DIY Himalayan Salt Bath Bombs - Easy Homemade Bath Bombs with Essential Oils
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Whether you need a little at-home relaxation or simply want to jazz up your bath time, these easy DIY Himalayan salt bath bombs are a true wellness treat. Made with skin-smoothing shea butter, dried rose petals, and soothing essential oils, the homemade bath fizzies are perfect to enjoy the balancing effects of a salt bath.
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DIY Himalayan salt bath bombs with hydrating shea butter
I’m working on an article about bath bombs without citric acid for kids, so this post will be just a quick and easy homemade Himalayan bath bomb recipe. Making natural bath bombs with Himalayan salt and shea butter has many skin care benefits and is a great way to relax and unwind in the tub.
In this post, I also talk about the safety of bath bombs, different essential oil blends, and the benefits of a salt bath.
Are bath bombs safe?
When looking at the ingredient labels of some store-bought bath bombs, you might be wondering: Are the materials in these bath bombs safe? Can I use these bath bombs for kids? And you are right to be concerned.
Personal care products contain many unsafe chemicals that can disrupt the body’s hormones, cause allergies, and some are even linked to cancer. One of the biggest offenders are “fragrances”, a term that sounds innocent enough but can be used to hide all sorts of potentially harmful and toxic ingredients. (sources 1, 2)
To quote an entry from the EWG’s Skin Deep database: “The word fragrance or perfume on the product label represents an undisclosed mixture of various scent chemicals and ingredients used as fragrance dispersants such as diethyl phthalate. Fragrance mixes have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system.” (source)
Sounds frightening, doesn’t it? Furthermore, descriptors like “organic” or “natural” don’t always mean safe while not all synthetic ingredients are harmful. (source)
Does this mean we can no longer enjoy bath bombs? Of course not! One of the biggest benefits of making your own natural beauty and bath products at home is that you control exactly what goes into your creation.
Homemade aromatherapy bath bombs with essential oils
Aromatherapy + bath
bombs? A perfect match! Instead of choosing synthetic fragrances, we are going
to make DIY bath bombs with essential oils. Essential oils are the best option
when you want to make all-natural bath bombs from scratch.
Aromatherapy is a holistic approach to health and healing body, mind, and
spirit. Essential oils are used to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual
health.
Essential oil blends for DIY bath bombs
You can create essential oil blends to fragrance your bath bombs naturally. Here are a few aromatherapy blends that I like:
- calming & relaxing blend: orange, Roman chamomile, lavender, vetiver (5:3:3:2)
- anti-anxiety blend: sandalwood, grapefruit, clary sage, jasmine absolute (2:2:1:1)
- happy mood blend: grapefruit, lime, rose geranium (1:1:1)
- clear mind blend: lemongrass, peppermint, cedarwood (1:1:1)
- energising blend: rosemary, geranium, peppermint (2:1:1)
- immune boosting blend: lavender, frankincense (4:1)
Of course, you can also create other blends according to your personal preference or with what you have available. For more essential oil ideas, checkout our Amazon store.
Essential oils are powerful plant extracts. So, keep in mind that essential oils are very potent and to avoid skin irritation don’t exceed the dosage listed in the recipe.
Benefits of a Himalayan salt bath
Next, let’s talk about pink Himalayan salt, sometimes also called Himalayan sea/crystal salt, or pink salt. This rock salt is mined from the Punjab region of Pakistan near the Himalayas. Himalayan salt is unrefined and shares a higher content of trace minerals and electrolytes than refined table salt and is said to have many benefits.
Possible benefits of soaking in a salt water bath can include:
- improved skin hydration and balanced skin moisture levels
- improved skin health by purging impurities from the skin
- reduced skin roughness, inflammation, and redness
- relief from skin issues (acne, dermatitis, eczema)
- good for anti-ageing
- soothe sores muscles and joint pain
- promote restful sleep
Breathing in the steams from the bath water may also improve raspatory problems.
You can substitute Himalayan salt with dead sea salt or Epsom salt, whatever you have available or prefer.
More beauty and skin care recipes with Himalayan salt
I’ve put together a list of DIY beauty and bath recipes from fellow bloggers that show even more ways to use Himalayan salt for skincare. Check them out!
- Rose Bath Salts from Everything Pretty
- Foaming Salt Scrub Recipe from Soap Deli News
- Herbal Sore Muscle Bath Soak from Suburbia Unwrapped
- Homemade Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub from Thrifty Jinxy
- Sea Salt Scrub Recipe by Ann’s Entitled Life
- Spa Inspired Lavender DIY Bath Soak by Just the Woods
- Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and Rosemary Bath Salts from Beauty Crafter
DIY bath bombs without cornstarch
Looking at the ingredients, you’ll notice that this a DIY bath bomb recipe without cornstarch. I rarely use cornstarch in my bath bomb recipes as this ingredient reduces the fizz and isn’t necessary. Commercially manufactured bath bombs often use cornstarch as a filler material to reduce the cost of other, more expensive materials.
Some people worry that cornstarch could cause yeast infections and others have mentioned that the cornstarch clogs their pipes. Hence no cornstarch in these easy DIY bath bombs with essential oils.
Tips & tricks: How to make relaxing bath bomb bars with pink Himalayan salt and essential oils
The recipe for Himalayan salt bath bombs with essential oils is quick to make. It took me about 30 to 40 minutes to prepare the mixture and form bath bombs. Here are a few tips that will help you to get the best homemade bath bombs.
If the bath bomb mixture doesn’t hold its shape after adding the shea butter, spritz lightly with witch hazel until the mixture is moist enough to stay together. Witch hazel can be substitute with isopropyl alcohol if preferred.
You can also substitute shea butter with coconut butter, cocoa butter, or mango butter. Cocoa and mango butter are harder than shea butter and might be a better option if you live in a hot climate.
Dilute the essential oils in the melted shea butter (carrier oil) before mixing with the dry ingredients. Dilution with a carrier oil helps to distribute the essential oils evenly throughout the bath bombs. This doesn’t minimize the effect of the essential oil and prevents excessive application.
The bath bombs must dry for 24 to 48 hours to harden completely. Bath bombs that haven’t dried fully won’t have the best fizz. So, make sure the bath bomb bars are dry and feel rock solid.
Bath bombs will only solidify in a dry environment. High humidity makes it difficult for the bath bombs to dry properly. If it’s too humid for bath bombs, try making these no-fail lavender bath truffles instead.
How to store DIY bath bombs made with Himalayan salt
Pink Himalayan salt, like any other type of salt, draws moisture from the air. You have to store the bath bombs in a dry place, especially if you live in a humid environment.
If bath bombs draw moisture from the air they might expand and partly start to dissolve. The shea butter helps to counteract a little but can’t eliminate the issue entirely. Often-in-use bathrooms are not the best place to store bath bombs.
I recommend wrapping the bath bombs individually in plastic/clingfilm and store them in an airtight container in a cool and dry place. Keeping bath bombs in the refrigerator isn’t a good idea because the fried is rarely dry and the bath bombs could easily draw moisture.
More bath bomb recipes
If you like this relaxing bath bombs recipe, you might also like some of my other relaxing bath ideas:
- bath bombs without citric acid
- lavender bath bombs
- aromatherapy bath bombs
- milk and honey bath bombs
- rose petal bath bombs
- lavender bubble bar scoops
- eucalyptus bath bombs
- Epsom salt bath bombs
DIY Himalayan Salt Bath Bombs
Whether you need a little at-home relaxation or simply want to jazz up your bath time, these easy DIY Himalayan salt bath bombs are a true wellness treat. Made with skin-smoothing shea butter, dried rose petals, and soothing essential oils, the homemade bath fizzies are perfect to enjoy the balancing effects of a salt bath.
Materials
- 2 cups / 260 g / 9.2 oz baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
- 1 ¼ cups / 125 g / 4.4 oz citric acid
- ½ cup / 100 g / 3.5 oz pink Himalayan salt
- ¼ cup / 55 g / 2 oz shea butter
- up to 10 g / 0.4 oz essential oils
- 1 teaspoon / 7 g / 0.25 oz Polysorbate 80
- ¼ cup / 3 g / 0.1 oz dried rose petals
- ½ teaspoon light pink mica powder
- witch hazel
Tools
Instructions
- Melt the shea butter either in a double boiler or in the microwave set to medium in 1-minute intervals.
- Allow the melted shea butter to cool for 10 minutes before adding the polysorbate and essential oil blend. Stir well.
- Put on rubber gloves.
- Next, sift the baking soda and citric acid into a bowl to remove lumps. Stir in the Himalayan salt, mica powder, and dried rose petals.
- Knead the melted shea butter/essential oil mixture into the dry ingredients.
- If necessary, spritz with witch hazel, mixing between sprays, until the mixture has a consistency similar to damp sand and holds together when pressed into a ball. It’s best to combine with your hands to get a better feel of the texture.
- Overfill both halves of a bath bomb mould with mixture, creating a high heap in the middle.
- Push the sides firmly together but don’t twist. Wipe away any excess mixture.
- To unmould, gently tap each side with a spoon and remove one half. Turn the bath bomb over and lift off the other half.
- Place on a tray lined with bubble wrap. Handle the bath bombs carefully as they are soft and fragile at this point.
- Let dry for 24 to 48 hours. Then seal each bath bombs in plastic wrap/clingfilm and store in an airtight container.
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Irena xx
Thanks for the reply! I have just tried this recipe without the Witch Hazel and they are still soft after 24 hrs. Every recipe I try is the same - the bath bombs come out too soft and never harden. so this must suggest my house is too humid?? I have the "wet Sand" texture when putting into the moulds, when I pick some of the mixture up and squeeze it holds so I am totally baffled now! 🙁 🙁 Help pleaseeee 🙂
Hi Frankie! No, you won't need witch hazel for this recipe. And if you're looking for an easy project, try my lavender bubble scoops. They are similar to bath bombs but a lot easier to make. Let me know in case you have another question and happy making!
Hi, I have been having trouble with my bathbombs so am going to give your recipe a go! is witch hazel a neccessity to this recipe as it is the one ingredient I do not have?
Thanks!
Hi Angela! I measure the shea butter solid. Shea butter is relatively soft, so you can take a spoon and press it into your measuring cup. I hope this helps and happy crafting!
Hello
Im super wxvited about making theae bath bombs but i have one question. When measuring the shea butter is it measured in liquid form or solid?
Thank you so much, Dina! I completely understand your concerns. Here is more info that might be helpful:
Essential oils aren’t water-soluble, meaning if you add them to bathwater they will pool on the surface, which can cause skin irritation and even rashes. To use essential oils safely in a bath, we have to use an emulsifier that safely dilutes and disperses the essential oils in the water.
Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier that helps to disperse and emulsify the butters, essential oils, and mica into the bathwater. This ingredient also helps to avoid a coloured ring of dye or fat when you drain the water, makes the surface less slippery and helps with easy cleanup. It's made from natural ingredients, but synthetically manufactured.
Small amounts (like in this recipe) are safe to use (you can read more in this post from the Environmental Working Group).
Natrasorb Bath, a modified tapioca starch, is an all-natural alternative to Ploy 80. My eucalyptus bath bombs are all natural and made with Natrasorb Bath. Unfortunately, this product isn't available everywhere.
You can also replace Poly 80 with PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, which is another natural emulsifier. You would use it exactly as Poly 80 in the recipe.
Mica powders are potent cosmetic mineral pigments. They are usually very safe and skin friendly. I prefer them for bath bombs because they are dry powders instead of liquids and won’t change the consistency of the bubble scoop mixture. Micas can be be naturally sourced or synthetically made. A completely natural and safe alternative would be beetroot powder.
I hop this helps and please let me know in case you have another question! xx
Hi there, first of thanks so very much for sharing these wonderful recipes. The bath bombs are beautiful. I just have one question what is polysorbate 80 and is it safe? I would like my bath bombs to be as natural as possible. I was diagnosed with breast cancer several years ago and I worry about things like this. Also, how about the mica powder - is that natural as well? Thanks so much for your help on these topics.
Thanks so much, Cari! Cornstarch really ins't necessary to make bath bombs and I find they fizz better without it.
These are so pretty! I love that you didn't use cornstarch. I have a septic system, so I prefer not to use it in my bath bombs.
Thank you, Rebecca! That's true. I found pink salt in the food aisle first and use it for cooking, too. It's also so pretty and I love it for beauty products, too.
Yes, Himalayan salt is wonderful. Taking a salt bath is very relaxing and always helps me to destress. Feel better soon, Michelle!
I love pink salt! Not just for bath and body products, but food as well. It doesn't taste as salty as table salt and has so many wonderful trace minerals. Great recipe! I can't wait to try it.
I just bought some pink Himalayan salt, but I had no idea all the benefits! I'm going to have to try this! I could definitely use something relaxing. My anxiety has been horrible lately.
Thanks so much, Kyla! Yes, the bath water looked lovely, pink foam and rose petals. xx
These bath bombs are so gorgeous! The anti-anxiety essential oil blend sounds like a great way to unwind. I bet these make for really pretty bathwater, too.