Make Your Own Bath Bombs and Bath Fizzies

Bath bombs and bath fizzies are added to the tub to give the bather a lustrous scent while softening the skin. The bombs can be costly in stores but if you make them yourself you can have all the benefits of saving money, having the fabulous bath bomb experience for yourself, and being able to make them, as gifts, for friends.

The basic bath bomb recipe is a third-cup of citric acid, two-thirds parts of baking soda, and witch hazel. It takes a lot of mixing to get the right consistency for the citric acid and baking soda. For large batches of bath bombs a mixer is helpful.

When the mixture is blended extremely well add the coloring. Supply stores carry the dry type which is the best for this project. Don't overdo the coloring since the color will become more prominent after the witch hazel is added.

Add the fragrance to the mix and blend well. Then spray on witch hazel, with a squirt bottle, while stirring and fluffing the mixture with the other hand. As soon as the mixture is able to stick together it's time to put it in the molds - quickly. Waiting too long will make the mix turn hard. Make sure you don't overdo the witch hazel, either. If you do the fizzing reaction will start. There should be just enough witch hazel sprayed on the mix to make it stick together.

Place the mix in molds until well-set then turn them out onto a towel to prevent breakage. Allow them to sit in the air, turning once per hour, until hard and dried. Wrap the bombs in plastic wrap until ready to use.

A recipe for water softening fizzies requires a cup of baking soda, a half-cup of citric acid, a half-cup of corn starch, 2.5 tablespoons of almond oil, three-quarters teaspoon of water, 2 teaspoons of essential oil, a half-teaspoon of borax, and a spray bottle with witch hazel in it.

Mix the baking soda, citric acid, and corn starch until they are very well blended. Use a small bowl to combine almond oil, water, essential oil and borax. Gently mix the ingredients with one hand while you drip the wet ingredients into the dry with the other.