Is there anything more relaxing than a bath? Maybe just a warm bath infused with a homemade bath bomb (especially with a glass of rosé in hand). In the past, I’ve mostly associated bathing with the winter — when it’s cold and grey out, lazing around in hot water sounds downright heavenly. But after a particularly hectic (in a good way!) summer, I’ve come to realize how wonderful a summer evening bath can be. Instead of focusing on making it a warm and cozy experience, I like to think of it as being refreshing and invigorating. That’s why I decided to flavor my summer-inspired bath bomb with the most refreshing drink that exists: mint lemonade.
DIY Bath Bomb
Bath bombs are really easy to make. All you have to do is combine some epsom salt (which is great for soaking sore muscles), citric acid and baking soda (which provide the fizz — remember those 8th grade volcano science projects?), coconut oil for moisture and a combination of essential oils to create the lovely smell you’re looking for. Then, you press the mixture into a mold, wait a bit and treat yourself to a warm summer night of self care. By the way: I suggest you use the leftover lemons to whip yourself up a cool cocktail to sip in the tub. Keep on scrolling to get the full tutorial and don’t forget to treat yourself on these warm, fun-filled summer days.
DIY Summer Bath Bomb Recipe
Tools:
- disc shaped mold (really any shape of silicone, plastic or metal molds will work, but I chose this shape because it frames the lemon slices beautifully)
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. baking soda
- 2 oz. citric acid
- 2 oz. corn starch
- 1 tsp. coconut oil
- 2 oz. epsom salt
- 1/2 tsp. lemon essential oil
- 3 to 5 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1/2 tsp. water
- candied lemon slices
- food coloring (I didn’t use any, but you certainly can if you want your bombs to be tinted)
In terms of ingredients, I have also seen witch hazel, sea salt, and almond oil used as ingredients. The beauty of these easy bath bombs is that you can experiment and try different ingredients to suit whatever works best for your skin!
Directions:
The first thing we want to do is combine all of our dry ingredients.
Measure the baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch, and epsom salt and add them all to a medium-sized bowl. Sometimes the cornstarch can stick to the inside of your measuring cup, so don’t be afraid to use a little spoon to get all the ingredient out of there.
Once the dry ingredients are in the bowl, combine by mixing well with a large spoon, taking care to break up any chunks you come across. The final mixture should be mixed so that you can’t tell the difference between the various ingredients.
Next, add the water to a small mixing bowl. Measure out your lemon and peppermint essential oils and stir to combine.
Slowly add the liquid to your dry mixture, stirring as you go. You may start to see some fizzing — that’s okay! Just stir a little faster.
Once everything is combined, your mixture should resemble the texture of damp sand. When you squeeze a bit in your hand, it should hold together (with a little bit of crumbling here and there). If it completely falls apart, add more water a drop at a time until it holds together a little better.
Pro tip:
do NOT add too much water. The first time I made bath bombs, I was convinced my mixture was too dry, so I added a healthy pour of extra water. I packed the mixture into my molds and set them near the window to dry overnight. In the morning, I went to check on them, and they had bombed my whole countertop! Because I had added too much water, the baking soda and citric acid reacted to the liquid while they were still in the molds, and they basically just used up all their fizz (it was super fun to clean up). So learn from my mistakes and be skimpy with the water!
Prepare the mold by placing a dried lemon slice in the center of each well. This way the dried lemon slice will show at the top of your bath bomb for a super-cute touch.
Spoon some of the mixture into the first well and use your fingers to really pack it down.
Add another scoop and press it down again, adding more until the bath bomb mixture is flush with the top of the mold.
Repeat with the other two wells, then dust off any extra mixture. Set on the counter to dry for about 24 hours.
Once your bath bombs are nice and dry, gently pop them out of the silicone mold. Some of the edges may crumble and stick, but that’s okay! I like the handmade character it adds to them.
I love bath bombs!
So I like to keep a stack of these next to my tub in a pretty glass jar like this one. They’re pretty to display and they smell great, so it’s a wonderful addition to my bathroom.
I also like to make a big batch to keep on hand for gifts. If you have a friend who loves baths, she’ll absolutely love getting a few of these beauties for a birthday or housewarming. Simply wrap three or four bath bombs in a clear cellophane bag, like this one, and then wrap the whole thing in a beautiful piece of burlap and tie it with a lovely velvet or satin ribbon. Finish it with a sprig of fresh mint if you’re really trying to be extra.
And remember, it’s never too early to start thinking about the holidays! December will be here before you know it, and having a stockpile of lovely, refreshing bath bombs on hand will make your life so much easier when the season of workplace gifts and never-ending holiday parties comes around. Future you will thank you!
So what do you think of my summer-inspired, DIY bath bomb recipe? If your answer is, “I love it, can’t wait to make it, hold my phone while I go grab my essential oils and a glass of lemonade” then, great! I’d love to hear from you if you decide to whip up your own batch. Be sure to tag us or DM us on Instagram if you decide to make a batch… we’ve been getting a real kick out of sharing everyone’s posts on Stories lately.
Happy bathing!
photography by Jojotastic, DIY by Hannah Cross.
Get more DIYs here!
