Most of us absolutely love taking those long baths and spending extensive hours in the water right after a tough day at work. The mere prospect of just sitting in the water in your tub sounds so relaxing and satisfying. Needless to say, it is one of the best ways to unwind and put your mind at ease. Perhaps, light up a scented candle or two and enjoy the sweet smells wafting all around you.
But do you know what would make your bath even more soothing, and say, add some fun and excitement to it? An explosion of a colorful, fizzy, and amazingly-scented bath bomb right in the middle of your bathtub!
If you fancy being soaking wet in a sea of bright, vibrant, beautiful colorful swirls, bath bombs are just perfect for you!
What are Bath Bombs?
For those who don’t know, ever since the inception of the first-ever bath bomb in 1989, these delightful chunks of dry ingredients that explode in your bathtub have been gaining massive popularity. They have been all the rage ever since then and for all the right reasons, too.
Bath bombs are everything you would expect them to be – they are highly aromatic, bubbly, fizzy, extremely colorful, and full of sparkle! While it may sound like an exaggeration, bath bombs can actually transport you to a dazzling utopia and help you experience a surreal sense of calm and peace.
Bath bombs are simply mixtures of dry ingredients that are tightly packed together, usually into a hard sphere. They tend to effervesce as soon as they come into contact with water. So, the moment you drop a bath bomb in a tub full of water, it will spin, fizz, and explode, bursting into a kaleidoscope of colors and a range of incredible smells.
For most people, the best part about using a bath bomb is watching it spin and whirl in the water, and then suddenly blow up and reveal a spectacle of color, fragrance, and popping fizz.
The Origin of Bath Bombs
It is quite interesting how bath bombs came into being and what really led to the creation of these unique and exciting fizzy spheres.
They were first invented in 1989 by Mo Constantine, co-founder of the ever-famous and amazing company, Lush Cosmetics. She was really intrigued and inspired by the fast-fizzing and effervescing action of the Alka-Seltzer tablets. Based on that inspiration, she began working on her ‘Aqua Sizzlers’, now known as bath bombs.
While her initial attempts did produce satisfying results, similar to those of the tablets, she, along with her husband Mark Constantine, went on to experiment with a plethora of ingredients and different kinds of molds.
Soon enough, she achieved that perfect fizzy base with a simple combination of citric acid and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). These are the two basic ingredients that formed the original foundation for a bath bomb. However, soon after that, an array of different kinds of bath bombs were introduced, featuring a medley of natural ingredients.
A tailored blend of incredible ingredients was then added to each type of bath bomb, which resulted in a variety of different-smelling bath bombs with unique elements, shapes, and textures.
The standard ingredients for making bath bombs include citric acid, cornstarch, and baking soda. However, there are now amazingly innovative and updated bath bomb versions that also include essential oils, color dyes, Epsom salts, herbs, dried flowers, and many other similar fascinating ingredients.
Wonderful Benefits of Bath Bombs
On the apparent, bath bombs are simply hard-packed balls or spheres of ingredients that have incredible effervescing properties. They are also a way to make bathing fun and exciting by adding a splash of color and sweet scents to your regular baths.
However, much to your surprise, these hard-packed spheres are full of incredible health benefits. A nice hot bath paired with the right type of bath bomb can unleash some really powerful effects.
They Are Great for Your Skin
Most types of bath bombs are rich with softeners and emollients that greatly moisturize and nourish the skin. They also contain beneficial ingredients like cocoa butter, essential oils, and Epsom salts that have excellent skin-healing and skin-soothing qualities.
They Stabilize the Mood
Taking a nice, hot bath is commonly recommended at times when you are feeling down or stressed out, but bathing with bath bombs offers a lot more than that. Bath bombs help provide an immediate sense of relaxation since they contain a variety of essential oils that soothe the soul and alleviate the mood.
They Create a Tranquil Atmosphere
Imagine coming home after a super tough day at work. You’ll definitely need something to help release all that stress and bring forth happy and soothing feelings. Bath bombs do that by creating a unique experience that is marked with opulence.
As soon as you drop your favorite bath bomb into the water, there is a splendid burst of colors followed by a release of distinctive sweet smells and soothing fizzing and popping sounds. For most people, this combination of color, smell, and sound is simply beautiful, and it greatly helps distract their minds.
They Help You Get a Good Night’s Sleep
If you are one of those people who often find it difficult to sleep at night, a bath bomb might just do the trick. These effervescent balls are known to have powerful relaxing effects that are just enough to make you drowsy and help you sleep easily.
Many varieties of bath bombs consist of oils like chamomile and lavender which are popular natural relaxants. They gradually ease the tensions in your mind, transport you into a whole new dream-like state, and give you a sense of peace and calm that you have probably never experienced before.
Different Types of Bath Bombs
If you walk into a skincare or a cosmetics shop today, you are likely to come across an entire aisle of bath bombs. Most of these stores or shops have a wide variety of bath bombs stacked on top of each other. From a combination of gorgeous colors and amazing scents to different shapes and textures, you will surely find the one that best fits your bathing needs.
While some people go for the prettiest-looking bath bombs, others are really big on the ingredients and the kind of scent they contain.
Take a look at some of the most creative and artistic types of bath bombs that will turn your bathtub into a whirlwind of color, sparkle, and magic!
1. Citrus Bath Bombs
If you love lemons, oranges , or any other citrus fruit or vegetable, this type of bath bomb is clearly meant for you. As the name suggests, citrus bath bombs normally contain a combination of orange and lemon, two of the citrusiest foods out there.
A typical citrus bath bomb contains baking soda, cornstarch, essential oils, citric acid, and Epsom salts. Some might even contain a dash of orange or yellow color in order to give you the most authentic citrusy bathing experience.
The second you drop a citrus bath bomb into your bathtub, your bathroom will begin to smell like oranges and lemons!
2. Cosmic Bath Bombs
True to their name, Cosmic bath bombs promise to leave you starry-eyed and dreamy. They make a big bang in your bathtub just as you would expect them to. They are quite small in size as compared to most other bath bombs, so they are ideal for all those who have an average-sized tub or prefer a smaller fizzy mess.
Cosmic bath bombs are made with a combination of baking soda, citric acid, Epsom salts, sea salt and often also contain a mixture of different essential oils. There are also sets of cosmic bath bombs that include different handcrafted bath bombs, where each is made to resemble the various celestial bodies in the universe.
If you are looking to turn your bath into a fun stellar experience, you ought to get your hands on these comic bath bombs and be transported to a whole new galaxy!
3. Cupcake Bath Bombs
In case the name got you wondering, yes, Cupcake bath bombs actually look like cupcakes! They not only look like cupcakes, but they also smell like them, and who’s to know, they might even taste like those delicious sweet treats – don’t eat them, though!
Cupcake bath bombs are the perfect way to give your skin a super sweet treat and make it soft and supple. They contain some of the standard ingredients like citric acid, cornstarch, baking soda, and salts, along with a few other unconventional ingredients such as vanilla extract, food coloring, sugar, and meringue powder.
The latter ingredients typically make the ‘frosting’ or ‘icing’ of these cupcake bath bombs. They may also contain essential oils and a foaming agent in order to make them truly smell and look like actual cupcake frosting.
Cupcake bath bombs are ideal for kids given how you can customize them exactly the way you want and choose their favorite smells and colors.
4. Golden Fizzy Bath Bombs
Love a bit of gold and glitter in your bath? Golden Fizzy bath bombs are the best way to go about it! These bath bombs are super elegant, rich, and full of glamour. The second they pop in the water, they are likely to fill your bathtub with cascading golden-colored water with a shimmering swirl that looks absolutely bedazzling.
Apart from the basic ingredients, many Golden Fizzy bath bombs consist of meadow-foam oil, which works as an exceptional skin moisturizer. They are also coated with gold general mica powder, which is what gives these bath bombs that rich, glittery look.
There are numerous versions of these golden bath bombs, and some are scented with the help of a sweet floral blend of gardenia, rose, and honeysuckle flowers.
When making your own gold bath bomb, you can also add in some cocoa butter to make it extra moisturizing and smooth for your skin.
5. Lavender Bath Bombs
With a mesmerizing scent and a gorgeous color, lavender bath bombs are just perfect for killing all that stress as you watch it explode and burst into hues of pink and purple.
Lavender bath bombs are one of the most common types of bath bombs, primarily because they look absolutely spectacular in water and also because lavender is such a wonderfully relaxing scent. These bath bombs are commonly made of baking soda, cornstarch, Epsom salts, cream of tartar, and lavender essential oil. Some varieties also make use of natural food coloring in order to give these bath bombs that deep, rich lavender color.
When making a DIY lavender bath bomb, you can take it to a whole new level by adding dried organic lavender flowers to the bath bomb mixture. When the bomb dissolves in the water, you will see those tiny flowers floating on the surface. The very sight of this will produce a major therapeutic effect on your mind.
6. Green Tea Bath Bombs
There is indeed nothing quite like a hot bath to help you relax and release all the stress and tension. What would make this hot bath even better is a delicious-smelling green tea bath bomb? If you are particularly big on the smell of herbal green tea, this bath bomb is just the one for you.
Green tea bath bombs don’t just smell like green tea, but they also sport a subtle green color in order to make you feel like you are, perhaps, swimming in your favorite green tea! They contain baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch, water, Epsom salts, lemon essential oil green food coloring, and green tea seed oil, which is its key ingredient.
Some types of green tea bath bombs may also contain dried green tea leaves in order to give it that extra effect.
7. Cocoa Butter Bath Bombs
Among the many little joys in life is opening a bag of cocoa butter, as that strong aroma of cocoa transports you to a whole world of chocolate. Similar to this is the amazingly inventive and delicious-smelling cocoa butter bath bombs that will leave your bathroom smelling like chocolate.
The best part about these is that cocoa butter is super nourishing for the skin and provides great moisture and suppleness.
The base of cocoa butter bath bombs is made of a simple blend of citric acid, baking soda, honey fragrance oil, and a rich amount of cocoa butter. Some versions may even contain a pinch of cocoa powder to give it that deep, aesthetically-pleasing brown color.
Many people go for DIY cocoa butter bath bombs in which they can customize the ingredients the way they want. You can even make your bath bomb look like a ball of cocoa butter drizzling a mixture of cocoa butter fragrance oil, coconut, cedarwood, and jasmine petals on top of the bath bomb.
8. Ice Cream Scoop Bath Bombs
As bizarre as the idea of ice cream scoop bath bombs may sound, they are actually super adorable, creative, and fun! They are likely to excite both adults and kids alike. As their name suggests, they look like cute little ice cream scoops and may even smell like your favorite ice cream flavor.
Ice cream scoop bath bombs consist of baking soda, citric acid, all-natural food coloring, arrowroot powder, and perhaps, vanilla extract for added ice-cream-like fragrance.
You can also make these bath bombs at home and customize the colors and smells to your liking. Ice cream bath bombs also make for amazing gifts to give to someone. As a gift idea, you can have a box full of assorted bath bombs, each with a different ice cream flavor and smell!
9. Kid-Calming Bath Bombs
If you have kids, you probably get to experience one of those nights every once in a while when nothing seems to calm them down. In worse cases, not even their favorite stuffed toy animals can help them close their eyes and go to bed. Well, lucky for you, there is an incredible creation called “kid calming bath bombs,” and they are called so for a reason.
Kid Calming bath bombs do exactly what the name suggests – they help fidgety kids calm down a great deal and also make it easy for them to get all ready for bed.
Along with the regular ingredients like baking soda and citric acid, these bath bombs consist of lavender-scented essential oils as well as olive oil. The latter makes for an excellent moisturizer while the lavender essential oil releases its calming and relaxing properties, which simply help kids become less irritable and make them sleepy.
You can make things even easier for yourself by making these bath bombs into shapes that your kids love. This will definitely get them to bathe and go to bed in no time!
10. Oatmeal Bath Bombs
These breakfast-inspired bath bombs are perfect for all the oatmeal-lovers out there. Oatmeal bath bombs don’t only smell like breakfast, they are also extremely beneficial for the skin. They soothe skin irritations and make the skin soft, smooth, and supple.
These bath bombs use basic ingredients, with the addition of a whole lot of oatmeal. These are excellent for treating sunburns and all other similar skin conditions. They also make very cute gifts, especially for someone who travels a lot or spends their time outdoors.
Oatmeal bath bombs are super easy to make at home, and you can customize the ingredients as per your requirements. Many people prefer adding in a few drops of their favorite essential oils to add some extra sweet fragrance. In case you don’t fancy the simple and plain white-brown color of these bath bombs, you can always add natural food coloring to make it burst into colors in your bathtub.
11. Rainbow Bath Bomb
Fancy seeing magic rainbow clouds in the bath? Rainbow bath bombs are just what you need to be able to do that! These bath bombs are known for their explosion of colors, where you can see a bit of every color swirling and spinning around in the water.
Rainbow bath bombs are made the same way with all the same ingredients, except that they contain extra soap colorants in order to give them the rainbow effect. You can also add in a greater amount of tartar than usual for that extra popping and fizzing action.
Once the basic bath bomb is ready, the next step is to separate it into as many parts as you like according to the number of colors you want to see in your bath. Dye each part with a different color; squish them all together into a mold of your choice, and then take it out. You’ll see that it all comes together into a nice rainbow bath bomb.
Rainbow bath bombs work really for kids, and they are indeed a great way to get your kid to take a bath.
12. Macaroon Bath Bombs
If you ever feel particularly fancy, fabulous, and French, you ought to get yourself a set of delicious-smelling and looking Macaroon bath bombs!
Macaroons are one of the most delicate and pretty-looking desserts, and if you are a die-hard macaroon lover, you can bring this delectable sweet treat right into your bathtub.
Macaroon bath bombs look exactly like a macaroon, and they usually come in a set of assorted flavors and textures. From rose to matcha, to fig-scented, you can get your favorite macaroon in the form of a macaroon bath bomb. They are often handcrafted, given how delicate they are, and some even feature the finest natural ingredients such as essential oils and sea salt.
These bath bombs are the best type to gift to a friend or a relative; not only because of how elegant they look on their own but also because they usually come in the cutest and the most adorable packaging that is likely to blow away its receiver.
13. Cotton Candy Bath Bombs
Just like cupcake bath bombs, Cotton Candy bath bombs are another sure-shot way to get your kids to enjoy their bath time. While they may not look exactly like cotton candy, they sure smell just like it – enough for you to want to eat them right away!
To make these cute bath bombs, you need baking soda, citric acid, cream of tartar, cotton candy soap scent, coconut oil, colorful sprinkles, and lavender essential oil. Mix all the ingredients together, coat the bath bombs with sprinkles, and allow them to dry overnight.
As soon as you plop them in the water, they will burst into colors and release such a strong cotton candy-like smell that you’ll be left salivating!
14. Stress Relief Bath Bombs
Bath bombs are relaxing and comforting, to begin with, but if you need that extra stress-relief, then there are special stress-relieving bath bombs that greatly help soothe the mind and the muscles.
Most stress relief bath bombs contain hints of eucalyptus and spearmint, which are two of the most effective ingredients that relax the mind and help you unwind.
The key ingredients of stress relief bath bombs are different kinds of essential oils, as these are known to be the best kind of natural stress relievers. For instance, the lavender essential oil is the queen of stress relief and has proven to greatly release anxiety and ease tensions. On the other hand, orange essential oil helps uplift the mood and leaves one feeling light and tension-free.
To make your own stress relief bath bomb, you’ll need baking soda, Epsom salt, citric acid, witch hazel, almond oil, cornstarch, green or blue mica powder, and a few drops of your favorite essential oils. The key is to slowly drop them in the water and allow them to fizz and pop completely till you can feel the essential oils getting to your head and giving you a sense of peace and calm.
15. Tie-Dye Bath Bombs
Similar to rainbow bath bombs, Tie-dye bath bombs also exude great vibrancy and look absolutely stunning when they explode in the water. They are incredibly rich and colorful, and the best part is that you can incorporate as many colors as you want in this bath bomb.
Along with the usual baking soda, citric acid, and cornstarch, Tie-dye bath bombs use powdered food color, fragrance oils, or essential oils as well as sweet almond oil. These oils make the bombs smell amazing as they fill up your bathroom with a blend of beautiful and sweet-smelling fragrances.
Tie-dye bath bombs are excellent for spa parties where you can have so many bathtubs bursting with a myriad of stunning colors as they swirl with the water.
If you have never tried bathing with a bath bomb before, you are seriously missing out on possibly the best bath ever! Safe to say, once you experience it, you likely find yourself sipping wine in a bathtub that is full of colors and a whole lot of popping-fizzing action almost every day!
