This easy bath bomb recipe is made with Epsom salts and shea butter.  The shea butter hardens the bath bombs so they are harder than other bath bomb recipes.  

I'll admit it: I used to not be a fan of bath bombs.  Oh, I loved using them, but I didn't love making them.  

I had a couple of failed attempts and gave up on them for a while.  Dakota is a preteen now, so she loves all things girly, including bath bombs and pretty bath stuff.  She's been wanting to make some for a while now.

I started experimenting with ingredients to come up with an easy bath bomb recipe with Epsom salts and shea butter.  I wanted a recipe that didn't have a lot of ingredients and would be hard enough to hold it's shape.

Many bath bomb recipes call for cornstarch.  I've heard some nasty things that happen to pipes after using cornstarch.  I don't need that bill for my plumbing or septic. 

My skin tends to be dry, so I wanted a recipe with a carrier oil and a butter.  The butter helps moisturize the skin and add some firmness to this easy bath bomb recipe.  

This of this as a beginner recipe.  A no fail bath bomb recipe if you will.  Once you master this recipe, you can move on to recipes with clay, milk powder, and other ingredients.  

EASY BATH BOMB RECIPE WITH EPSOM SALTS AND SHEA BUTTER

BAKING SODA

Baking soda and citric acid combine to make the bubbles, so it wouldn't a bubbly bath bomb recipe without it.  Baking soda is also a great cleanser for your skin.  

Baking soda helps soften your skin and remove dead skin cells for smoother skin.  It also neutralizes pH and softens the bath water.

CITRIC ACID

Citric acid is what makes these bath bombs fizz.  It's also what makes bath bombs fickle to work with because it absorbs moisture from the air and expands.  

Citric acid also helps exfoliate your skin.  It also has antioxidants to help reverse the signs of aging.

EPSOM SALT

I added Epsom salts because they have magnesium to help relive muscle aches and relax your body.  Magnesium can be absorbed through the skin, and it can help reduce anxiety and stress.  

SHEA BUTTER

I added shea butter for two reasons.  The first is that it's a solid at room temperature, so it helps hold together this easy bath bomb recipe.  

If you're new to making bath bombs, this is a great starter recipe because these bath bombs hold together better than those made without a butter.  

Shea butter is also moisturizing for your skin.  It has fatty acids that are excellent for dry skin.  It also has vitamins A and E to nourish your skin.  

Learn more about hair and skin butters and their benefits here.

APRICOT OIL

I used apricot oil because it's a dry oil, so it soaks into the skin fairly quickly.  It has vitamins A and E to nourish for your skin.

Apricot oil can help tone your skin, too.

You can use any carrier oil in this recipe.  Other good choices would be fractionated coconut oil or sweet almond oil.  

Learn more about carrier oils and their benefits.

POLYSORBATE 80

Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier and surfactant used in bath bombs.  You can make bath bombs without poly 80, but it's recommended that you use it.  

It helps disperse the color in the water.  Without it, the colors sits on the top of the water.  You can also get a ring around the bath tub that you'll need to clean after your bath.  

Poly 80 also acts as an emulsifier for the shea butter and apricot oil.  If you don't use it, the oils sit on top of the water.  It won't hurt anything, but you won't get all of the benefits of the oils on your skin, either.

MICA

You can use a liquid colorant or mica.  I prefer mica because it's more vibrant.  It's also easier to add than liquid because it doesn't make the citric acid fizz up.  

This is the set of mica that I use.  It has a nice selection of colors, and there's plenty of each color.  For what little you use, I'm pretty sure I will never run out of mica.

ESSENTIAL OIL

I didn't have any pineapple or peach, so I used apple.  Who says your scents have to match your molds?  

This is a natural apple fragrance oil from Crafty Bubbles.  It's not on their website yet, so you have to call or email to order it.

MOLD

I used these large bath bomb molds.  This set has a large round mold, small round mold, pineapple, flower, leaf, and one that can be a plum or peach.

These are great molds.  They are thick, so they won't get bent or dented in storage.  I've seen some metal molds in the stores that looked like they would dent if you tapped them too hard to release the bath bomb.  These are heavy duty molds that will be able to make 100s or more bath bombs.  

These molds are large, especially the pineapple.  It measures 5 inches long to give you an idea of the size.

These molds are a great choice if you want to make a hidden color bath bomb like Rebecca from Soap Deli News did.  

Clean up was a breeze.  I keep some hot water with dish soap in it as I work, so I tossed them in there, wiped them out, and set them to dry.  

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups baking soda
• 2 cup citric acid
• 1/3 cup Epsom salt
• 2 tablespoons shea butter
• 2 tablespoons apricot oil
• 1.5 tablespoons polysorbate 80 (reduce the apricot oil to 1 tablespoon if using this)
• 1 tablespoon essential oil or fragrance oil
• 1/2 tablespoon cold water 
• Spray bottle
• Bath bomb molds

DIRECTIONS

STEP #1

Before you start making this easy bath bomb recipe with Epsom salts, put your molds in the freezer.  This will help the shea butter harden quicker for easier unmolding.

STEP #2

Place the citric acid, baking soda, and Epsom salt in a large bowl and mix well.  
I wanted to make two colors, so I put 1/3 in a bowl and 2/3 in another bowl and added the mica.

STEP #3

Place the shea butter and apricot seed oil in a double boiler.  I used a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup set on two canning jar rings in a pan of water to make a double boiler.

Remove from heat when melted.  Add the polysorbate 80 and the essential oil or fragrance oil.  Stir well.

STEP #4

Add the melted shea butter and oil mixture to the dry mixture.  If you divided the dry mixture, be sure to divide the oils evenly.  Stir well.

STEP #5

Spray with water lightly and used a gloved hand to mix the easy bath bomb mixture.  When you can squeeze it and it holds it shape, it's ready to mold.

STEP #6

Spoon the mixture into your bath bomb molds.  Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press the mixture down into the mold.  Make sure you press around the edges.  Try to get the back as flat as you can.

STEP #7

Gently tap the mold onto the counter to release it.  It should come right out.  

STEP #8

I wanted to add some extra depth to my leaves and plums, so I painted some green mica on top.  I just put about 1/4 of a teaspoon of mica in a paper cup and added drops of rubbing alcohol to make a paint. 

 Then I painted the green on the leaves and on the plums.

Let your easy bath bomb recipe with Epsom salts sit until hardened.  If you want to speed it up or it's warm, put them in an air tight container or bag and place in the freezer.

I just love how easy this recipe is to work with!  The the shea butter sets up, so these are rock hard at room temperature without using cornstarch.

TIPS FOR MAKING EASY BATH BOMBS RECIPE

• Try to get the back as flat as you can.  If it's uneven, the bath bomb might crack as it dries.
• Humidity is the enemy of bath bombs.  Try to make your bath bombs when the humidity is less than 40 percent.
• The shea butter starts to soften at about 75 degrees.  If it's hotter than that, it may not harden.
• If it is hot and you want to put your bath bombs in the freezer, put them in an airtight ziploc bag so they don't collect moisture.
• Avoid using silicone molds for bath bombs.  As you press down the mixture, the mold can expand.  This can cause cracks or bath bombs that don't fully set up.

Easy Bath Bomb Recipe With Epsom Salts and Shea Butter

Yield: 7 cups

Author: Cari Dunn

Estimated cost: $5

prep time: 15 Mperform time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 H & 15 M

This easy bath bomb recipe is made with Epsom salts and shea butter. The shea butter hardens the bath bombs so they are harder than other bath bomb recipes.

materials:

• 4 cups baking soda
• 2 cup citric acid
• 1/3 cup Epsom salt
• 2 tablespoons shea butter
• 2 tablespoons apricot oil
• 1.5 tablespoons polysorbate 80 (reduce the apricot oil to 1 tablespoon if using this)
• 1 tablespoon essential oil or fragrance oil
• 1/2 tablespoon cold water
• Spray bottle
• Bath bomb molds

steps:

1. Place the citric acid, baking soda, and Epsom salt in a large bowl and mix well.
2. Place the shea butter and apricot seed oil in a double boiler. I used a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup set on two canning jar rings in a pan of water to make a double boiler.
3. Remove from heat when melted. Add the polysorbate 80 and the essential oil or fragrance oil. Stir well.
4. Add the melted shea butter and oil mixture to the dry mixture. If you divided the dry mixture, be sure to divide the oils evenly. Stir well.
5. Spray with water lightly and used a gloved hand to mix the easy bath bomb mixture. When you can squeeze it and it holds it shape, it's ready to mold.
6. Spoon the mixture into your bath bomb molds. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press the mixture down into the mold. Make sure you press around the edges. Try to get the back as flat as you can.
7. Gently tap the mold onto the counter to release it. It should come right out.

NOTES:

Try to get the back as flat as you can.  If it's uneven, the bath bomb might crack as it dries.

Humidity is the enemy of bath bombs.  Try to make your bath bombs when the humidity is less than 40 percent.

The shea butter starts to soften at about 75 degrees.  If it's hotter than that, it may not harden.

If it is hot and you want to put your bath bombs in the freezer, put them in an airtight ziploc bag so they don't collect moisture.

Avoid using silicone molds for bath bombs.  As you press down the mixture, the mold can expand.  This can cause cracks or bath bombs that don't fully set up.

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