Between work meetings, relationships, and the responsibilities of daily life, it can be hard to find time for self-care. Often we sacrifice our “me” moments to help fit in one extra errand or crank out that extra hour in the office. With America ranking as one of the most stressed nations in the world, it’s time for us to pause and take some time to focus on our own wellbeing.
Nothing says relaxation quite like a long and luxurious bath – and, of course, no relaxing “treat yourself” bath experience is complete without going all-out on the extra touches like candles, bubbles, and bath bombs. Creating your own bath bombs is easy, affordable, and surprisingly fun. So go ahead and take a break from your phone, light a few candles, and whip up some bath bombs to create a relaxing treat that will help you unwind in no time.
1. Stock Up On The Right Ingredients
Luckily, most of the ingredients that go into homemade bath bombs can be found in your cabinets at home or are available at the local supermarket. We like this recipe as a base for creating DIY bath bombs because it can be easily tweaked to accommodate your personal needs. If you are looking at more than one recipe, you might find that proportions vary slightly; but, in general, you will want to have the following base ingredients on hand for your fizzy, soothing bath bombs:
- Citric Acid
- Epsom Salt
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Coconut Oil (or other natural oil of your choice… more on that below!)
2. Add A Moisturising Agent
No matter which bath bomb recipe you choose to follow, we recommend adding 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil to your mixture to boost your bath bombs’ emollient properties and enrich your skin’s natural moisture. Boosting your skin’s hydration is not only essential to glowing skin, but it can help battle fine lines and wrinkles by plumping your skin from the inside out. For a sweet, all-natural scent, you can replace the coconut oil with almond oil, or for a more earthy smell, argan oil works, too.
When you moisturise your skin in the bath, you’ll find you need less lotion and other moisturisers when you get out of the tub (always a plus!) To treat your entire body to a spa-like experience, focus on adding in additional elements to help moisturise your hair and face, so you’ll feel refreshed and renewed – all in the comfort of your own home!
3. Consider Your Specific Skin Concerns
One of the best things about making your own bath bombs is that you can custom-tailor your recipe to your skin’s specific needs. First, determine your specific skin concerns. Are you worried about dryness? Acne? Eczema? Once you pick a specific concern to target, research the possible all-natural ingredients that have been proven to help with your particular condition. Oatmeal, for example, can help reduce itchiness and redness caused by dry or irritated skin; whereas antibacterial lemon oil can help with acne. As it turns out, oftentimes home remedies for irritated skin are just as effective (if not more so!) than store-bought or prescription skin treatments!
4. Add A Scent you Love
One of the other beauties of making your own bath bombs is that you get to customise the scent to your liking. The benefits of essential oils range from energy-boosting scents to aromas that will help lift your mood or encourage you to unwind. Scent your bath bomb mixture with your choice of essential oils. We love peppermint and citrus for a quick pick-me-up, lavender for relaxation, and rose oil for a super soothing effect that will also help improve skin texture and tone.
Find a scent that helps you with your specific needs: you’ll benefit both inside and out from taking care of yourself and treating your body and mind to a little extra pampering. Consider making more than one batch of bath bombs or separating your batch into two bowls so you can add different scents and essential oils for different moods and times of the day.
5. Pick the Right Moulds
Bath bombs can be nearly any shape you like which is a fun way to add your own twist! You can buy bath bomb moulds in a wide variety of sizes and designs, from the classic sphere to novelty shapes like cupcakes, animals, and other cute options. We’ve found that stainless steel moulds tend to work better than plastic, and they are more environmentally-friendly and sturdier to boot!
6. Choose A Colour
Bath bombs don’t need to be dyed to deliver a whole host of amazing benefits, but adding a few drops of all-natural colouring to your bath bombs can be a nice way to make your bath a little prettier (and Instagram-ready!). A little colour goes a long way in any bath bomb recipe: a teaspoon or two is plenty for each batch. Just be sure to choose natural colouring versus artificial – artificial colourings can leave stains in your tub and can contain additives that may irritate your skin.
7. Package Them To Last
Bath bombs are easy-to-make, but you will want to take care to package and store them carefully so you will get the most out of these relaxing treats! If you are keeping them at home, it can be helpful to keep them in their moulds in order to protect them – they can be fragile and break apart easily (Though if they do, the upside is you can still use them! Just think of it as bath salts, and plop the broken pieces into the bath!) You can also store your bath bombs in Tupperware containers or vacuum-sealed bags if you don’t plan on using them right away.
Do you make your own bath products at home?
What DIY tips do you have for creating your own little luxuries and DIY items?
Leave your favourite home relaxation tips and DIY advice in the comments below!
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Author Bio
Tess DiNapoli is a freelance writer and advocate for balanced lifestyles. In addition to being an artist and having a passion for yoga, she writes about developments in health and wellness, as well as skincare and beauty.