I am so in love with these Snowflake Bath Bombs that I just might not give any of them away. The fizz away enthusiastically, releasing a rich, creamy lather and leaving bathwater feeling cushiony and rich and incredibly lovely. On the night of our first big snowfall (I shovelled the walk three times that day) I dropped a couple of these in a hot bath and read some more of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō, and it was great. Afterwards I crawled into my pre-heated bed (a bed warmer is seriously one of the best things I’ve ever bought) with silky smooth, happy skin. Aaah.
Want to watch this project instead of read it?
Bath bombs are basically a dry, non-salad-dressing-scented version of that baking soda and vinegar volcano we all made in third grade science class. We use citric acid instead of vinegar (some recipes also include cream of tartar, but I’ve only got it in tiny kitchen quantities at this point) as our acidic bit, and keep the baking soda. Whisk that together, add some skin loving stuff like Epsom salts, and press that together with the help of the tiniest amount of liquid possible, and you’ve got yourself a basic bath bomb.
Since our snowflake theme is all about creamy whites, sparkle, rich textures, and soft scents, I tackled these bath bombs a bit differently than I usually do. I usually come at bath bombs from the scent blend—if not entirely, it’s typically a large part of the “identity” of the project. Because baking soda, citric acid, and Epsom salts are all white, I knew I had the white part nailed, but I wanted to add some rich texture to ’em, and that’s where a good dose of whole milk powder and some Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSa) come in.
The milk powder brings some skin-softening fat to the bath bombs in what might be the easiest way possible, and the lactic acid content brings a bit of skin softening exfoliation (lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid, or an AHA). There’s also a soft milky scent, reminiscent of hot cups of milky tea. The SLSa fills your bath with the most beautiful, rich lather—it’s stunning. It’s not bubble bath lather, but velvety, dense lather that’s downright indulgent. Swoon.
If you’re familiar with bath bomb making, these are pretty simple. The only tricky-ish bit is making sure you really pack them into the mould—I found them to be a bit more prone to crumbling than some other bath bombs I’ve made, likely due to the milk powder. The quantities are a larger than usual as I’m anticipating you’ll want to make enough to keep and give away, but you can easily scale the recipe as all the ingredients are measured by weight.
Want to watch this project instead of read it?
Snowflake Bath Bombs
540g | 19.05oz baking soda (USA / Canada)
216g | 7.62oz citric acid (USA / Canada)
216g | 7.62oz Epsom salt (USA / Canada)
96g |3.39oz whole milk powder
132g | 4.66oz Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSa) (USA / Canada)Mister filled with witch hazel (water is also ok if you don’t have witch hazel)
Coarse, large-grain “sparkle sugar” (optional)
Put on your dust mask and measure the powdered ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together, using the back of a spoon to break up any clumps.
Now it’s time to add just enough liquid to get the mixture to hold together in a mold. Not too much, though, or it will react in the bowl/mold, not in your bath. That’s why we’re using a mister (it’ll spread the moisture better) and witch hazel (the reaction isn’t as vigorous when you use witch hazel, plus the bath bombs dry faster).
So, spread your mixture out in your bowl so you have as much surface area as possible, and spritz. Then quickly stir/whisk thoroughly. Repeat until you can grab a clump of the mixture and it will just hold together after a firm squeeze.
Once the mixture will hold together, it’s time to mold it! I sprinkled a wee bit of sparkle sugar into the bottom of a quarter-cup measuring cup and then crammed as much tightly-packed bath bomb mix on top of that. I found these bath bombs really needed to be packed tightly to hold together, so squeeze and press and pack until it feels a bit ridiculous. Tap that out onto a sheet of wax paper. Let dry overnight.
To use, drop in a hot bath and enjoy! This recipe will make about fourteen third-cup bath bombs.
Because these bath bombs don’t contain any water once they dry, they do not require a broad-spectrum preservative (broad spectrum preservatives ward off microbial growth, and microbes require water to live—no water, no microbes!). Be sure to keep them dry to ensure they last as long as possible—don’t let any water get into the container/bag you store them in and they should easily last a year.
Substitutions
Do you think oatmeal powder could replace milk powder?
Probably! Let me know if you try it 🙂
HI, Marie:
I have witch hazel without alcohol — would the recipe still work?
I can get the sparkling sugar, but I’ll try the Purple Mica first.
I’ve ordered 4 bays of the stuff, and am casting about where I can use it. This recipe is definitely on my xmas list — thanks for this one!
Yup, that’s the kind of witch hazel I used! You could also try making a bunch of purple eyeshadow 😛
I’ve never been interested in bath bombs, though I love to take baths. But this is one I’m anxious to try. I think it’s the extra ingredients that did it.
Marie, it’s Thanksgiving here in the States. I’ve spent the day thinking of all that I’m grateful for and my list is long. I’ve washed my hands maybe 25 times today and just sat down and reached for my lotion, one of your recipes. I want to tell you that I’m thankful for you. You’ve inspired me so much and I know I speak for many others here. Thank you for your time you’ve put into all this. It’s been fascinating learning how to make soap, lotions, hair conditioners, face serums etc. This is now a huge part of who I am, today. I’m thankful for you.
Thank you so much, Cristie! I really appreciate your kind words and all your lovely comments and contributions 🙂 Comments from you always put a big smile on my face!
Totally agree with Christie, Marie. Hugely thankful for you and I love all of your recipes and so do my friends and family. I gave my bestie a jar of oat milk dream cream when I visited her on Thanksgiving and she loves it. I look forward to each post. Bless your sweet soul
Thank you so much, Lin! Your kind words have put a great big smile on my face 😀
Hi Marie,
I saw your YouTube tutorial and was very excited to see the foaming when the water and the bomb met.
I gather my ingredients and started making bath bombs. I used the aluminum ball molds 3” and 2.5”. I placed the bombs to dry and some began to crumble. All of the bath bombs formed small looking pimples on them. I had placed them on a wire rack to dry and they sank into the wire leaving an unattractive pattern. I never used SLSa or molds to make bath bombs.
It’s been 5 days since I made the bombs and they are stating to dry and feel firmer. Do you think that I used too much which hazel?
Thanks,
Letty
I’ve been making a lot more bath bombs lately, and I think it may just be that I didn’t develop this recipe with a round mold in mind. I got a round mold about six weeks ago and found I needed to adjust my recipe to make the round mold work. The notion that they aren’t drying would be unrelated, though—is it very humid where you live?
How did you adjust the recipe
Please refer to this recipe 🙂
Could i replace the whole milk with shea butter and add olivum 300?
I’d recommend following a different recipe if you want that assortment of ingredients. This one would be a good choice 🙂
Hi Marie – I want to make some bath bombs and LOVE your other recipes! I’d like to make bath bombs, specifically those incorporating milk powder, but was wondering if it’s possible to make them omitting the Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate and Polysorbate 80 (found in milky tea bath bombs)?
Good morning!
Each ingredient has a specific purpose in each and every formula. Before you omit or swap something, you need to figure out why something is included. Check out this article on making swaps and refer to the Humblebee & Me Encyclopedia to learn more about each individual ingredient 🙂
If I wanted to add a fragrance oil or an essential oil, how many grams should I add? Thanks! Also, I’m a patron.
The general guideline is 1%, so for this 1200g batch that would be 12g. You’ll want to remove that 12g from elsewhere in the recipe; I’d recommend the milk powder. This addition may also require the addition of a solubilizer, though I think the SLSa will be enough to solubilize 1% fragrance. If you’re using essential oils you’ll also need to keep in mind maximum usage levels for each EO, and that they will be in the bath with you, mingling with your sensitive bits, so maybe chili oil isn’t a good idea 😉
Thank you for your support!