These funny scrubby clay things caught my eye on the Lush website. They’re an interesting combination of clay (which I love) and bath bombs (even more love). The end result is a highly exfoliating and amusingly fizzy disc of fun bath time goodness.
I decided to use Rhassoul clay; the same stuff in the original scrub. Its also denser than French Green, Red, and Kaolin clay, lending a nice weight to the final product. The lovely brown colour of the clay inspired me to scent the scrubs hippie-style; patchouli, rosemary, and ginger. They’re wonderfully earthy and spicy.
I molded mine using a half cup measure, but I’d recommend using a one-eighth cup measure for single serving scrubbiness. Once these bad boys get wet they start to fizz away, and keeping them in your shower leaves a nice brown hippie-smelling lump in your shower.
The spritzing step will take longer than for bath bombs because the clay is so absorbent. Just keep at it, and test it frequently. To do so, just pack the mixture into your mold, tap it out back into the bowl, and see if it holds. If it does, you’re good. If not, keep spritzing and stirring.
This recipe really isn’t that great—I wouldn’t recommend making it.
Copycat Lush Fizzy Clay Scrubs
1 cup baking soda (USA / Canada)
½ cup citric acid (available online or at your local health food store)
½ cup clay
1 tbsp liquid oil (I like sweet almond or walnut, but canola will work)
1 spoonful cocoa butter (USA / Canada) (optional)
Essential oil of choice
Distilled water, as needed1/8 cup measuring cup, for molding them
Silicone spatula
A spray/mister bottleMix the baking soda (USA / Canada), citric acid, and clay together in a wide bowl. Melt the liquid oil and cocoa butter (USA / Canada) together, and drizzle over the dry ingredients. Mix in with a fork, doing your best to blend.
Begin spritzing the mixture with distilled water, stirring between additions. You’re aiming to add the smallest amount of water possible to keep the baking soda (USA / Canada)/citric acid reaction from happening prematurely. So, spritz and stir, spritz and stir.
Test the mixture for adhesion by packing it into a 1/8 cup measure and tapping it out. If the mixture holds together instead of crumbling apart, you’re good to go. If not, keep going. Be sure to test frequently so you don’t add too much water, or the clay fizzies will react while they dry.
I’m going to make these as soon as I get the clay!
Thank you
You could make these with any kind of clay you happen to have on hand; if you only want to buy one kind of clay, I’d recommend French Green.
Spritzing with Witch Hazel instead of water prevents the reaction, and adds beneficial properties as well. I never spritz my bombs or scrubs with water.
Thanks for the tip, Annette, I’ll be sure to try this the next time I make bath bombs/scrubs!
i know im a little late to the party, but how were you storing these?
ive been hankering to make some bath bombs, then found this gem of a recipe (thanks!) and was gonna do a test batch…
but im wondering about the citric acid in either kind of recipe…if i store em in a lidded glass jar, will it turn into a clumped brick o’ bars? see, i was a huge fan of diy dishwasher powder but it turned into a ridiculous cement in the jar (due to citric acid), though it was sealed. (im hoping the addition of clay renders it not a problem whatsoever!)
love to hear how it worked out for you in the long run!
🙂
I ended up just leaving these on a shelf in my bathroom 😛 It is really dry here though (our salt doesn’t clump up like it does in more humid environments). Something you should definitely do is make these in smaller sizes than I did (golf ball or smaller) as they get pretty messy once they’re wet. Maybe try storing them in a zip top bag & squeeze out all the excess air before sealing?
How do you use these? While in the shower and just rub them on your body? I’m so intrigued. I’ve never been to a lush so I am clueless about their products. Many thanks!
Hi Jennifer! Yup, just like that 🙂 They are very extra scrubby, so avoid sensitive bits 😉
Here’s my completed clay scrubs complete with bloating effect : (
/Users/rwaaslance/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Modified/2014/Clay Bath Melts/IMG_1630.jpg
I read through all the comments first and saw someone recommended using witch hazel instead of water… but the directions said you would need to “spritz away” and I wasn’t sure I had enough. I ended up using a half/half mixture of witch hazel and regular tap water. Then I must have gotten a little too aggressive with making sure it was wet enough to keep it’s shape! I used a 1/4 measuring cup.
I might make these again after I purchase a silicone mold or cup of some kind… it felt like it would have been easier to use a drier mixture (less bloating) and would unmold easier (less cracking). I’ll post again when I make another batch.
I was the one who suggested using witch hazel. I use it myself because it doesn’t set off the fizz reaction when you’re mixing. I tend to spritz then mix with my other hand to see if it’s ready or not. When it starts to clump together, then you know it’s ready.
If it gets too wet, it’s never going to dry out and you’ll lose the whole batch.
Hope that helps!
Regards
Annette
Thanks! 🙂
Hi Robin! I can’t see your photo if you just paste in the local path 🙂 Try uploading it to a free image uploading service like Imgur and sharing the URL they provide 🙂
Good luck with the next batch! Be sure to test the mixture lots by squeezing it together and seeing if it holds 🙂
Hi, Thanks for this recipe. Can’t wait to make them! I was wondering if you have a DIY version to Lush’s stepping stone?! I cant find one (or a similar recipe) anywhere! Though i see people selling them.
Thanks!
Hi Debbie! I don’t have a Stepping Stone dupe, but I love the looks of it and I will add it to my list 🙂
Hi
What is the shelf life? since there is water in them doesn’t the product need some kind of preservative?? I have bought the ones from Lush and love them so I would love to be able to make them at home
There is water, but then they dry out before you use them, so then there isn’t 🙂 I have one of these left from when I originally made this batch to publish the recipe… back in 2012. So they last at least 3 years!
how many does this recipe make? Thanks!
That depends entirely on how big you make them! The four you see in the last photo were my final yield.