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I Finally Found a DIY Bath Bomb Kit That Makes 20 for Under $15
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items Spending $6 per bath bomb at the store felt ridiculous once I realized I could make a whole batch for the price of one fancy latte. This list is for the person who wants to try making their own bath bombs but doesn't want to hunt down 15 different in...
Sections
7
Base Ingredients You Actually Need
Molds That Don't Stick or Break
Colors That Won't Stain Your Tub
Scents That Actually Smell Good After Mixing
Add-Ins That Make Them Look Professional
Packaging for Gifting Without Spending More
Base Ingredients You Actually Need
I wasted so much baking soda on failed batches before I figured out the right brands and ratios. These are the exact base supplies that fizz properly every single time.
Grab this size because you'll burn through small boxes faster than you think. I went through three of the little ones before wising up. For anyone making more than one batch, the 4 lb bag is the move.
ARM and HAMMER, Baking Soda, 4 lb Box
Use this as your fizz agent. Without the right ratio of citric acid, your bath bombs just sit there like sad lumps. One pound makes roughly 20 bath bombs, so the math works out perfectly.
Viva Doria, Citric Acid Powder, Food Grade, 2 lbs, Crystal
Toss a couple tablespoons into each batch. It keeps the bombs from crumbling apart when you pop them out of the mold. Learned this the hard way after my first five attempts turned into expensive dust.
Great Value Corn Starch, 16 oz
Swap this in for a spa-level soak without the spa-level price. Works especially well if your muscles are wrecked after sitting at a desk all day. A little goes a long way per bomb.
Dr Teal's, Epsom Salt Magnesium Soak, 3 lbs
Keep this as your binding oil. It melts clean, doesn't leave a weird film in the tub, and your skin feels ridiculously soft after. One jar lasts through several batches easily.
Great Value Organic Naturally Refined Coconut Oil, 56 fl oz
Molds That Don't Stick or Break
My first bath bombs looked like deflated golf balls because I used the wrong molds. These actually release cleanly and hold their shape while drying.
Snag these if you want that classic round shape. The metal ones pop apart way easier than plastic. I tried cheap plastic molds first and cracked about half my bombs getting them out.
Caydo 30pcs 3 Sizes DIY Metal Bath Bomb Mold
Try these for heart-shaped bombs that make ridiculously good gifts. Silicone flexes so nothing cracks. Perfect for anyone making Valentine's Day or birthday presents on a budget.
Wilton Silicone Heart Mold, 12 Cavities, Petite Hearts
Use this when you want to impress people at a gift exchange without spending more than a dollar per bomb. The flower detail actually shows up, which I honestly didn't expect from a cheap mold.
Beautiful by Drew Barrymore Silicone Flower Mold with Lid
Pair this with some sprinkle-colored mica and you get bath bombs that look like actual donuts. My niece lost her mind over these. Great for anyone making them with kids.
Professional Silicone Donut Mold 6-Cavity Pan for Baking
Keep this around for smaller bath bombs that fit in jars as gift sets. The size is just right for stuffing six into a mason jar with some tissue paper. People think you spent way more than you did.
Wilton Silicone Bite-Size Snowflake Treat Mold, 12-Cavity
Colors That Won't Stain Your Tub
Nothing kills the bath bomb vibe faster than scrubbing blue dye off your bathtub at 11 PM. These colorants rinse clean every time.
Grab the variety pack so you can mix custom colors. A couple drops per batch is all you need. I dumped in way too much the first time and my bathwater looked like Shrek's swamp.
Customer reviews for LorAnn Liquid Food Coloring 1oz-Red
Switch to mica if you want that shimmery, almost-pearlescent look. It doesn't bleed into the tub like liquid dye can. For anyone who wants their bombs to look like they came from a boutique.
LEQU 24-Color Pearl Mica Pigment Powder for Epoxy Resin
Use these for bold, saturated colors without needing much product. They blend into the dry mix easier than liquid drops. Stock up now because they sell out around the holidays.
Wilton Icing Colours Set
Try these if you're making bombs for someone with sensitive skin. Plant-based means no synthetic dyes sitting in bathwater. My friend with eczema specifically requested these.
ColorKitchen Food Colors From Nature
Toss a tiny dot into your mix for subtle pastel shades. Gel disperses more evenly than liquid, so you won't get weird color streaks. Learned that lesson three batches in.
Betty Crocker Decorating Gel Food Color in Classic
Scents That Actually Smell Good After Mixing
Some fragrance oils smell amazing in the bottle and then completely disappear once they hit baking soda. These survived the mixing process and still smelled great in the tub.
Use about 15 drops per batch for a scent that's calming without being overwhelming. My first attempt I went heavy and it smelled like a grandmother's closet. Less is more here.
LorAnn Oils Natural Lavender Oil, 1 Ounce
Bring this out for winter batches. The cooling sensation in warm water is honestly wild. Perfect for anyone who wants that spa tingle without paying spa prices.
LorAnn Oils, Super Strength Flavoring, Peppermint, 1 fl Dram
Pair this with Epsom salt for a sinus-clearing bomb during cold season. Made a batch when I had a head cold last February and it was the only thing that helped me breathe.
Nature's Truth Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Snag this for a citrus bomb that smells like fresh-squeezed sunshine. It holds its scent better than lemon, which tends to fade fast. Great for morning baths when you need to wake up.
LorAnn Blood Orange Oil SS, Natural Flavor, 1 ounce bottle
Get this for bombs targeted at oily or acne-prone skin. My teenage daughter uses these and her back breakouts calmed down noticeably. A few drops per batch is plenty.
Nature's Truth Aromatherapy 100% Pure Essential Oil
Add-Ins That Make Them Look Professional
Plain white bath bombs work fine, but adding a few cheap extras makes them look like you bought them from a fancy shop. These little touches took my bombs from homemade to handmade.
Toss a few petals on top before the bomb dries and suddenly it looks like a $12 product. Fair warning, put them in a mesh bag for the bath or you'll be fishing petals out of your drain.
Bulk Dried Red Rose Petals - 8 Ounce Bag (s2158oz)
Use a tablespoon per batch for bombs that feel silky in the water. It dissolves completely so no weird chunks floating around. Especially good for anyone with dry, itchy winter skin.
Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Oat Flour, 20 oz
Grab these to press into the top of donut-shaped molds. They dissolve in water so nothing clogs your drain. My kid's friends thought I ordered them from some fancy website.
Wilton Gold Pearlized Sugar Sprinkles, 5.25 oz.
Pair with lavender oil for a bomb that looks and smells like something from a farmers market booth. Sprinkle them into the mold before packing in the mixture. So simple but so effective.
50 G/Bag Dried Lavender,Grade Loose Dried Flower Buds
Swap in a small amount for extra moisturizing bombs. It melts right into the warm water and your skin drinks it up. Stock up before winter because dry skin season is brutal.
Beurre De Karite Shea Butter
Packaging for Gifting Without Spending More
Half the reason I started making bath bombs was to stop spending $30 on gift sets. These packaging supplies make a $2 batch look like a $25 present.
Keep a pack of these around because three small bath bombs in a mason jar with a ribbon is a complete gift. Teachers, coworkers, neighbors. I knocked out all my holiday gifts in one afternoon.
Ball, Mason Jars, 16 oz, Regular Mouth Pint with Lids
Use this to wrap individual bombs. Way cheaper than cellophane and it looks more intentional. Crinkle a piece around each bomb and tie it with twine for a rustic vibe.
Hallmark 6-Pack Assorted Tissue Paper
Snag these for labeling scents and ingredients. Write ‘Lavender Eucalyptus’ on a tag and suddenly your homemade gift looks like an artisan product. Costs basically nothing per tag.
Kraft Paper Gift Tags 100 Piece, Brown for Gift Bags
Try these for a cleaner look when you want people to see the colors. Twist-tie the top, add a tag, and you're done. I use these for craft fair sales and they always sell out first.
Clear Cellophane Treat Bags with Gold Star Print
Wrap this around jars or bags for that handmade look everyone loves. One roll lasts forever. Way better than ribbon if you're going for that earthy, homemade-with-love feel.
1mm 328 Feet Natural Jute Twine, for Crafts Gift
Tools That Speed Up the Whole Process
My first batch took over two hours because I was mixing in a cereal bowl with a fork. These cheap tools cut my process down to about 40 minutes for a full batch of 20.
Get a set with different sizes so you can mix colors separately. Trying to do everything in one bowl means muddy colors and frustration. Learned that after my ‘rainbow bomb’ turned gray.
Mainstays 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set, Papyrus Beige
Use silicone because it scrapes every last bit of mixture out. Wasting mix stuck to the sides of the bowl drove me crazy until I switched from metal spoons. Pays for itself in saved ingredients.
Mainstays Colorful Silicone Spatulas Set 4 with Bamboo
Grab this for melting coconut oil in the microwave before mixing. Pouring from a regular bowl is a disaster. The spout on this thing saves your counter from looking like an oil slick.
Pyrex, Measuring Cup, 2-Cup, Glass with Red Graphics
Ditch the measuring cups for dry ingredients and weigh everything instead. My bombs got way more consistent once I started weighing. For anyone whose first batches kept turning out different every time.
Mainstays Digital Kitchen Scale with Blue Backlit LCD
Keep this filled with rubbing alcohol to spritz your molds before packing. It helps the mixture release without sticking. I ruined so many bombs before someone on a forum told me this trick.
HDX 32oz. Empty Spray Bottle V2