Building a Better Bath Fizz

A coworker told me that she bought a bath fizz kit at a craft store to make with her daughter. It has several pouches of powder and a bottle of oil and looked easy and fun. However it was not. It was a mess. The bath bombs didn't work out. There wasn't enough of the powders. It was no fun at all.

So I shared a simple recipe with her that I've taught to kids and adults alike with great success. It's quite easy and contains ingredients you can easily find at the grocery store or local super-center type. Now I make my bath bombs with some specialized ingredients to create a silky feeling bath water, moisturize the skin more effectively, deter oxidation, and allow for easier clean up but this recipe still yields a great bath fizz.

The number of fizzes you'll make depends on the size of the mold. This recipe typically yields 5-6 medium sized fizzes or about 3 large ones.

What you'll need:

Large glass or stainless steel bowl

* 1 cup baking soda

* 1 cup citric acid (you can find this in the canning section)

* 1/2 cup of corn starch

* 1/2 cup of oil (fractionated coconut oil, apricot kernel oil, jojoba are good choices)

* Essential oils (I like to use 3-5 drops per bath bomb so add the smaller amount based on you mold size and add a bit more if you'd like more aroma. But too many essential oils in the tub can irritate skin)

* colorant, body glitter, or botanicals if desired (I like using mica but be careful to use skin safe colors here. You can find these in craft stores or online at places like bramble berry or from nature with love. You can also add lavender or other flower petals and it looks pretty but it can make the tub a bit messy)

I sterilize my equipment and wear gloves but if you are making these for yourself or family and friends washing bowls with soap and water and drying well will suffice. Or you can clean equipment with isopropyl alcohol if desired after washing.

Add the dry ingredients into your bowl and mix to combine making sure to break up any lumps. If you'd like you can sift with a small mesh strainer to get rid of lumps.

Add essential oils to the 1/2 cup of carrier oil aiming for about 3-5 drops per bath bomb. Add the oil to the dry mixture and combine well. The result should be like wet sand that holds together when you squeeze it.

Pack the mixture into molds. You can use fill your own plastic Christmas ornaments for molds, stainless steel molds, or silicon molds to create fun shapes. To create a ball shaped fizz you pack the mixture into both sizes overfilling a bit, bring the sides together and rotate gently to combine the two sides. You'll remove one side of the mold by gently twisting, then the other and you'll have a lovely bath fizz.

With silicon molds you can pack the mixture into the mold so it forms a firm fizz that holds together then gently pop out of the mold.

Place the fizzes on a lined cookie sheet or plate to dry for at least 24 hours. Once they are fully dry wrap or place in a glass jar. To enjoy plop one into a warm tub.

Great oil choices for bath bombs include lavender, chamomile, rosemary, eucalyptus, citrus, gingergrass, juniper berry, ylang-ylang or your favorite relaxing blend. Be careful with adding too much citrus as it can irritate the skin if oxidized. Usually a single drop of ylang-ylang is plenty in the tub -- too much can be overwhelming. And be careful with oils like peppermint, clove, and cinnamon -- they are best avoided to be on the safe side as they can irritate sensitive areas. It's best not to learn this the hard way.

If you have questions about bath fizzes, aromatherapy, upcoming classes, or essential oils contact Tricia. And if you'd like to experience one of my amazing bath fizzes rather than make your own