Making homemade gifts adds such a personal touch to holiday gift giving. There is something about giving something that you’ve put a little bit of love into that makes people feel special. I like to try and find things I can make that aren’t hugely labor intensive or there is a high risk of failure. It is an added bonus if they are things I already have almost everything in the house. My teenagers just go crazy over fizzy bath bombs. Raised in my home, they lean toward organic quality ingredients and their favorite store bought ones cost so much I think the store should be embarrassed to charge that much, so of course since I have a frugal bent I made my own this year and the girls have given me a two thumbs up!
What you need:
1 cup citric acid
1 cup baking soda
½ cup cornstarch
¼ cup fractionated coconut oil (don’t substitute regular coconut oil)
¼ cup olive oil
Essential oil (must be labeled safe for topical use).
Kosher Salt
Gel Food Coloring (I use Wilton)
Cupcake liners
Cupcake pan
Instructions:
1. Pour a couple of tablespoons of kosher salt in a ziploc bag. Add a toothpick of gel food coloring. I try and match it with the scent of the oil. Purple for lavender, yellow for lemon and orange for wild orange or citrus blends. Scrunch the bag until the color is mixed. I like to have a mix of dark and light. You’ll need to do one for each scent you make. Set aside.
2. In a glass or metal bowl, place citric acid, baking soda, cornstarch, and franctionated coconut and olive oils.
3. Add 15 drops of the essential oil(s) of your choice.
4. Mix well with a spoon or with your hands until a soft dough is formed. It should have the consistency of damp sand. Check the scent and see if it is strong enough, if not add more essential oils.
5. At this point you could also add food coloring, dried herbs, or flower petals to the mixture. If the mixture is too wet, try adding a little more baking soda and cornstarch until the consistency is right.
6. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans. I like to match the color to the scent. This recipe makes approximately 12.
7. Scoop with ice cream scoop. Lightly press in but don’t pack in. Turn the scoop as close to the cupcake liner as you can get and don’t squeeze the handle. It should easily pop out and retain its shape.
8. Then take the colored Kosher Salt and sprinkle over the top. Have a little care as they do look yummy enough to eat.
9. The bath bombs are ready to use once they are completely dry. Usually 48 hours is perfect. To use, just drop them in the tub/shower until they dissolve.
Notes:
Choose an essential oil to best suit your needs. The options are endless. For relaxation and calming, try Lavender or a Lavender blend For a mood boost, try Wild Orange, Lemon or a Citrus Blend. Grapefruit is one of the most popular citrus ones. If you want one to help maintain clear airways or sooth try Eucalyptus or a Respiratory Blend. My favorite combination for an especially bad day is Frankincense, Bergamot and Wild Orange.
Another variation I like to try is to mix the colored Kosher Salt in and put them in little jars. Much easier to wrap and mail!
If you choose to use food coloring be careful to just use a tiny amount so that the bomb is a pale color. Too much and it could be a problem.
All essential oils aren’t created equally. In this recipe I prefer to use essential oils that are safe for internal use and at a minimum safe for topical use. Check the label to see if it is safe. Why?…Essential Oil Grades
If you’d like to know more about what products I use please send me a message below.
PS: I’m not trying to keep it a secret… the brand doesn’t allow their products named or pictured on non-company websites. I’d tell you if I could!
