Day One: Favorite Things-Bath Fizzies

Half-Round Bath Fizzy

One of my favorite go-to's for relaxation is taking a long hot bath.  It is symbolic for me of literally letting the worries wash away.  There is something so soothing and timeless about being enveloped in warm water with scented steam rising all around.  I have long loved using Epsom salts and sea salts mixed with essential oils in the bath but my sister-in-law Ronda was the first person to introduce me to the pleasure of the Bath Fizzy also known as a Bath Bomb.  She is a fan of the store Lush and gifted me a huge swirly pink bath fizzy from their store during one of her visits to our home.  This gave me the idea of trying to make my own.  You may have better luck in your area but after looking unsuccessfully in every local store here I finally purchased my citric acid on line. My only experience ordering Citric Acid is with My Spice Sage and I found their costs reasonable and their product (including some spices I additionally purchased) of high quality.  

If you would like a few bath bombs mailed to you please leave a note in the comments about why you like baths.  I will pick one person at random on Day 14 and mail the winner two bath bombs.

 Reasons to make your own Bath Fizzies:

• You know the exact ingredients in them. You can choose organic, natural, synthetic, etc.
• You can create your own signature scents by combining essential oils.
• You can create it with a specific need in mind (relaxation, to treat a cold, dry skin, etc).
• They are fun to make and relatively inexpensive.
• They make great gifts to give any time of the year.
• So you can take more baths!

Why I use the ingredients listed and what they do:

• Citric Acid creates the fizziness of the bath bomb when it comes into contact with water.
• Baking Soda is a gentle skin softener and exfoliant.
• Epsom Salts  contain a significant amount of magnesium which helps elevate moods and relax sore and achy muscles.
• Sea Salts are purifying and add a natural element that makes me think of the ocean.
• Essential Oils serve not only for aromatic purposes but depending on the type of oil used can also heal in different ways.
• Shea Butter (unrefined) is a wonderful moisturizer.

Bath Fizzy Recipe

Yields approximately 10-14 Medium Bath Fizzies

3 Cups Baking Soda (About 32 Ounces)

1 ½ Cups Citric Acid

1 ½ Epsom Salt

¾ Cup Sea Salt

2 Teaspoons Melted Shea Butter (Optional)

Essential Oil(s) of your choice (100 drops +/-)

Spray Bottle of Filtered Water (note-add LAST)

Other

Glass Bowl

Another small bowl with lid

Wooden or Plastic Spoon

Mold for Bath Fizzy

Wax Paper

*Note:  I use glass and wooden bowls and spoons as the salts can rust metal (it is not pretty)

 Reserve Mixture

1 Cup Baking Soda

½ Cup Citric Acid

 ·         First mix your reserve mixture in a small bowl ensuring it is thoroughly mixed and all lumps are gone.  I stir well with a wooden spoon and then use my hands to get out any remaining lumps.  You can use a sifter if you prefer.  Set aside.

·    Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large glass bowl and ensure they are all thoroughly integrated and all lumps are gone. 

·       Add the melted Shea Butter to the dry mixture.  You can use any other type of carrier oil you like or even omit the oil all together.  I think a little extra moisturizer is nice so I add this.  The Shea Butter will clump into little balls in the dry mixture.  Continue stirring the mixture and pressing the little balls into the dry mixture until there are no lumps.  Again you can use your hands for this as well.

·      Begin adding the essential oil or oils of your choice.  I typically begin adding 15-20 drops at a time per scent and mix.  The Essential Oils will also form small lumps/balls and in the dry mixture and requires repeated stirring and using the spoon to press the balls into the dry mixture.  You can continue adding Essential oil or oils until you find just the right level of scent for your preference.

·         The last step is to carefully begin adding water one spray at a time.  I spray with one hand and mix with the other until I can tell the mixture is beginning to stick and clump together.  You can also hear the mixture hiss from the chemical reaction between the citric acid and water.  If you use too much water, add in the reserve mixture of baking soda and citric acid you created.  One way you can tell you have added too much water is when you place the mixture into the mold(s) and it grows/swells out of the mold.  If this happens add a few tablespoons of the reserve dry mix to the remainder of your scented mix until it still holds a form but is not swelling.  And if it does swell, there are no real worries, it just may not fizz as much and it will not be as dense as it could be.

·         Press the completed mixture into molds of your choice pressing the mixture firmly into the mold and adding mix until the mold is packed and full.

• Note I use two different types of molds as shown shown below.

 

Star Silicone Mold

 

Half Round Plastic Mold

 

• I have a plastic half round mold I use to make individual bath fizzies that I pack and set on wax paper.  These take about 1-2 days to dry.
• I also use a silicone baking mold and actually bake the bath fizzies in the oven on 170 (my lowest heat setting) for approximately 1 hour.  Then I cool and turn these out onto wax paper.
• You can also leave the fizzies in the silicone tray and let them air dry for 2-3 days.. 
• Any item that is small and easily held in your hand and gently squeezed so it will release the bath fizzy could serve as your mold.  Again I would advise against using metal.  Plastic, glass and silicone are the best material types for your mold.

·       You may want to label the fizzy with the date as they lose their effectiveness and scent as time passes.  I would say they are good for 6 months to a year after their made date.
 

I store my bath fizzies in wax paper or plastic bags but they would store beautifully in a glass container.