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After a hard day of work and play, add a sensational scent of vanilla into your bath with a homemade vanilla bath bomb.
Makes 7 medium-sized bath bombs
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups baking soda
- 1/2 cup citric acid
- 2 teaspoons almond or apricot kernel oil
- 1/2 teaspoon water
- 3 vanilla pods
- 10 to 15 drops vanilla fragrance or essential oil (or beans from 2 vanilla pods)
Steps
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1Make the dry mix base. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the baking soda and citric acid together.
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2Measure and add the almond and vanilla oils in the bowl.
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3Scrap the insides of the vanilla pods into the bowl. Thoroughly stir to combine everything. Add the water or a few more drops of oil if the mixture appears to be crumbly in texture.
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4Mold the mixture. Create small balls with your hands or use a bath bomb mold to make the bath bomb hold its form.
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5Leave the balls on wax paper to allow the balls to completely dry. Depending on the size of the bath bombs and humidity, it may take several days.
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6Place the balls in an airtight container for future usage. If these are made for gifts, wrap them in plastic wrap with decorative ribbons.
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7Drop one bath bomb in the water for a relaxing bath.
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I substitute for almond oil?
Community AnswerYes, any oil will work: jojoba oil, coconut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, etc. -
QuestionCan I use olive oil instead of almond oil?
Community AnswerYes; you can use olive oil. You can also use coconut oil, but almond oil is a bit softer for skin and smells a bit better with the vanilla scent. -
QuestionCan I use my vanilla bath bombs on my skin or eyes?Community AnswerThey should be safe for your skin, but anything not specifically formulated for eyes shouldn't be allowed to get in them.
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QuestionCan I use lemon juice instead of the citric acid?Community AnswerYes, you should be able to use lemon juice instead of citric acid. It still has acidity in it and many of the same components.
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QuestionCan I substitute citric acid for vinegar?Community AnswerNo. The vinegar will make the bath bomb smell horrid. Also, if you add vinegar while you're making the bath bombs, it will instantly activate and won't fizz later when you add it to the bath.
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QuestionInstead of using vanilla fragrance or oil, can I just use vanilla-scented soaps?Community AnswerNo, this wouldn't be effective. The scent would be faint and it could affect the fizzing of the bath bomb.
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QuestionWhat can I use instead of citric acid when making vanilla bath bombs?Community AnswerA lemon has citric acid in it already, so you can replace a lemon instead of the citric acid.
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QuestionCan i use something other than baking soda?Community AnswerNo, because baking soda, and citrus acid are what causes the reaction, and baking soda is what softens the water. However, you could make fizzy bath salts, as while baking soda is part of most bath salts, it is a small amount, so you can leave it out. The water won't be as soft, just add citrus acid to your bath salt recipe, add it after the salts are scented and colored if adding color. And dry your salt for a day or two, then once dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of citrus acid, and mix well.
Things You'll Need
- Large bowl
- Wax paper
- Airtight container or plastic wrap
References
- Adapted from Craft Bits, http://www.craftbits.com/project/bath-bomb-vanilla-dreams, Vanilla Dreams Bath Bombs
