DIY Foaming Bath Bombs With Shea Butter

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DIY foaming bath bombs with shea butter and relaxing essential oils

Homemade foaming bath bombs add fizz and bubbles to the water and turn bath time into a fun excitement for kids and adults. Shea butter leaves the skin well nourished and moisturized. And essential oils immerse the senses and create a luxurious fragrance that relaxes the mind and body.

Pin this relaxing bath bomb recipe for later!

What ingredients do I need to make easy foaming bath bombs with shea butter?

Like most bath bomb recipes, the materials to make these DIY foaming bath bombs with shea butter include  baking soda (sodium bicarbonate),  citric acid, and  witch hazel.

Now let’s talk about what ingredients you can put in bath bombs to softenyour skin.

Shea butter – DIY bath bombs with shea butter for soft skin

How do you make bath bombs with shea butter? Does shea butter make bath bombs harder? How can I make my bath bombs moisturising? Let’s talk about these questions!

I made this bath bomb recipe with unrefined  shea butter. Shea butter pampers the skin and is excellent for natural skin care. Adding shea butter makes the bath bombs wonderfully moisturising and hydrating, and your skin will feel softer afterwards.

Shea butter in bath bombs

Another benefit is that shea butter helps to stabilise the bath bombs. It’s important to let the bath bombs dry properly. 24 hours is good, 48 even better.

Sometimes natural oils and butters can reduce the fizziness of bath bombs. For a great fizz, don’t exceed the amount of shea butter listed in the bath bomb recipe.

Shea butter is one of the softer butters and has a lower melting point, which isn’t a problem if you live in a mild climate. Cocoa butter or mango butter are firmer than shea butter and therefore a better option to make bath bombs harder, especially in hot climates. I used cocoa butter to make  milk and honey bath bombs, and they dried rock solid after a few days. Simply use the same amount as shea butter.

Skincare benefits of shea butter

Shea butter has many skincare benefits. The fats moisturise and lubricate the skin, while vitamins A and E help to better skin defects like wrinkles, acne, or premature skin ageing.

Some of the fats in shea butter have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Studies also suggest that shea butter could be helpful to treat the symptoms of eczema by reducing skin itching and increasing skin hydration. ( source1,  source 2)

For the best skin care effect, buy organic, raw (unrefined) shea butter. Unrefined shea butter has a distinctive smell that I personally don’t find unpleasant. If you are put off by this smell, don’t worry, you won’t notice it in the finished bath bombs.

These DIY foaming bath bombs create a beautiful tie-dye or galaxy-inspired pattern while they dissolve in the bath water. For the best foam, place the bath bomb directly under running the faucet. My bath water had a light lavender colour and felt so rich and lush because of the shea butter.

How to make DIY foaming bath bombs

When I think about a relaxing bath, I think of fizz, foam, and bubbles. To me, a foamy bubble bath is super relaxing. To making foaming bath bombs at home, you can either use milk powder or SLSA. Here’s what you need to know about both ingredients:

Milk powder

Dried milk powder is one ingredient to create homemade foaming bath bombs. Milk powder is reconstituted when it comes in contact with water. The fizzing reaction between the baking soda and citric acid will make the milk powder foam. So fluffy and good for your skin. Read more about this in this  milk and honey bath bomb recipe.

SLSA

SLSA powder is another option to make bubbly and foaming bath bombs. SLSA, short for Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, is a mild and skin friendly cleanser made from coconut and palm oils and has amazing foaming qualities. I used SLSA in this bath bomb recipe to create foam and bubbles, while also giving the bath bombs cleaning properties.

Is SLSA safe?

While the name of this foamer sounds very chemical, it is of 100% natural origin and conforms to Ecocert’s organic and natural cosmetic standards. It’s very mild and safe to use on the skin. SLSA is made of large molecule chains that can’t penetrate the skin and won’t cause skin irritations. When shopping for this ingredient, make sure to buy SLSA, not SLS which is a much harsher cleanser that can irritate the skin. To read more about the safety of SLSA, check out the links  here and  here.

How to handle SLSA safely

SLSA is an airborne, white powder. Please wear a face mask to avoid breathing in the dust, and put on gloves to protect your hands when making the bath bomb mixture.

Look how pretty the colours look when the bath bombs fizzes away in the tub and I wish you could smell how wonderfully fragrant these bath bombs are. I used lavender, neroli, and vanilla essential oil to scent the bath bombs naturally.

Polysorbate 80

Polysorbate 80 is a water-soluble emulsifier that helps to disperse the oils and mica with the bath water instead of just pooling on top.

In my opinion, Polysorbate 80 also helps to improve the structure and hardness of the bath bombs. I have made bath bombs without it and found that the bath bombs were crumblier.

Bath bombs without cornstarch

This bath bomb recipes is made without cornstarch. Some people are worried about cornstarch clogging pipes or that cornstarch in bath bombs may cause yeast infection.

This bath fizzies are cornstarch free so you don’t have to worry about these concerns.

Decorate the bath bombs with mica and sprinkles

I wanted to give the bath bombs the look of a sparkly night sky with twinkle stars. Did I achieve my goal? You be the judge of that.

I divide the bath bomb mixture into two parts. One part was coloured with blue and violet  mica powder, the other part was customised with yellow mica powder and  gold biodegradable glitter. If you use glitter, don’t skip the Polysorbate 80, which helps that the glitter doesn’t stick everywhere.

Before pressing the bath bombs, I put a few  star sprinkles in the bottom of the round bath mould. So cute, right?

You don’t have to do this though. The shea butter gives the bath bombs a light cream colour. You can also make them monochrome or choose any other colour combination. Totally up to you!

Essential oils give these homemade bath bombs aromatherapeutic benefits.

Essential Oils for Relaxing Aromatherapy Bath Bombs to help you sleep

Taking a bath is very relaxing. Light a candle, put on peaceful music or listen to a guided meditation, and get in the zone.

You can further boost the relaxing effect with essential oils for the full aromatherapy experience. Bath bombs with essential oils release calming scents into the water and air that help you to unwind and relax in the tub.

Relaxing essential oil blends for bath bombs

Lavender is one of the most calming and relaxing essential oils with great aromatherapeutic benefits. It won’t irritate the skin and is perfectly safe for kids and pregnant women. I also find the following essential oil blends very relaxing and great options for the bath bombs to promote sleep:

• Sweet dreams – a sleep-inducing mix:  lavender,  neroli,  vanilla (1:1:1) – my personal favourite and wonderful for kids
• Time for bed – a balancing blend:  ylang-ylang,  vetiver,  cedarwood (2:2:1) – a harmonising floral scent with woodsy undertones
• Sleep tight – a calming blend:  chamomile,  frankincense,  valerian (2:1:1) – perfect to de-stress and an excellent essential oil blend for men

Dose essential oils for kids

Since children have more sensitive skin than adults prepare the bath bombs only with the half amount of essential oils.

Do you have more suggestions? Leave a comment and let me know what essential oils help you to relax and sleep better.

More DIY beauty recipe to make bath time fun

Love these DIY foaming bath bombs and want more homemade beauty and natural skincare ideas? Check out the links below:

• bath bombs without citric acid
• lavender bath bombs
• rose petal bath bombs
• milk and honey bath bombs
• pink Himalayan salt bath bombs
• lavender bubble bar scoops
• eucalyptus bath bombs
• Epsom salt bath bombs
• Lavender Bath Salt
• DIY Floral Bath Creamers
• DIY Rose Bath Truffles
• Bath Bomb Favours
• Relaxing Bath Oil

YIELD: 5 - 7 BATH BOMBS

Aromatherapy Bath Bombs for Sleep & Relaxation

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These DIY foaming bath bombs with shea butter help to relax and promote a good night’s sleep. Soothing essential oils calm your mind, relieve stress, and create a spa-worthy bath ritual to unwind at the end of the day.

PREP TIME

40 minutes

DRYING TIME

1 day

TOTAL TIME

1 day 40 minutes

DIFFICULTY

intermediate

ESTIMATED COST

inexpensive

Materials

• 2 cups / 260 g / 9.2 oz baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• 1 1/4 cups / 125 g / 4.4 oz citric acid
• / 65 g / 2.3 oz shea butter
• / 65 g / 2.3 oz SLSA
• up to 10 g / 0.4 oz essential oil(s)
• 1 tsp / 7 g / 0.25 oz Polysorbate 80
• witch hazel
• mica powder in gold, blue, violet
• bio-degradable cosmetic gold glitter
• star sprinkles

Tools

• digital scale
• measuring cups and spoons
• sieve
• mixing bowls
• whisk
• spritz bottle
• rubber gloves
• bath bomb moulds

Instructions

1. Melt the shea butter either in a double boiler or in the microwave set to medium in 1-minute intervals.
2. Allow the melted shea butter to cool for 10 minutes before adding the polysorbate and essential oil blend. Stir well.
3. Put on a face mask and rubber gloves.
4. Next, sift the baking soda and citric acid into a bowl to remove lumps. Add the SLSA and whisk to combine.
5. Knead the melted shea butter/essential oil mixture into the dry ingredients.
6. Split the bath bomb mixture into 2 containers. Colour one container with blue and violet mica and the other container with yellow mica and gold glitter. Add mica until you are happy with each colour.
7. Spritz with witch hazel, mixing between sprays, until the mixture has a consistency similar to damp sand and holds together when pressed into a ball. It’s best to combine with your hands to get a better feel of the texture.
8. Place a few star sprinkles into one bath bomb mould.
9. Overfill both halves of a bath bomb mould with mixture, creating a high heap in the middle. Alternate between spoonfuls of blue and gold mixture.
10. Push the sides firmly together but don’t twist. Wipe away any excess mixture.
11. To unmould, gently tap each side with a spoon and remove one half. Turn the bath bomb over and lift off the other half.
12. Place on a tray lined with bubble wrap. Handle the bath bombs carefully as they are soft and fragile at this point.

Let dry for 24 to 48 hours. Then seal each bath bombs in plastic wrap/clingfilm and store in an airtight container.

NotesHow to use the DIY foaming bath bombs

Add one or two bath bombs in the bottom of your shower or in your warm bathtub to create fizz and bubbles and to release the fragrance.

Storage and shelf life

Stored in a dry and dark place, the bath bombs have a shelf life of up to 9 months.

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