Help with Bath Bombs please.

[Minki]

Hi there,
I'm desperate for some advice and guidance please. Until recently I always made perfect bath bombs using the recipe below. Now all of a sudden they're perfect until 24-48 hrs later when they get a giant crack in the middle.
This is my recipe

1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup Epsom salts
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup citric acid
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon other oil
2 teaspoons witch hazel
Few drops of essence.

I use only powder coloring. It always worked so well but now they're almost all cracking within 24-48 hrs
I'd so appreciate some advice. Thank you.

 

[The Park Bench]

Hi there,
I'm desperate for some advice and guidance please. Until recently I always made perfect bath bombs using the recipe below. Now all of a sudden they're perfect until 24-48 hrs later when they get a giant crack in the middle.
This is my recipe

1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup Epsom salts
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup citric acid
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon other oil
2 teaspoons witch hazel
Few drops of essence.

I use only powder coloring. It always worked so well but now they're almost all cracking within 24-48 hrs
I'd so appreciate some advice. Thank you.

Have you checked your humidity level? I am not making bath bombs right now because the humidity is so low, like 31%! I like it around 40 to 45%.

 

[Minki]

Have you checked your humidity level? I am not making bath bombs right now because the humidity is so low, like 31%! I like it around 40 to 45%.

Thanks so much. My humidity hasn't changed. But i appreciate it!

 

[Terri E]

I have had this happen before and found that I had added a little too much moisture (alcohol/witch hazel) to the mix. I also add cocoa butter and a little shea to mine as well as cream of tartar and turkey red castor oil.

 

[lsg]

Here is a recipe for "no-fail" bath bombs. It has worked for me. If you don't want to use Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetat, make the difference up with citric acid and baking soda.

No Fail Foaming Bath Bombs
1 cup Citric Acid (7.4 ounces)
2 cups Sodium Bicarbonate (17.3 ounces)
¼ cup of Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (1.6 ounces)
¼ cup Cream of Tartar (1.4 ounces)
½ cup melted Deodorized Cocoa Butter (3.2 ounces)
1 tsp essential or fragrance oil

Note: Ounce measurements given in () are by weight.

Make sure to wear a mask or tie a handkerchief over your nose when working with sodium lauryl sulfoacetate as it is very powdery and can irritate bronchial passages. Mix all of the dry ingredients until there are no lumps and all is well blended. Mix in the melted cocoa butter and the EO or FO. Mix until all is well blended.

 

[AliOop]

Here is a recipe for "no-fail" bath bombs. It has worked for me. If you don't want to use Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetat, make the difference up with citric acid and baking soda.

No Fail Foaming Bath Bombs
1 cup Citric Acid (7.4 ounces)
2 cups Sodium Bicarbonate (17.3 ounces)
¼ cup of Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (1.6 ounces)
¼ cup Cream of Tartar (1.4 ounces)
½ cup melted Deodorized Cocoa Butter (3.2 ounces)
1 tsp essential or fragrance oil

Note: Ounce measurements given in () are by weight.

Make sure to wear a mask or tie a handkerchief over your nose when working with sodium lauryl sulfoacetate as it is very powdery and can irritate bronchial passages. Mix all of the dry ingredients until there are no lumps and all is well blended. Mix in the melted cocoa butter and the EO or FO. Mix until all is well blended.

I'm curious... you don't add any liquid other than the melted CB and fragrance, so no RA, witch hazel or water to bring it to wet-sand consistency?

 

[lsg]

I'm curious... you don't add any liquid other than the melted CB and fragrance, so no RA, witch hazel or water to bring it to wet-sand consistency?

No other liquid except what is shown in the recipe.

 

[AliOop]

No other liquid except what is shown in the recipe.

Thanks, I’m going to give your recipe a try!

 

[Minki]

I have had this happen before and found that I had added a little too much moisture (alcohol/witch hazel) to the mix. I also add cocoa butter and a little shea to mine as well as cream of tartar and turkey red castor oil.

Thank you so much. I experimented with recipes with less moisture and they wouldn't stick together at all. What's perplexing me is that I literally used the same recipe for ages and never had a problem.

Here is a recipe for "no-fail" bath bombs. It has worked for me. If you don't want to use Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetat, make the difference up with citric acid and baking soda.

No Fail Foaming Bath Bombs
1 cup Citric Acid (7.4 ounces)
2 cups Sodium Bicarbonate (17.3 ounces)
¼ cup of Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (1.6 ounces)
¼ cup Cream of Tartar (1.4 ounces)
½ cup melted Deodorized Cocoa Butter (3.2 ounces)
1 tsp essential or fragrance oil

Note: Ounce measurements given in () are by weight.

Make sure to wear a mask or tie a handkerchief over your nose when working with sodium lauryl sulfoacetate as it is very powdery and can irritate bronchial passages. Mix all of the dry ingredients until there are no lumps and all is well blended. Mix in the melted cocoa butter and the EO or FO. Mix until all is well blended.

Thank you so much. I really really appreciate it. I'm going to try this recipe. If I don't use the sodium thing do i use equal amounts of bicarb and citric acid please?
Thanks so much.

 

[lsg]

I would use 2 parts baking soda and 1 part citric acid.

 

[Minki]

Here is a recipe for "no-fail" bath bombs. It has worked for me. If you don't want to use Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetat, make the difference up with citric acid and baking soda.

No Fail Foaming Bath Bombs
1 cup Citric Acid (7.4 ounces)
2 cups Sodium Bicarbonate (17.3 ounces)
¼ cup of Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (1.6 ounces)
¼ cup Cream of Tartar (1.4 ounces)
½ cup melted Deodorized Cocoa Butter (3.2 ounces)
1 tsp essential or fragrance oil

Note: Ounce measurements given in () are by weight.

Make sure to wear a mask or tie a handkerchief over your nose when working with sodium lauryl sulfoacetate as it is very powdery and can irritate bronchial passages. Mix all of the dry ingredients until there are no lumps and all is well blended. Mix in the melted cocoa butter and the EO or FO. Mix until all is well blended.

Hi there, i tried this recipe and it worked great. The only problem was thar 24hrs later they're still not dry. Is it normal for them to take 48hrs or more to dry completely?
Could I try adding some corn starch? Do you think that might help them dry out faster? I truly appreciate your help.

 

[lsg]

Your climate may have something to do with the slow drying time. Try putting them in front of a fan or in a room with a dehumidifer.

 

[TashaBird]

Thanks, I’m going to give your recipe a try!

How did it work out? I have not made bath bombs before, and I’d like to try. I searched the forum and there are a zillion threads! Do you recommend any links/

 

[AliOop]

I haven’t tried these yet just because I haven’t had time to make any bath bombs. If you get to them before I do, please report back!

 

[Minki]

I'm still experimenting. My first try didn't dry after even 48hrs. I tried again adding 1/2 cup cornstarch and decreasing the oil but they were too crumbly. Today I made a batch using a bit of alcohol. They're still drying but look nice and seem harder and less crumbly. But I'm definitely still in the experiment stage.

 

[AliOop]

How did it work out? I have not made bath bombs before, and I’d like to try. I searched the forum and there are a zillion threads! Do you recommend any links/

I forgot to mention, the recipe I use now is Dean Wilson's recipe, which I learned about on Emilie Lefler's channel. I find her instructions very easy to follow, esp since I do prefer making my bathbombs with mooncake presses instead of the spherical molds. So much easier to package, and also much prettier, IMO!

 

[TashaBird]

I forgot to mention, the recipe I use now is Dean Wilson's recipe, which I learned about on Emilie Lefler's channel. I find her instructions very easy to follow, esp since I do prefer making my bathbombs with mooncake presses instead of the spherical molds. So much easier to package, and also much prettier, IMO!

I saw this old timey juicer today and it looks remarkably similar to the fancy presses from Europe for a fraction of the cost! I’m betting it could work with some of the molds I’ve seen on Etsy. What do you think?

 

[msunnerstood]

I saw this old timey juicer today and it looks remarkably similar to the fancy presses from Europe for a fraction of the cost! I’m betting it could work with some of the molds I’ve seen on Etsy. What do you think?

Ive seen a few youtubers use something like this as a press. they just put something on the bottom like a tile or wood disk to cover the hole where the citrus would normally go

 

[kasilofchrisn]

I love Dean Wilson's recipe and I've made it many times. A big thumbs up from me.
Even my buddies young kids love making bathbombs using his recipe.
They have always turned out great as well. Never any cracking or anything.
It's the only one I've used and they've always worked so I'm no help on why bathbombs crack.