Coconut oil for bath bombs?

[NOLAGal]

I've seen a few people say that they use coconut oil as their main carrier oil for their bath bombs. I am using coconut oil 76 degrees. It's solid in a tub, I melt it before using. Is this what everyone else is doing too?

I'm wondering if the oil I am using is the reason why it's taking about a week for my bath bombs to get real hard.

 

[icg]

Coconut oil and avocado are my main carriers, and they do harden well within 2 days. It think it also depends on how much oils you're using. Only around 3-7% of the recipe should be any liquid (including fragrance). If you use too much oils, it will take forever to dry and harden. I also add a bit of bentonite clay which might be helping it harden well. Also be sure to store it in a cool and dry place. I keep them next to a small moisture absorber.

 

[NOLAGal]

I'm going to do the math tonight before my next batch and will make sure my total oils do not exceed 5%. I've cut back drastically on my oils but probably still have too much. My bombs take for ever to dry!!!! I keep them in spare room with fan on and the humidity has been steady around 50%. I haven't tried clay but have tested with cream of tartar. Is your coconut oil 76 degrees too?

 

[icg]

For all my test batches, I didn't measure the temperature of the coconut oil. Sometimes it was liquid, other times the coconut oils were hard. The texture of the mixture should be nothing more than lightly damp sand that can mold with a good squeeze. For the math, convert everything to some measurement, and use a percentage calculator online to find out. My humidity sometimes exceeds 70%, don't know why mine are working but I keep them in a box with a moisture absorber. It's very likely your recipe. Also, since you're testing, make sure you make smaller batches.

 

[NOLAGal]

My coconut oil is solid and has always been solid, I have to scoop some out and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds to get it melted before using it. The next morning I will find some of the left over oil in the bottom of Tupperware I was using has solidified again. Part of me wonders if that could be my problem, the coconut oil I am using. I've never tried making them without it. I do have some liquid almond oil so I may try that as a substitute tonight as a test batch to confirm or eliminate the coconut oil as the culprit!

In all my tests I've done I use 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup citric acid and go from there. It ends up making me about 2-3 of the big 2.75 size bombs.
My biggest issue atm is dry time. They will get rock hard but it takes 1-2 weeks!!!

This is the coconut oil I've been using btw, http://www.bulkapothecary.com/raw-ingredients/bulk-natural-oils/coconut-oil-76-degree/

 

[icg]

Maybe it is the oils, I just buy a lot of organic (scentless and flavorless) coconut oil from local grocery stores. You can get a pound bentonite clay from your local whole foods. I add just a teaspoon or two into my mixture and it may absorb some of the moisture and harden. I don't think you should use coconut oil as your main carrier oil. I like using avocado and sweet almond oils. But I still add just a bit of coconut oil because I have so much of it at home. How are you storing them exactly?

 

[NOLAGal]

I bought some of the organic coconut oil and it should be in any day. I also bought some kaolin clay and will try that to see if it will help harden them.

My last attempt was totally frustrating, couldn't get anything to work. I've decided my next attempt to go back to the basics. Will just use baking soda, citric acid and small amount of oil and see if I can get that to work, if so I do it again adding back in more ingredients that I want to use like corn starch, shea butter, Epsom salts, cream of tartar etc... So far I have been using soap dye (liquid) which causes a little fizz with each drop and I've been doing a lot of drops to try to get deep colors, this may be a source of my problems, who knows! only way to find out is to start with just the few basic ingredients and make it work great then build back from them. I am determined!

 

[doriettefarm]

If liquid dyes are making your bomb mixture react prematurely, you could try just coloring the baking soda in advance. Give it time to dry out before combining with citric acid and maybe that will help. I have crappy luck with bath bombs because of the high humidity where I live so adding any liquid other than oil or rubbing alcohol is a no-go for me.

 

[NOLAGal]

If liquid dyes are making your bomb mixture react prematurely, you could try just coloring the baking soda in advance. Give it time to dry out before combining with citric acid and maybe that will help. I have crappy luck with bath bombs because of the high humidity where I live so adding any liquid other than oil or rubbing alcohol is a no-go for me.

I'm in a high humidity area as well, but my room lately has been around 50% humidity. I imagine during the summer I will need to get a dehumidifier.

I'm also learning that I need very very little carrier oil because of the humidity. It seems once I have been adding my 20+ plus drops of dye my mixture is shot, halves wont stick together and both sides get stuck in the molds

I just got some powdered dyes in the mail so anxious to see how that works!

 

[NOLAGal]

If liquid dyes are making your bomb mixture react prematurely, you could try just coloring the baking soda in advance. Give it time to dry out before combining with citric acid and maybe that will help. I have crappy luck with bath bombs because of the high humidity where I live so adding any liquid other than oil or rubbing alcohol is a no-go for me.

Thanks for the tip with mixing the dye with the baking soda first. I just got some powdered dye that I'm going to try too.