Lavender is a classic scent that conjures images of serene fields of purple-hued flowers. Created with Lavender 40/42 essential oil, drop one of these mondo bombs into your tub to create a relaxing and luxurious bath experience. Pink Brazilian clay and purple Brazilian clay give these bath bombs a subtle ombré effect, while giving the fizzy a firmer texture.
Melted shea butter gives your bath water extra moisturizing properties. It also helps the bath bomb hold its shape. When making bath bombs, witch hazel is a great ingredient to have on hand. In order for the bath bomb to hold its shape, you must achieve a texture similar to wet sand, but adding water can set off the fizz reaction. Spritzing the dry mixture with witch hazel gives a moist, moldable texture without setting off the reaction. You can learn more about witch hazel in the Sunday Night Spotlight: Witch Hazel post.
What You’ll Need:
3 cups Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda)
1.5 cups Citric Acid
1 oz. Shea Butter
1.5 tsp. Purple Brazilian Clay
1.5 tsp. Pink Brazilian Clay
6 mL Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil
Lavender Buds, Grade 1
Witch Hazel
Stainless Steel Bath Bomb Mold
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ONE: In a large bowl, combine sodium bicarbonate and citric acid. Use your hands or a mesh strainer to remove any clumps.
TWO: Once the mixture is smooth, place the shea butter into a heat safe container and melt in the microwave using 30 second bursts. Once completely melted, add to the citric acid and baking soda mixture. Use your hands to fully incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients.
THREE: Add the Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil, and use your hands or a spatula to fully incorporate the essential oil.
FOUR: Split the mixture evenly into three containers, it’s okay to eyeball it. To one container, add the pink Brazilian clay and use your hands or spatula to fully incorporate. To another container, add the purple Brazilian Clay and use your hands or spatula to fully mix in.
FIVE: Depending on the moisture level of the current mixture, spritz the bath bombs with witch hazel. It usually takes between 7-10 spritzes, and the mixture should be wet enough so when you squeeze the powder in your palm, it will stick together. If you don’t have witch hazel, adding extra shea butter will help the dry ingredients stick.
SIX: Once all the colors have reached a mold-able consistency, place a small amount of lavender buds into a half of the bath bomb mold. Just a pinch does the trick! Then place some white bath bomb mixture into the mold, covering the lavender buds. Fill the bath bomb mold about half way full with the white mixture.
SEVEN: Cover the white layer with the pink bath bomb mixture. Once full, set aside that half of the bath bomb mold.
EIGHT: Fill the other half of the bath bomb mold half way with purple bath bomb mixture and pack down. Fill the remainder of the mold with pink bath bomb mixture. Slightly overfill this half with the pink mixture, and squeeze the two halves of the mold together firmly.
NINE: Very gently, pull one half of the mold away. Slightly twisting while pulling away can make this process smoother. It can be a little tricky to get the fizzies to stick together…but practice makes perfect! If they do not stick together the first time, you can try again a few times if they begin to crumble.
TEN: Once one half of the mold is removed, you can leave the bomb in the mold for an hour or so to harden and then gently tip it over and remove the other half of the mold.
ELEVEN: Allow to harden for at least 24 hours. Then package in in cellophane or plastic wrap to protect them against excess moisture and enjoy!
What scent do you find particularly calming and relaxing? One of my favorites is the Relaxing Fragrance Oil, which is a blend of lavender, vanilla and musk.
- 3 cups Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda)
- 1.5 cups Citric Acid
- 1 oz. Shea Butter
- 1.5 tsp. Purple Brazilian Clay
- 1.5 tsp. Pink Brazilian Clay
- 6 mL Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil
- Lavender Buds, Grade 1
- Witch Hazel (optional)
- Stainless Steel Bath Bomb Mold
- In a large bowl, combine sodium bicarbonate and citric acid. Use your hands or a mesh strainer to remove any clumps.
- Once the mixture is smooth, place the shea butter into a heat safe container and melt in the microwave using 30 second bursts. Once completely melted, add to the citric acid and baking soda mixture. Use your hands to fully incorporate the oils into the dry ingredients.
- Add the lavender 40/42 essential oil, and use your hands or a spatula to fully in the essential oil.
- Split the mixture evenly into three containers, it’s okay to eyeball it. To one container, add the pink Brazilian clay and use your hands or spatula to fully incorporate. To another container, add the purple Brazilian Clay and use your hands or spatula to fully mix in.
- Depending on the moisture level of the current mixture, spritz the bath bombs with witch hazel. It usually takes between 7-10 spritzes, and the mixture should be wet enough so when you squeeze the powder in your palm, it will stick together. If you don’t have witch hazel, adding extra shea butter will help the dry ingredients stick.
- Once all the colors have reached a mold-able consistency, place a small amount of lavender buds into a half of the bath bomb mold. Just a pinch does the trick! Then place some white bath bomb mixture into the mold, covering the lavender buds. Fill the bath bomb mold about half way full with the white mixture.
- Cover the white layer with the pink bath bomb mixture. Once full, set aside that half of the bath bomb mold.
- Fill the other half of the mold half way with purple bath bomb mixture and pack down. Fill the remainder of the mold with pink bath bomb mixture. Slightly overfill this half with the pink mixture, and squeeze the two halves of the mold together firmly.
- Very gently, pull one half of the mold away. Slightly twisting while pulling away can make this process smoother.
- Allow to harden for at least 24 hours. Then package in in cellophane or plastic wrap to protect them against excess moisture and enjoy!
Can I use corn starch instead of clay in this recipe ?
You can, but we have found cornstarch does inhibit fizzing. You may want to make a small test fizzy to see how it reacts. If the fizzing is low, you may want to use clay or skip the additives and just do baking soda and citric acid. 🙂
Get more bath bomb tips here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/bath-bomb-questions-answers/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can you use something other than shea butter?
You can use another butter if you like! Cocoa or mango would work well. You’ll want to melt those before adding them to the mixture. I would recommend adding the same amount as the shea butter (1 ounce). 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
without using plastic how else can I package the bath bombs. Gonna test these out again it’s been 3 years 🙂
Hi Donata!
You can package them anyway you like! You can use wrapping paper, coffee filters, parchment paper, etc. Just make sure the bath bombs are wrapped so they’re airtight, otherwise moisture in the air can set them off. Popping the wrapped bath bombs in an airtight container with rice or silica packets helps keep them dry! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Could I replace one of the clays for powdered milk, and how much SLSA if I wanted to add some? Thank u so much I love these recipes ❤️
Absolutely! Powdered milk adds a luxurious feeling to the bath bombs. Also, you can use a quarter or half as much SLSA as the citric acid. That will add some nice bubbles to the bath bombs. 🙂
We used powdered milk and SLSA in these Pumpkin Spice Latte Bath Bombs: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/bath-fizzies/pumpkin-spice-latte-bubble-bath-bomb/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Powdered Goat Milk: https://www.brambleberry.com/Powdered-Goat-Milk-P4933.aspx
SLSA: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sodium-Lauryl-Sulfoacetate-SLSA-P5244.aspx
Hi! Would poly 80 help with the clay or does only work with Mica?
Hi Nadia!
We have tried Polysorbate 80 with micas and found it can help prevent some of the transfer to the tub. I’m not entirely sure if it will do the same with this recipe because we haven’t tested it. I would recommend making a small test fizzy and trying it in the tub! We recommend about .1 ounce of Polysorbate 80 per cup of fizzy mixture. 🙂
Polysorbate 80: https://www.brambleberry.com/Polysorbate-80-P4438.aspx
We used it in this Peppermint Candy Bath Bombs recipe: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/peppermint-candy-bath-bomb-tutorial/
And this post has more tips on making bath bombs: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/bath-bomb-questions-answers/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello there!
I just recently dove into the world of making bath bombs and I’ve really been enjoying myself! I struggled a lot at first but I am slowly getting better….except I have been having a bit of a problem. A lot of my bath bombs have had a problem with cracking, not that they fall apart or anything, they just tend to get little cracks on them. While it doesn’t affect the quality of the bomb itself, it’s just not quite as aesthetically pleasing. I have done everything humanly possible to follow your basic mondo bath bomb recipe to a T (which works great by the way) along with working in low humidity environments just to be extra safe, but those darn cracks always come back to haunt me! I use citric acid, sodium bicarbonate, and kaolin clay in my bombs and was debating adding grapeseed oil to help hold the structure of the bomb together as well as have antioxidant properties. Do you have any tips or advice to prevent this?
I can definitely offer some tips! Cracks are usually caused by dryness in the bath bombs. What are you using to wet the bath bombs? We have found rubbing alcohol makes the bath bombs a bit more dry and they crack more. Using witch hazel to wet them and a bit of oil helps prevent that cracking! You can use about .5 ounces of oil per 1.5 cup of bath fizzy mixture. Let me know and we’ll get this figured out. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I use only witch hazel to wet them, so I’m not too entirely sure why I am still getting cracks? maybe I need to switch to a different strength of witch hazel
How much are you using for your fizzies? What is the texture like before they’re molded (wet sand, more powdery)? Also, do you live in a fairly dry environment? Thanks! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I used Australian black clay for a purple color once, but it stained my tub pretty bad. Do all clays stain or leave a ring around the tub?
I missed this question, sorry about the late answer Danielle! Clays tend to cling to any residue on the tub. It can help to scrub away any residue or dirt in the tub before using one of the bath bombs. It also helps to use a pretty small amount of clay! With this recipe, we found little to no transfer in the tub. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi,
Which witch hazel can you use in the bath bombs?
I have the choice between water based, or Glycerine based liquid extracs, herbal powder extract, or witch hazel floral water.
Hey Jen!
Our witch hazel is a combination of Hamamelis Virginiana Distillate and Alcohol, so I would recommend using one mixed with alcohol.
Water-based witch hazel can cause those fizzies to go off prematurely, so I wouldn’t recommend using that one. If you can’t find one mixed with alcohol, you can use the one mixed with glycerin. That should help wet the fizzies without causing them to fizz. A small test fizzy would be helpful to make sure it works well. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Witch hazel: https://www.brambleberry.com/Witch-Hazel-P4212.aspx
which is better to use – witch hazel or alcohol in bath bombs.
Hi Janice!
We have used both and we prefer witch hazel! Both wet the bath bombs, but we’ve noticed the recipe can be a bit more dry and crack more with alcohol. Because of that, we use witch hazel as a wetting agent. 🙂
Read more about witch hazel here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-witch-hazel/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Love this recipe, but I’ve been unable to successfully mold them. I’m using all the items in your kit, but after I press the two halves together (after mounding each half up with product and pressing as hard as possible), and then remove one half, the bomb always breaks apart at the join and both halves are still filled with product. I’ve tried gently twisting and not twisting, tapping the mold with a spoon and not tapping the mold, taking the first half off immediately and waiting a few minutes. One of your other recipes that I use without the clay and shea butter unmolds beautifully. Any ideas on how to get this one out of the molds?
Hi there!
The stainless steel bath bomb molds can be a little tricky to use at first (I know that firsthand!)
We’ve found the bath bombs have a better chance of sticking together if they are wetter. To make this bath bomb mixture a little more wet, you can add more shea butter or spray more witch hazel in your mixture.
You can see the consistency in this Bath Fizzy video on Soap Queen TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgODHmkSTqQ
It can help to coat the molds with a very thin layer of cyclomethicone. That helps the bath bombs slide out a little more easily. 🙂
See that technique in the Hidden Color Bath Bombs Tutorial: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/bath-fizzies/hidden-color-bath-bombs/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks! I’ll try the cyclomethicone.
You’re welcome! Let us know how it goes. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, now I have all the ingredients to make this recipe (yeah 🙂 ! ) I have a question about the amount of fragrance used here. It’s so much less than the amount used in the video of the Bath Fizzy Tutorial you refer to, which uses 18ml. for about 1/3 of the baking soda/citric acid mixture! I know it’s partly a personal preference, but I wonder if the 6ml. in this recipe will give a detectable fragrance in the bath…?
Hi Zala!
That’s awesome, glad you have all the ingredients you need!
We scented these bath bombs lightly for nice subtle lavender smell in the tub. If you want them stronger, you can definitely add more scent if you like! I would recommend adding around 12 mL, then giving the mixture a sniff. If you want it even stronger, you can add 18 mL. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks, Kelsey! I’m still wondering about the big difference between the two recipes, but will follow your suggestion and start with 12ml.
Hi Zala!
We just wanted these scented lightly for a relaxing bath. That’s the great thing about making your own bath and beauty products – you can decide how strongly they’re scented! In this case, we went for a light scent. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello,
Is there a special reason why this recipe uses stainless steel molds? Is it because of the natural clays -do they react with plastic?
Hi Rosy!
We love the stainless steel bath bomb molds because they’re nice and sturdy, and make big bath bombs! However, you can use plastic or silicone to make bath bombs. They work well in a variety of molds. 🙂
You may also like our Plastic Bath Bomb Mold and Package: https://www.brambleberry.com/Bath-Bomb-Mold-Package-Plastic-P5913.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi,
Are the labels available to download?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Celine!
The labels are available for download! You can find that template here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cleansing-Clay-Label-Template-downloadable-PDF-P6177.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I put off making these for a long time because for some reason, I thought they wouldn’t work! I don’t know why I thought that because 99.9% of BB’s recipes have turned out exactly like the picture for me. I thought they wouldn’t stick together or fall apart really easily. Despite my negative thinking these, once again, turned out exactly like the picture! I did need way more than 6 – 10 spritzes of witch hazel. I just kept spritzing and mixing until it was the consistency of moon sand and stuck together. And it made 5 for me, following this recipe exactly. So that’s a bonus! Do you think these will ship well? I know BB makes bath bomb shells but do they fit the dimensions of these mondo bath fizzies? Thanks again, BB!
Also — update — my toddler said “ball” and hurled these across the room a few afters after making them and they didn’t break. One or two cracked a little but I don’t think the Grandmas will mind. So they are also sturdier than I had anticipated.
Hi Carolyn!
That’s awesome – so glad you like this recipe! We do a lot of testing to get them just right so our customers will have great results. 🙂
Also, I’m glad to know they are sturdy enough to withstand toddlers! We do have plastic bath bomb molds, but they are smaller than the stainless steel molds. If you are shipping these, I would recommend wrapping them in plastic wrap and placing them in a box or something to keep them from crushing during shipping.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Bath Bomb Mold and Package, Plastic: https://www.brambleberry.com/Bath-Bomb-Mold-Package-Plastic-P5913.aspx
Just tried the lavender clay bath bomb and failed… The first one didn’t come out bad but when I made the rest, they dried out very fast and became hard to work with. I tried using additional witch hazel and that didn’t help. The rest started falling apart. Any suggestions or do I just need more practice?
Hi Mary!
Depending on your climate, the bath bombs can be a bit drier and may need more witch hazel. When you’re making the bath bombs, if they clump together in your hand, they are ready to mold! However, if they’re falling apart, spritz them a couple more times and mix again. Repeat that process until the mixture holds together in your hand.
Also, adding more shea butter can help! You can add .5-1 ounce of additional shea butter to make these bombs a little more moist. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi,
To make the mixture intact, if I use shea butter instead of witch Hazel, Won’t the bath bomb becomes more greasy or oily when used?
Hi Haritha!
The shea butter in this recipe adds some nice moisturization properties to your bath bomb. Using more than 1 ounce may make your tub a little slippery, so keep that in mind! We used a combination of shea butter and witch hazel and found that the bath bombs held together nicely and weren’t too oily. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can I use an alternative to clay as I cannot seem to find powder clay in the UK?
Hi Joan!
Our La Bomb Colorants would work great in this recipe! They are specifically designed to color bath bombs. The Gurlie Pink and Cantaloupe La Bomb Colorants would give you a similar color to the clays. 🙂
Gurlie Pink: https://www.brambleberry.com/Gurlie-Pink-La-Bomb-P4286.aspx
Cantaloupe: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cantaloupe-La-Bomb-P4288.aspx
Also, You Wish Soap Supplies in The Netherlands carries Bramble Berry products, including clays. That may be an option for you. I’ll include a link with more information below. 🙂
Soaping All Over the World: Resources for International Soapers: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/soaping-world-resources-international-soapers/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I just received my second order placed at ‘Your Whish’ here in the Netherlands and I highly recommend them! All very securely packed (though I must admit -for environmental reasons- I would prefer a little Iess plastic) and super fast shipping. I’m very happy to be able to get my BB products so easily now and I am more than willing to pay higher product prices in order to avoid shipping and additional tax costs and to cut down on waiting time (it takes a looooong time from Bellingham to my door step 🙂
That is so awesome to hear Zala, glad you got your order from You Wish! We love working with them, and are happy our international customers can order from them. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Soaping All Over the World: Resources for International Soapers: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/soaping-world-resources-international-soapers/
Will this make the tub slippery? Thank you.
Hi Denise!
These bath bombs may leave a slight film in your tub. However, they only have a small amount of shea butter so it shouldn’t be too bad. I tried one out in my tub and didn’t notice any residue. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Denise & Kelsey,
Agreed – I think with the ingredients it should wash off quickly. Looks a lot of fun and love the extracts on the top <3.
Carlos
Hi Carlos!
So happy you like the post! I hope you get a chance to try it out. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Kelsey:
Thank you. We grabbed the starter kit for soap making since we are not too skilled. I am hoping that the starter kit will be easier 🙂
My SO was trying it out today and I will join her later. We will probably do a video no it!