These DIY Bath Bombs Will Melt Away Your Stress

Give the gift of a relaxing bubble bath with a set of DIY bath bombs. Our bath bomb recipe features natural ingredients, dried flowers, and essential oils that form easily into perfect shapes—plus, they smell amazing. We'll show you how to make bath bombs in just four simple steps. Mix the ingredients together and add the mixture to plastic or silicone bath bomb molds; once they're dry, this easy homemade gift is ready to give! Give a set to mom for a relaxing at-home spa day, or package up a set as a thoughtful gift for your bestie.

How to Make Bath Bombs

Supplies Needed

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup citric acid
• 1/2 cup Epsom salt
• 7 tbs coconut oil
• 1 tsp water
• 20-25 drops essential oils
• Natural food coloring
• Dried flower petals
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wax paper
• Metal or plastic molds

Step-by-Step Directions

Follow these simple how-to instructions to make your DIY bath bombs. You should be able to make the mixture and add it to the bath bomb molds in under 30 minutes.

Step 1: Prepare Bath Bomb Ingredients

Our fizzy bath bomb recipe uses natural ingredients and is easy to prepare. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients, including the dried flower petals. In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, mix the wet ingredients and stir well. Add a few drops of coloring to the wet ingredients, until you reach a shade you like; keep in mind that the shade of the liquid will lighten slightly when added to the dry ingredients. We used a combination of lavender and eucalyptus for the essential oils, and added a few drops of red coloring to make pink bath bombs.

Step 2: Mix Bath Bomb Recipe

When all the wet and dry ingredients have been added to their respective bowls, start mixing the two with your hands. Add a small amount of wet mix to the dry mix, and use your hands to mix the ingredients evenly; if your homemade bath bombs contain a large amount of coloring, you may want to use rubber or plastic gloves ($10 for a 3-pack, Amazon) for this step. Keep in mind that a bath bomb with a lot of artificial coloring may leave colored residue in your bathtub. Continue adding small amounts of the wet mixture and mixing with your hands until all the ingredients are combined. Each time you add the liquid mixture, the combination of ingredients—especially the citric acid and Epsom salt—will cause a small fizzing reaction. This is normal!

Step 3: Fill Bath Bomb Molds

Mix the combined ingredients with your hands until it reaches the consistency of damp sand. Clump a small amount of the mixture in your hand—if it sticks together, it's ready for the mold. Bath bomb molds can be found at craft stores or online, and usually come with two halves. Use round bath bomb molds ($9, Amazon) to make traditional sphere-shaped molds, or use heart-shaped molds ($12, Amazon) as we did. Loosely fill both sides of the mold and place the halves together; the mixture will expand slightly as it dries, so if you tightly pack the mixture, the mold will pop open. Let the filled bath bomb mold sit for 20-30 minutes, then carefully remove the DIY bath bomb from the mold and place onto wax paper; let dry overnight. This recipe will fill approximately four large molds or 6-8 small molds.

Step 4: Package and enjoy!

When the DIY bath bombs have dried completely, it's time to package them up and give them away! Add a few fizzy bath bombs to a clear plastic gift bag ($6 for 100 bags, Amazon) and tie with a ribbon, or wrap each one in tissue paper and line them up in a small gift box. When it's time to use them, run a bath and drop a bath bomb into the warm water—the shape will fizz until the bath bomb has dissolved into the bathwater, leaving behind a relaxing scent and floating flower petals. Store your homemade bath bombs for up to six months.