix bath bomb ingredients. No need to do the spray thing with this recipe. However humidity is the arch enemy of bath bombs. 45 % or less humidity is ideal. Air conditioning where the bombs are made and dried is quite helpful. Here is the recipe I now use. Much much easier than previous recipes. Read to the actual recipe at the end of the article and you will see the difference in how the ingredients are mixed. No isopropyl alcohol needed but you will need witch hazel. Best price I’ve found is Walgreens or Walmart. single batch until your molding speed picks up. You can use melted coconut oil or melted butters instead of the oils called for in the recipe but do not add them when they are hot. Let the melted butters cool as much as you can before mixing them in.
https://www.humblebeeandme.com/winter-solstice-bath-bombs/#more-32340A few pics of bombs I’ve made decorations are done with mica mixed with isopropyl alcohol and polysorbate 80 splashed on when bombs are absolutely dry. The bug bombs are a NordicWare Backyard Bug mold. Also have a smaller press type mold. Twowildhares on Etsy has competitive pricing ok citric acid and bomb molds. Good luck!

 

[Ellacho]

Wow, these are absolutely beautiful!

 

[BWt]

I push the bath bomb mix into the molds and push down firmly until full. When the molds are full I roll heavy rolling pin across the top to even out what will be the bottom of the bombs. One can also use a long knife to slice any extra mix off the bombs. Then to get the bombs out of the mold put a piece of paper on the floor. Brown bag paper is good. Drop the mold as evenly as possible onto the paper from a height of about one foot. The mold makes six I think. Carefully pick up the edges of the mold and lift up and away. Each drop gets one or two bugs out of the mold. I pick them up off the paper by gently sliding a large spatula underneath and put them on a tray to dry. Let me know if you want a video of this. I can make one for you. Put a fan on your bath bombs to keep air moving. You could also put them into the fridge on a tray. They really are easier to make with lower humidity. Here is the mold I use:https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-...0395860796&psc=1#immersive-view_1659760084582

 

[persephonesgarden]

Regarding lower humidity, if you can afford it getting a nice dehumidifier is one of the best things I did for my crafting mental health after one too many “nOtHiNG iS dRYinG!!!!” meltdowns. Silica packets, air conditioning etc all help too but a good dehumidifier can bring your humidity down by a staggering amount in just a few hours! (Just make sure it’s a reputable/safe brand)