Bath Bombs: New and Confused

[Karma]

Hello! I'm very new to making bath bombs and I have run into some problems. I have noticed some drastic color changes in my bath bombs where they turn into a speckled darker version of the original dye. I'm using food coloring for them and I'm not sure if it's just the brand (Mccormick Neon Food Coloring) or if it's how I'm making the bombs itself.

Besides the coloring problems when I tested one out they just sink to the bottom of the bowl and VERY slowly dissolve rather than fizz. They still dispearse but it isnt very fun to watch and it looks more like a melting effect rather than a fizzing.

They are also very soft to the touch compared to how a Lush bath bomb feels (which is more chalky and hard). They don't just crumble in your hands or anything but they definitely feel delicate to the touch.

Recipe;

• 8oz Baking Soda
• 4oz of Ball Fruit Fresh (Citric Acid)
• 4oz of Cornstarch
• 4oz of Epsom Salt
• 1 Tsp of water and I spritz lightly with water for the right consistency.
• A few drops FO
• 2 Tbs of jojoba oil

 

[hmlove1218]

I personally would swap out the water for 91% rubbing alcohol. It won't set off the reaction early. I also have a theory that water makes them softer, which might explain what you're feeling. If that doesn't help firm them up, maybe try adding in a but of a hard butter or oil like coconut oil or cocoa butter.

The speckling is probably caused by the water based colorant being attracted to the salt. You can achieve the effect purposefully by adding the color into your salts and then adding the salts into your powders.

 

[Karma]

Thank you! I will definitely switch to the 91% alcohol and try adding a hard butter to make them more firm. I figured I was adding to much water or something that made them so squishy.

With the colors I don't mind the speckling that much but for example I used a neon yellow coloring and it almost looks like dijon mustard when it dried. :???:

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Also, double check on your acid. Ball actually sells two products--the citric acid and "Fruit Fresh", which is a mixture of different things. The packaging on them is very similar and some stores only carry one or the other. Don't feel bad if you have the wrong product--I made that mistake myself!