Oatmeal baths are well known for their skin-soothing properties. These Oatmeal Bath Bombs are made with oat extract and colloidal oatmeal to create a soothing bath experience. Colloidal oatmeal is micro-fine and fantastic for dry skin.
Oatmeal Milk and Honey Fragrance Oil gives these bath bombs a creamy, comforting scent. Cocoa butter adds structure and a chocolatey scent. A touch of oatmeal on top gives the bath bombs a finishing touch.
If you’ve never made bath bombs before, we recommend getting a batch under your belt that does not require a two-part mold. It can be a little tricky to get the perfect molding texture that will stick together and not crumble. Great recipe options for beginners include Rose Gold Bath Bombs and the Sand Dollar Bath Bombs. Watch the Surprise Bath Bomb video for tips on using the Stainless Steel Bath Bomb Mold successfully!
What You’ll Need:
Stainless Steel Bath Bomb Mold
4 cups Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
2 cups Citric Acid
1 oz. Colloidal Oatmeal
4 oz. Cocoa Butter
1 oz. Oat Extract
0.7 oz. Oatmeal Milk and Honey Fragrance Oil
0.6 oz. Polysorbate 80
Witch Hazel in a Spray Bottle
Optional: Cyclomethicone
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OPTIONAL MOLD PREP: Cylomethicone helps the bath bomb release more easily. Pour a small amount on a cotton ball and coat both halves of the molds. This step is optional, but if you have never used the Stainless Steel Bath Bomb Mold before, it’s recommended.
ONE: In a large bowl, mix together the baking soda, citric acid, and colloidal oatmeal. To get rid of clumps in the mixture, you can push the powders through a sifter or break them up with your fingers. Citric acid has a tendency to take off nail polish, so wear gloves to protect your manicure. Thoroughly stir the ingredients together.
TWO: Add the cocoa butter to a small heat and fragrance-safe container and melt in the microwave using 30-60 second bursts. Be careful when removing from the microwave as the container may be hot. Add 0.7 ounces of Oatmeal Milk and Honey Fragrance Oil, 0.6 ounces of polysorbate 80, and 1 ounce of oat extract to the melted butter. Use a spoon to fully mix the ingredients together.
THREE: Add the oil mixture to the powder mixture. Use your hands to fully mix the ingredients together.
FOUR: Test the consistency of the bath bomb mixture. The perfect consistency for molding is a texture similar to damp sand that holds its shape when squeezed. If it’s too dry, use one hand to spritz the mixture with witch hazel and one to mix. Continue spritzing until the mixture holds its shape when squeezed. Below, you can see that the mixture forms a ball when squeezed. This means that the mixture will hold its shape in the mold as well.
FIVE: Add a pinch of oatmeal to the bottom of one half of the mold and cover it with bath bomb mixture. Press the mixture lightly into the mold. Fill the other half of the mold and press the mixture in lightly. Then, scoop more of the mixture on top until it’s mounded in the center. Fill up the second half of the bath bomb, mounding the mixture in the center again. Having loose bath bomb mixture on both sides of the mold and a mound in the center acts as the “glue” when they are pressed together.
SIX: Press the two halves of the mold together firmly until they touch. Then, begin to twist and pull the top half off carefully. Once the top half is removed, allow the bath bomb to sit in the bottom half for several hours up to overnight. If they don’t stick together the first time, keep trying. It can be a little tricky to get the bath bombs to stick together, but practice makes perfect! See how to use the stainless steel molds in the How to Make Bath Fizzies video on Soap Queen TV.
SEVEN: Repeat the process with the other bath bombs. When they’re unmolded, allow them to sit for 24 hours before using or wrapping in plastic wrap to protect them from excess moisture. Learn more about packing and storing your bath bombs in the How to Store Handmade Bath Products post.
- Stainless Steel Bath Bomb Mold
- 4 cups Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
- 2 cups Citric Acid
- 1 oz. Colloidal Oatmeal
- 4 oz. Cocoa Butter
- 1 oz. Oat Extract
- 0.7 oz. Oatmeal Milk and Honey Fragrance Oil
- 0.6 oz. Polysorbate 80
- Witch Hazel in a Spray Bottle
- Optional: Cyclomethicone
- In a large bowl, mix together the baking soda, citric acid, and colloidal oatmeal. To get rid of clumps in the mixture, you can push the powders through a sifter or break them up with your fingers. Citric acid has a tendency to take off nail polish, so wear gloves to protect your manicure. Thoroughly stir the ingredients together.
- Add the cocoa butter to a small heat and fragrance-safe container and melt in the microwave using 30-60 second bursts. Be careful when removing from the microwave as the container may be hot. Add 0.7 ounces of Oatmeal Milk and Honey Fragrance Oil, 0.6 ounces of polysorbate 80, and 1 ounce of oat extract to the melted butter. Use a spoon to fully mix the ingredients together.
- Add the oil mixture to the powder mixture. Use your hands to fully mix the ingredients together.
- Test the consistency of the bath bomb mixture. The perfect consistency for molding is a texture similar to damp sand that holds its shape when squeezed. If it’s too dry, use one hand to spritz the mixture with witch hazel and one to mix. Continue spritzing until the mixture holds its shape when squeezed. Below, you can see that the mixture forms a ball when squeezed. This means that the mixture will hold its shape in the mold as well.
- Add a pinch of oatmeal to the bottom of one half of the mold and cover it with bath bomb mixture. Press the mixture lightly into the mold. Fill the other half of the mold and press the mixture in lightly. Then, scoop more of the mixture on top until it’s mounded in the center. Fill up the second half of the bath bomb, mounding the mixture in the center again. Having loose bath bomb mixture on both sides of the mold and a mound in the center acts as the “glue” when they are pressed together.
- Press the two halves of the mold together firmly until they touch. Then, begin to twist and pull the top half off carefully. Once the top half is removed, allow the bath bomb to sit in the bottom half for several hours up to overnight. If they don’t stick together the first time, keep trying. It can be a little tricky to get the bath bombs to stick together, but practice makes perfect! See how to use the stainless steel molds in the How to Make Bath Fizzies video on Soap Queen TV.
- Repeat the process with the other bath bombs. When they’re unmolded, allow them to sit for 24 hours before using or wrapping in plastic wrap to protect them from excess moisture. Learn more about packing and storing your bath bombs in the How to Store Handmade Bath Products post.
Is it possible to omit or use a substitute for the oat extract? Can I use coconut oil? or bump up the cocoa butter?
You can definitely use a different extract in place of oat extract, whichever one you like best. If you don’t have or don’t want to use a different extract, you can safely omit it.
Thank you!!
Hello,
If I cut this recipe in half how do I decide how much coco butter , oatmeal, polysorbate etc to put in?
If you are halving this particular recipe you would halve all the ingredients including the Cocoa Butter, Oatmeal and Polysorbate.
How much Essential Oil would I use if I didn’t want to use the Fragrance Oil?
Can I use Safflower Oil Powder rather than Colloidal Oatmeal?
These recipes really ought to be in weight, not volume, for consistency. Can you please start posting formulas by weight, or at least include the ingredient weights for those of us who are professional makers? Thank you
We don’t have plans at this time to update our older recipes but I double checked and a majority of our new bath bomb recipes are made by weight and not volume. Thanks so much for your feedback.
Would it be beneficial to add Polysorbate 80 to this recipe, and if so, how much should I use?
Oops…listed this in the wrong place.
Yes, we recommend using the Polysorbate 80 at 0.6 oz in this recipe to help the powders blend into the bath water.
Can i exlude witch hazel from this recipe?
The Witch Hazel helps hold the bath bombs together so we would not recommend excluding it.
Is polysorbate 80 necessary in bath bombs? I’ve seen some recipes don’t call for it, but all the ones on here call for it. Is there a subsititue or can it be left out?
Thanks!
It’s optional but highly recommended. It’s an emulsifier that helps the oil and color mix into the water rather than pooling on top. It helps prevent some of the color transfer as well. We haven’t found a substitute that works as well.
If you skip polysorbate 80, keep a rag nearby to wash off any transfer on the tub. You’ll also need to be careful when you exit the tub as any oil will make it slippery.
Polysorbate 80: https://www.brambleberry.com/Polysorbate-80-P4438.aspx
I’ve seen a lot of recipes (including Lush bath bombs) with cream of tartar but i didn’t see this in your recipes. What is the benefit of this ingredient? Is it necessary?
We don’t use it in most of our bath bomb recipes because we haven’t found it to be necessary. Cream of Tarter results in increased volume, stability and more uniform texture of the finished products. One recipe we do use it in is the Cupcake Bath Bombs. It helps keep the “frosting” the right texture. Check out the tutorial: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/bath-bomb-cupcake-kit/
how come you dont use corn starch?
We find corn starch inhibits the fizz. We prefer to add other ingredients like colloidal oatmeal or clay.
Get more bath bomb tips here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/bath-bomb-questions-answers/
oatmeal ground up will that work as a replacement for the clay or corn starch?
No, colloidal oatmeal is used to add a silky feeling to bath bombs. Clay is used to add structure. I believe corn starch is used for a similar purpose.
Is there a substitute for cyclomethicone is you do not have this?
You can find cyclomethicone on our website here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cyclomethicone-P4560.aspx
Is it necessary to use a preservative when using colloidal oatmeal in bath bombs? Have you ever had them mold because of the witchhazel?
The witch hazel we carry is mixed with alcohol rather than water, so you don’t need to add a preservative to this recipe.
Witch hazel: https://www.brambleberry.com/Witch-Hazel-P4212.aspx
Learn more about preservatives here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
Hi I don’t have any Colloidal Oatmeal could i substitute this with corn starch instead? If so would i use the same amount?
You can leave the colloidal oatmeal out if you like. You may need less witch hazel because there is less powder. Corn starch doesn’t feel the same as colloidal oatmeal and will change the consistency, so if you use it I would recommend a small test batch.
Hi there! I’m finding that a lot of Ann bomb recipes online have included cornstarch, but I was wondering since it’s not included in this recipe, what the purpose for adding cornstarch would be. Also, since this recipe does not contain it, I assume that it is not a necessary component for bath bomb making? Thanks so much!
Cornstarch is an optional ingredient in bath bombs. It’s sometimes added to make bath bombs harder, but is not completely necessary for bath bombs. They will fizz and harden without it.
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
I really want to try this recipe, but I can’t find oat extract in Canada. Is it just an infused fractionated coconut oil? Would that work as a substitute? The soap supply places here don’t seem to have oil soluble extracts like this one or the green tea extract, which I also want to try.
You can skip the oat extract if you like, it’s not necessary for this recipe! The extracts are mixed with fractionated coconut oil, so if you find a similar one you can add that at the same amount as the oat. Aloe, avocado, or other extracts will feel nice in this recipe.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
what if i choose not to use the Polysorbate 80?
You can leave the polysorbate 80 out if you like, it is optional. Without it the oil will pool on top of the water rather than mixing in. Make sure to be careful when exiting the tub as there will be oil residue from the bath bomb.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Mine have come out a bit soft. Do you think if I decrease the amount of cocoa butter, it’d fix that ?
If your bath bomb is soft, the mixture may have too much moisture. If you add too much witch hazel or oil during the mixing process, add more dry ingredients to balance the texture. If you live in a humid, wet climate, the moisture in the air can prevent the bath bombs from becoming hard. Adding a small amount of clay (like kaolin clay) can help the bath bombs harden. It also makes the bath bombs a bit more sturdy: https://www.brambleberry.com/Kaolin-Clay-P3235.aspx
It also helps to store them in a cool, dry place: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-store-handmade-bath-products/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I am really interested in making this bath bomb. I will need to try other simple recipes first. I am a beginner at making bath bombs. Bath Bombs has been a struggle for me so far.
We have a kit that has everything you need to make successful bath bombs from scratch, including instructions, tips, and a how-to video. I will link those below.
Glitter Bath Bomb Kit: https://www.brambleberry.com/Glitter-Bath-Bomb-Kit-P6746.aspx
Natural Bath Bomb Kit: https://www.brambleberry.com/Natural-Bath-Bomb-Kit-P6747.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is the oatmeal on the top of the bomb (not the colloidal) strictly decoration? If so, could you use just a bit of regular oats? No one in the house eats oatmeal, but some local shops have bulk bins of grains and seeds and I could get a little from there if it’s purely aesthetic and the oatmeal doesn’t do anything special in the bomb itself.
Yep, that oatmeal is just for decoration so you can use any kind you have on hand. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry