Bath bomb

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A bath bomb, one form of bath fizzie, is a bolus which, when placed in bath water, dissolves partly or completely and effervesces, also in some cases adding scent, color, and/or other properties or materials to the water.

Bath fizzies are composed primarily of sodium bicarbonate and/or other soluble carbonate, sesquicarbonate, or bicarbonate, and citric acid and/or other organic acid, which create an acid-base 'fizzing' when the solid reacts with water as it dissolves, producing carbon dioxide gas and strewing its interior contents, which can include aromatic elements or possibly small fragments of sparkling glitter, into the bath. It depends on the size and brand of the bath bomb for how long it takes to dissolve. An average bath bomb takes about 1 minute to dissolve.

Bath bombs come as a large single-use tablet or ball, distinguished from other fizzies which come as grains.

The bubbles tickle as they nucleate on, and then release from, the skin and hair of the bather. Bath bombs may be considered therapeutic to the extent they contain essential oils to help a bather become energized or calm, such as mint or lavender. They can also contain cleansing agents like sea salt or surfactants.

[edit] Basic Formula

Dry ingredients: (By Weight, as measured on a scale.)

   * Baking Soda - 8 ounces
   * Citric Acid - 4 ounces
   * Corn Starch - 4 ounces
   * Salts - 4 ounces (Dead Sea Salts, or mineral salts.)

Wet Ingredients:

   * Water - .75 tbsp
   * Essential or Fragrance Oil - 2 tsp 
   * Oil - 2.5 tbsp (any light vegetable oil will work)
   * Food coloring - 1 or 2 drops. (Your color will look very dark in the emulsion, but will be light in the fizzies, so as to not leave rings around the tub.)

The simplest bath bombs would contain two parts sodium bicarbonate to one part citric acid, with just enough moisture to make the powder stick together--much like new-fallen snow packs into a snowball. Good bath bombs are formulated with oils and butters, such as almond oil and shea butter, for moisturizing the skin. They also tend to contain either essential oils or fragrance oils and pigment to color the bath water. Dead Sea salt may be added for its therapeutic properties. Sometimes, manufacturers hide tiny toys or printed messaged inside, or include dried botanicals that are released into the bath as the bomb dissolves.

A bath bomb can be made in a Bath Bomb Press http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/2728480835_d58e7d39b4.jpg

[edit] References

Soapy Hollow: Bath Bombs. (previously on instructables, moved by the creator when instructables went pay-per-view in violation of the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0 )