How to make moisturizing bath bomb mixture smooth?

[Tourmaline]

I've been using this bath bomb recipe, and I love how it moisturizes my skin. I live in Colorado and it is dry, dry, dry here! Especially in winter. The bath bombs harden well, fizz nicely, even float. But I'm having trouble getting the oil & butter mixture to incorporate fully. I always end up with lumps of butter-oil mix, which makes the outside of my bath bombs kind of lumpy. It's not the same kind of 'warts' that I've seen pictures of online, the whole mixture is coarse rather than fine. Any tips for how to get everything to mix up properly?

 

[Misschief]

I've been using this bath bomb recipe, and I love how it moisturizes my skin. I live in Colorado and it is dry, dry, dry here! Especially in winter. The bath bombs harden well, fizz nicely, even float. But I'm having trouble getting the oil & butter mixture to incorporate fully. I always end up with lumps of butter-oil mix, which makes the outside of my bath bombs kind of lumpy. It's not the same kind of 'warts' that I've seen pictures of online, the whole mixture is coarse rather than fine. Any tips for how to get everything to mix up properly?

The method I use adds the citric acid last. Before adding the citric acid, you mix, mix, mix, and mix some more until the mixture is fully incorporated. I would say that if you're getting lumps of oil/butter, you're probably not mixing enough.

 

[lsg]

You might also think about adding an emulsifier to the recipe. That will help the oils disperse in bath water.

 

[AliOop]

You might also think about adding an emulsifier to the recipe. That will help the oils disperse in bath water.

I agree. You can use some liquid soap, or some polysorbate 80.

 

[Tourmaline]

@Misschief (excellent screenname btw!): Oh, that makes sense! I never thought to add the acids last. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get everything incorporated with my hands. I think I'll start looking at the local thrift shops for an electric mixer, I saw a YouTube tutorial for cocoa butter bath bombs where she used a stand mixer. Might try 99% isopropyl alcohol too, everything dries so fast in this climate but when I rewet the mixture with 91% isopropyl I get mushrooming.

@Isg and AliOop: My recipe does include polysorbate 80. I don't want to slip in the tub, lol! The problem is with the texture of the bomb itself, not the bath water.