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Heart Bath Bombs

Surprise your friends and family with cute heart-shaped bath bombs this Valentine’s Day! This easy DIY heart bath bombs recipe makes adorable bath treats and is a romantic wellness gift. The homemade bath bombs are infused with shea butter for moisturization and essential oils for a lovely, natural scent.

heart bath bombs

DIY heart-shaped bath bombs

I love all holidays, and each year, I try to make something special to gift to my friends and family for St. Valentine’s Day. This year, I decided on romantic heart-shaped bath bombs.

The bath bomb hearts are based on my tried-and-true bath bomb recipe. However, I used less shea butter than I usually do for a lighter texture and played with different V-Day-inspired essential oil blends.

If you ever wondered, “how do I make heart bath bombs?” you’ve arrived at the right destination! I’ll walk you through the materials and supplies, show you how to make heart bath bombs step-by-step, and share different ideas to scent and decorate your creations.

Interested in more Valentine’s Day bath bombs? Then check out my pink Himalayan salt bath bombs, lavender bath bombs, and these elegant rose petal bath bombs.

heart bath bomb ingredients

Materials & tools

What do you need to make pretty heart bath bombs? Just a few simple, natural materials and a little bit of time. Let’s take a closer look:

  • Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and citric acid make up the bulk of this bath bomb recipe. When these ingredients come in contact with water, they dissolve in a beautiful fizzing reaction.
  • Shea butter makes them moisturizing and helps to hold the bath bomb mixture together.
  • Water or high-proof alcohol in a spray bottle to moisten the mixture.
  • Sorbitan oleate is a natural emulsifying agent. The emulsifier ensures that the shea butter, essential oils, and colorant mix properly with the bathwater. You can also use Polysorbate 80 if Sorbitan oleate isn’t available to you.
  • Essential oils (optional) lend the bath bombs a natural scent. See below for a few delicious blend ideas.
  • Colorant (optional): I used pink pitaya powder to tint my heart bath bombs pink. Alternatively, use mica powder to color your bath bombs or omit the colorant for white bath bombs.

Heart molds for bath bombs

You have several options to make heart-shaped bath bombs. I used hard plastic ornaments molds, but soft silicone molds or heart-shaped cookie cutters will also work.

  • Heart ornament mold create 3D hearts. These molds come in different sizes and consist of two parts that interlock.
  • Silicone molds with heart-shaped cavities are another way to cast bath bombs into the shape of hearts. You can use a small mold to make mini heart bath bombs.
  • Cookie cutters area third idea to from bath bombs. Cookie cutters are perfect for making conversation heart bath bombs.

Other supplies

  • Digital scale or measuring cups and spoons to measure the ingredients.
  • Large glass mixing bowl to combine the ingredients.
  • Whisk for mixing.
  • Heat-safe glass jar or bowl to melt the shea butter. I used a mason jar.
  • Nitrile gloves (optional) to protect your hands. Raw citric acid and baking powder can feel harsh, especially on sensitive skin, and I prefer wearing gloves.
heart shaped bath bombs

Romantic essential oil blends

Do you know what makes these cute heart bath bombs even better? A romantic fragrance, and below are a few blends to try. For more scent ideas, have a look at my romance essential oil recipes.

How to make heart bath bombs

How to make heart bath bombs

Step 1: Combine dry ingredients

Add the baking soda, citric acid, and pink pitaya powder into a large glass mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine and break up clumps

Step 2: Melt shea butter

Place the shea butter into a heat-resistant glass jar or bowl. Melt in a warm water bath until completely liquified. Take off the heat and dry the outside of the jar. Then stir in the Sorbitan oleate (or Polysorbate 80) and essential oils.

Step 3: Make bath bomb mixture

Pour the melted shea butter over the dry ingredients and whisk until everything is well blended. Put on nitrile gloves. Holding the spray bottle with one hand, spritz the mixture with short bursts of water or alcohol. Immediately knead the mixture to incorporate the water/alcohol using your other hand. Add enough liquid until the mixture has the texture of damp sand.

Step 4: Test consistency

To check the consistency, press bath bomb mixture in the palm of your hand. If the mixture maintains its shape, the texture is perfect. Spritz with more liquid in case the mix is dry and crumbly.

Step 5: Mold bath heart bombs

Loosely overfill both halves of a heart mold with bath bomb mixture. Line both halves up and firmly press them together.

Step 6: Let bath bombs dry

Carefully remove the top half of the mold. Let the bath bombs dry in the bottom half for a couple of hours or overnight. If you live in a humid area, try to find the driest place in your home or place the bath bombs before a dehumidifier.

Step 7: Unmold

Once the bath bombs are dry and feel solid to the touch, unmold them by carefully pulling off the bottom mold. Your heart bath bombs are ready!

Valentine's Day Bath Bombs

Alternative ways to make heart-shaped bath bombs

Using a silicone mold

If using a silicone mold, press and pack the mixture firmly into the cavities and let dry in the mold for 8 hours or overnight. To unmold, pull back the silicone to break the airlock and gently push the bath bombs out of the mold.

To make heart-shaped bath bombs with cookie cutters, lay the cookie cutter flat on your work surface. Next, pack the cutter with damp mixture until completely filled. Be sure to press the mixture firmly down. Let dry until sold, and then gently push the bath bomb out of the mold.

heart bath bomb dissolving in water

Tips and tricks

I have a few simple but important tips to ensure your heart bath bombs turn out perfectly each and every time:

  • Use fresh materials. Citric acid and baking soda become stale and lose their potency over time. For a decent fizz, be sure to use fresh baking soda and citric acid.
  • Spray the mixture with alcohol. If possible, use high-proof alcohol instead of water. Alcohol evaporates faster and is less likely to cause a fizzing reaction when you spritz the mixture. I only suggested water as an alternative because high-proof alcohol is expensive and/or not available everywhere.
  • Do NOT compress the mixture into the mold. A mistake beginners often make is compressing the mixture into the mold, which makes it hard to release and can break the bath bomb in half. Instead, overfill both mold halves loosely and press tightly together.
  • Clean the mold after each use for a smooth finish. The bath bomb mixture tends to cling if any mixture is leftover.
  • You can also dust the mold lightly with mica for easy unmolding.
  • Substitute shea butter with coconut oil, cacao butter, or mango butter if desired. Be sure to use a plant butter or oil that is solid at room temperature. I don’t recommend liquid oils for this heart bath bomb recipe.
DIY Heart Bath Bombs

Design ideas

The options to decorate heart bath bombs are nearly endless. Here are my favorite three:

  • Mica drizzle: To create a sparkly mica drizzle, as you see in the photos, combine 1 tsp mica powder with 1 to 1 1/5 tbsp high proof alcohol and mix until smooth. Using a pipette, drizzle the mica paint over the bath bombs. The alcohol evaporates quickly. Simply add more if the paint dries out.
  • Marble pattern: For a marbled effect, divide the bath bomb mixture into 2 portions and color each differently. Alternate the colors when filling the mold and let dry as described.
  • Dried flowers: Another idea is to sprinkle dried botanicals (e.g., rose petals, lavender buds, dried cornflower petals) into the bath bomb molds before adding the mixture.

How to use heart bath bombs

Heart bath bombs are super easy to use. This is what you want to do:

  1. Fill your bathtub with water at a comfortable temperature.
  2. Put your bath bomb in the warm water and wait a few minutes until it dissolves and releases its scent.
  3. Get in and enjoy your bath.
  4. I usually use 1 bath bomb per bath, but you can use 2 to 3 if desired.
Valentines Bath Bombs

Storage instructions

How to store heart-shaped bath bombs

Now that you have created cute bath bombs, you want them to last. The best conditions for storing bath bombs are a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight.

I like to wrap each bath bomb in plastic wrap / cling film and place them in an airtight container. That way, they are protected from moisture and humidity.

How long do heart bath bombs last?

If stored properly, these Valentine’s bath bombs should be good for 1 to 2 years.

Romantic Bath Bombs

More ideas for Valentine’s Day

If you’re anything like me and enjoy making homemade Valentine’s Day gifts, be sure to browse through our other ideas!

heart bath bomb recipe

Heart Bath Bomb Recipe

Yield: 8 heart-shaped bath bombs
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Additional Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 40 minutes

Surprise your friends and family with cute heart-shaped bath bombs this Valentine’s Day! This easy DIY heart bath bombs recipe makes adorable bath treats and is a romantic wellness gift. The homemade bath bombs are infused with shea butter for moisturization and essential oils for a lovely, natural scent.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups / 360 g / 9.2 oz baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
  • 1 cups / 200 g / 7 oz citric acid
  • 1/4 cup / 55 g / 1.9 oz shea butter (can sub for coconut oil)
  • high-proof alcohol in a spray bottle (e.g., Everclear, 190-proof vodka, rubbing alcohol)
  • 1-2 tsp pink pitaya powder (can sub for beet powder or mica)
  • 1 tbsp / 12 g / 0.4 oz Sorbitan oleate (or Polysorbate 80)
  • up to 70 drops / 3 g / 0.1 oz essential oils (see the post above for scent ideas)

Instructions

    1. Combine dry ingredients. Add the baking soda, citric acid, and pink pitaya powder into a large glass mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine and break up clumps
    2. Melt shea butter. Place the shea butter into a heat-resistant glass jar or bowl. Melt in a warm water bath until completely liquified. Take off the heat and dry the outside of the jar. Then stir in the Sorbitan oleate (or Polysorbate 80) and essential oils.
    3. Make bath bomb mixture. Pour the melted shea butter over the dry ingredients and whisk until everything is well blended. Put on nitrile gloves. Holding the spray bottle with one hand, spritz the mixture with short bursts of water or alcohol. Immediately knead the mixture to incorporate the water/alcohol using your other hand. Add enough liquid until the mixture has the texture of damp sand.
    4. Test consistency. To check the consistency, press bath bomb mixture in the palm of your hand. If the mixture maintains its shape, the texture is perfect. Spritz with more liquid in case the mix is dry and crumbly.
    5. Mold bath heart bombs. Loosely overfill both halves of a heart mold with bath bomb mixture. Line both halves up and firmly press them together.
    6. Let bath bombs dry. Carefully remove the top half of the mold. Let the bath bombs dry in the bottom half for a couple of hours or overnight. If you live in a humid area, try to find the driest place in your home or place the bath bombs before a dehumidifier.
    7. Unmold. Once the bath bombs are dry and feel solid to the touch, unmold them by carefully pulling off the bottom mold. Your heart bath bombs are ready!

Notes

Alternative ways to make heart-shaped bath bombs

Using a silicone mold

If using a silicone mold, press and pack the mixture firmly into the cavities and let dry in the mold for 8 hours or overnight. To unmold, pull back the silicone to break the airlock and gently push the bath bombs out of the mold.

Using Cookie cutters

To make heart-shaped bath bombs with cookie cutters, lay the cookie cutter flat on your work surface. Next, pack the cutter with damp mixture until completely filled. Be sure to press the mixture firmly down. Let dry until sold, and then gently push the bath bomb out of the mold.

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