AromaTherapy
What Is AromaTherapy?
Therapy Makes Scents
50 Uses of Essential Oils
Herbal Info
Introduction To Herbs
Collecting Wild Herbs
Grandma/Grandpa's Remedies
Herbal Tea Collection
Top Ten Researched Herbs
Growing
Common Companions
Drying/Preserving
Feeding/Fertilizing
Harvesting/Drying
Growing Indoors
Insects In The Garden
Planting/Cultivating
Natural Child Care
Herbs & Children
Natural Remedies For Children
Using Essential Oils With Children
Herbal Medicine For Children
Herbal Treatments For Children
Natural Beauty
Homemade Beauty Solutions
Essential Oils In The Bath
Essential Oils & Affect On Skin
Natural Health Care
Miscellaneous
Therapeutic Teas & Mixtures
Honey As A healer
Aphrodisiacs
Herbs For Liver Problems
Herbs For Obesity
Herbs For Quitting Smoking
Infertility
Native American Herbal Remedies
Natural Care For Hair Loss
Dealing With Head Lice
Herbs For Arthritis
Natural Arthritis Care
Herbs For High Blood Pressure
Herbs For Kidney Stones
Blood/Circulation
Herbs For Circulation
Herbs For Hypoglycemia
Herbs For Diabetes
Herbs For High Cholesterol
Herbs For Edema
Resources
Herbs
Aromatherapy
Alternative Treatments
Natural Products
Ayurveda
Conditions and Diseases
Beauty
Nutrition
Health Care
Self Help
|
Making Bath Bombs
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid*
1/2 cup corn starch Sieve dry ingredients til you get a nice smooth blend. (Optional: add 1/3 cup epsom salts or coarse sea salt after sieving) Wet Ingredients:
2 1/2 T. sunflower or other light oil (I use sweet almond oil, available at drug or health food stores)
3/4 T. water
1 to 2 teaspoons essential oils or fragrance oils
1/4 teaspoon borax as an emulsifier
vegetable or other natural colorant (optional) Combine wet ingredients and borax in a jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously. Drizzle onto dry ingredients and blend thoroughly. Pack tightly into moulds and slide out. They should release easily. Allow to dry overnight**.
===================================================
MIXING:
This mixture is VERY dry and crumbly and has to be packed in the moulds quite firmly to keep shape. If you add any other ingredients (such as herbs, epsom salts or dried flowers) you may need to add a bit more almond oil. Be careful not to add too much oil, though, as this makes the bombs soggy and makes a mess of your tub. I mix the liquids into the dry ingredients with my hands. That way I can feel if I need to add more oil. The mixture should just start to hold together when pressed in your hand, like slightly moist fine sand. Adding epsom salts adds a bit of shine to the bomb and also seems to make the fizzing action more vigorous. It also seems to shorten the drying time required. If you want to add coarse sea salts, I recommend breaking it up a bit with a mortar and pestle or in a blender. The grains should be no larger than those of epsom salts. SHAPING:
This recipe makes about 4-60 mm round bombs. I use the clear plastic two-part Christmas ornament balls; you can also get an 80 mm ball (these incidentally are the same sizes as the Lush bombs). I find the 60 mm bombs are all you need for a nice bath. I have never needed to oil the moulds beforehand when using these plastic moulds. I pack each side of the mould quickly, then throw some loose mixture on top and squish the halves together HARD (the mould needn't fit together completely; in fact it shouldn't, because then it is harder to get them apart). DON’T twist the two halves, just PUSH them straight together and smooth off any excess around the crease with your fingers. You can unmold them after a very few minutes onto a baking sheet. Unmould one side at a time, taking the top half of the mould off first (you may need to tap the top gently once or twice), then turn the ball and remove the other side. Avoid the temptation to *twist* the top of the mould, as this can easily split the bomb. If the bomb splits or crumbles, empty out the mould completely and start again. If the bombs crumble and won't keep shape, add a tiny bit more oil (1/4 tsp or less). I usually manage to get three of the four done fine and then have trouble with the last as the mixture is already beginning to dry out a bit. Sometimes they crack a little around the seam after a day or so; just gently rub the seam with your (dry) fingers to smooth it. If you have enough left over you can either gather it in a jar or plastic spice bag, or put it in a smaller mould (I use half of a Christmas heart mould). The mixture shows detail very well; other people I have heard of make smaller bombs by pressing them into candy moulds. *You could substitute ascorbic acid but it tends to turn yellow with exposure to air, which gives your bombs a freckled appearance. Citric acid is sometimes available in drug stores but it’s NOT cheap. If you think you might like to make a few, or if you have a friend who might want to try too, I suggest ordering a kilo or 5 kg pail from a reputable soapmaking supply house. **Re drying time: I let all of mine dry at least a week, although they should be ready to use after a couple of days. I have heard it suggested that one could speed up this process by baking the bombs for 2-3 hours at very low heat (no higher than 200 degrees F) but I haven’t found this necessary and I imagine this would make the whole house smell of them for days, which may not be your preference! They look nice packed in cello bags or you could use spice bags such as are used at the bulk store. Tie with a pretty ribbon or nestle three in a small wicker basket for a nice gift.
 |
|
Colds/Flu/Respiratory
Beating The Cold Bug
Herbs For Common Cold
Herbs For Cough
Natural Asthma Care
Natural Care For Fevers
Digestion/Stomach
Herbs For Constipation
Herbs For Diarrhea
Herbs For Digestion
Herbs For Motion-Sickness
For Men
Herbs For Prostatic Hypertrophy
Herbs For The Prostate
Herbs For Impotence
Natural Care For Prostatis
For Women
Anemia During Pregnancy
Back Pain During Pregnancy
Fertility & Contraception
Herbs For Childbirth
Herbs For Delayed Menses
Herbs For Menopause
Herbs For Post Childbirth
Herbs For PMS/Menopause
Herbs For Post Partum
Herbs For Pre-Menstrual Tension
Headaches/Migraines/Insomnia
Get A Good Night's Sleep
Herbs For Headaches
Herbs For Insomnia
Herbs For Migraines
More On Insomnia
Injuries
Herbs For Burns & Scalds
Natural Care For Bone Fractures
Herbs For Dog Bites
Skin Ailments
Herbs For Eczema
Herbs For Poison Ivy
Natural Acne Treatments
Natural Care For Dermatitis
Natural Care For Stretchmarks
Natural Care For Wrinkles
Stop Cold & Canker Sores
Natural Pet Care
Herbal Healing For Pets
All Purpose Herbal Pet Kit
Dealing With Fleas
Pets & Essential Oils
Traveling With Catnip |
