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This Lush bath bomb recipe makes amazing bath bombs – similar to what you can buy at Lush, but for a fraction of the price. You do not want to eat these!! This recipe and tutorial are for the best bath of your life.
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I am so excited to share our copycat Lush bath bomb recipe! This is not a typical Favorite Family Recipe, you do not want to eat these!! As you know, rarely do non-food recipes, but this one is too good not to share. These homemade bath bombs are so easy to make, you will never need to buy them from the store again. Not to mention, they are so much cheaper to make them yourself, especially if you buy some of the larger ingredients in bulk.
Don’t be alarmed at the price upfront because by using these pantry staple ingredients, you can make more than one batch. I got a giant box of baking soda and corn starch so even though I have already made three batches, I have plenty of supplies to make more. These homemade bath bombs are perfect for kids and adults. The bubbles fizz up in the bath water making bath time even more fun and relaxing!
What is Lush Bath Bombs?
If you are familiar with Lush brand body works then this copycat Lush bombs for the bath are just what you need to make at home and save on price! Lush is a store that sells amazing bath products. All of their products are handmade in batches and they are eco-friendly. They have several different options to choose from.
My favorite thing to buy from Lush is their bath bombs. They are ball-shaped “bombs” that are meant to be dropped into the tub while you draw and then soak in the bath. They fizz and turn your bath water a fun color and they smell absolutely amazing.
Well, I should say it was my favorite thing to buy. Thanks to this copycat recipe, I can make my own for just a fraction of the price! These make a great gift to give for birthdays, Christmas, or just because. Give the gift of relaxation and calm!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients that are easy to find. If you plan to make a lot, you will save money by purchasing ingredients somewhere you can buy in bulk. Find these ingredients at your local grocery store.
- Baking soda – Create fuzziness in the bathtub with baking soda as the main ingredient. The baking soda will help the bath bomb fizz as it hits the water.
- Cornstarch – This will help slow down the rate of the bath bomb fizzing away. Cornstarch is known as a stabilizer to keep the bath bomb from dissolving quickly.
- Coarse sea salt – Help your skin by using sea salt.
- Cream of tartar – Gives a soft texture that adds volume to the bomb.
- Coconut oil – Smooths your skin and gives the bath water a nice silky feeling.
- Flavor extract, scented oils, or essential oils – Choose your favorite fragrances or smells to make this bath bomb your favorite.
- Color dyes – Make your homemade bath bomb colorful by using color dyes or food coloring.
- Bath bomb molds or ice cube trays – Press your mixed ingredients together to make a fun mold that can be big or small.
Bath Bomb Instructions
This is such an easy DIY bath bomb recipe! The instructions are so simple and easy to follow with pantry staple ingredients you will have on hand. Simply combine the ingredients together, add color, and mold it into the shape you desire. It is that simple and fun!
- Combine – Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir all the wet ingredients in a small bowl. Slowly pour and whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Mold – Firmly press the mixture into molds then turn it over onto a large cookie sheet to dry. Sometimes you need to lightly tap the mold to get the bomb to release. If the mixture is crumbling when you turn over your molds, try whisking in a little more water.
- Dry – Leave molded bath bombs out to dry for at least 24 hours.
It’s All About the Smells!
One thing that I love about these is that you can customize them to your favorite scents. There is no need to go out and buy expensive essential oils. The last time we made bath bombs we found these fun Slime oils on Amazon.
They are skin safe for slime, soap, and bath bombs. My kids loved the fun scents like cupcakes, cotton candy, and cola. However, if you prefer essential oils for relaxation or relieving pain, you can definitely use those fragrances instead.
Best Essential Oils to Use for Bath Bombs
Essential oils work beautifully in bath bombs. Think Aromatherapy. There are so many oils to choose from, but here are a few we recommend to have on hand when making bath bombs. These are all great options for a relaxing bath time.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. It is simply personal opinion and preference. Use essential oils with knowledge and caution.
- Lavender – For a calm, relaxing bath, lavender is the way to go. Soaking in a lavender bath right before bed is ideal for a peaceful night’s sleep.
- Peppermint – Headaches, muscle aches, joint pain, stomach pains, and coughs can all be soothed with peppermint.
- Eucalyptus – A bath with eucalyptus is ideal for days you feel a little under the weather or a cold coming on.
- Citrus oils – Oils like wild orange, lime, grapefruit, and lemon tend to boost your mood and promote energy. Perfect for a morning bath!
Flavor Extract Ideas
We have also used food flavor extracts, the kind that you probably already have on hand for cooking, and they worked perfectly. If you do use flavor extract, you need to use more than scented oils. One tablespoon of the flavored extract is as potent as one teaspoon of scented oil.
When we made the bath bombs with flavor extract we had fun combining some of the flavors. We made up an orange creamsicle using an orange and vanilla batch, a coconut almond batch, and a cherry almond batch. They all smell so good!
“They smell SOOO good when using essential oils and excited to try some new scent combos. Perfect for a DIY valentine’s gift! Thanks!”
-Lisalia
Frequently Asked Questions
Draw a bathtub with warm to hot water. Place your bomb in the water and watch it fizz and dissolve. You can either be in the bath during the dissolving or let it dissolve and then enjoy your bath.
Amazon has great molds that we love to use for our bomb molds. They worked perfectly for the classic bath bomb size and shape. We have also used soft ice cube molds with fun shapes. Our recipe makes 4 regular-sized bath bombs, so we like to press some of the leftover mixes into the ice cube molds to make some mini bath bombs.
Bath bombs can last up to a year-long if stored properly. Keep them in a cool, dry place to help keep them from dissolving or crumbling, falling apart over time.
Fun Ideas for Kids
If you are making bath bombs for kids there are some fun variations that you can try! Kids are always fun to surprise and make special bombs for. Try these fun ideas for a little extra to add to your homemade bath bomb recipe.
- Add some shine – Add a little glitter or sparkles to the mix.
- Surprises – Add a fun prize in the center of the mold that they can find when the bath bomb dissolves. Mini toys, rings, charms, and secret messages all make fun prizes that kids will be excited to uncover.
- Smell good – Use sweet scents that kids love like cotton candy and marshmallows.
- Pretty colors – Use bright colors and layers of different colors in the molds.
More DIY “Recipes” to Try
We love to make recipes and create the best meal in the kitchen but these DIY recipes come in handy too! Try out our favorite ways of cleaning and helping around the house with these quick and easy products we have made at home.
How to Make Lush Bath Bombs Recipe
Copycat Lush Bath Bombs
Equipment
- Bath Bomb Molds
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt
- 1/4 cup cream of tartar
Wet Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil warmed and softened so it’s runny.
- 2 teaspoons scented oil (8 to 10 drops essential oil, or 2 tablespoons food extract)
- 2 tablespoons water
- food or soap coloring a few drops of any color you want
- Bath bomb molds (you can use fun shapes or ice cube molds as well)
Instructions
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl
- Stir together the wet ingredients in a small bowl.
- Slowly pour and whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Firmly press the mixture into molds.
- Turn over the bath bombs onto drying racks or a large cookie sheet to dry.
- Leave molded bath bombs out to dry for at least 24 hours.
- Add to a warm bath and enjoy!
Do you push the mixture into the molds with your fingers before closing it? I have seen mixed reviews about it. Thanks 🙂
Hi! I cannot wait to try this recipe. Question, what can I use to replace the cornstarch? I have been reading that cornstarch can feed yeast and I would hate for that to happen.
We always use cornstarch in ours and we haven’t had a problem. I did read online that you can replace the corn starch with Epsom salt, so you might try that! I don’t know for sure if it will work or not, but it is worth a try!
‘You can use clays to replace the cornstarch. I use Kaolin clay, but other cosmetic clays can be used. The clay or cornstarch are used to help dry and bind (as I understand it). The kaolin clay is available online and is less expensive than some bulk cornstarch “deals.” Personally, I like the clay better than cornstarch.
Enjoy making these. It’s so much fun!
Does the food coloring stain the tub or your skin?
Not in our experience!
You can use kaolin clay or arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch.
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This is so cool! I can’t wait to try it!
They smell SOOO good when using essential oils… and excited to try some new scent combos. Perfect for a DIY valentine’s gift! Thanks!
My daughter is OBSESSED with these bath bombs. From making them to using them, these are awesome. Thank you!
Will Epsom salt work
We haven’t tried it with epsom salt so I’m not sure!
Can I use almond oil instead of coconut oil?
We haven’t tried that so I am not sure!
We tried it with Epsom salts and witch hazel instead of water, it worked well. The coconut oil and Epsom salts made it more of a skin softener than our standard recipe.
Did you use the same amount of epsom salt as you would have cornstarch?