How to color bath bombs: the basics of micas, lakes and dyes and how they perform in the water

An introduction to the 3 main ingredients used to color bath bombs:
Micas, Lakes and Dyes
I couldn't possible cover all the aspects of using these but I do go over the pros and cons and show you how they work in the water, as well as an overview for the MOST COMMON question concerning micas, how to get the "Lava Effect"
HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN:
How much do I need PER BATH--since the size of bath bombs varies I decided to break it down that way... so how much colorant would I need to make 1 bath tub of water look pretty... I think my tub is 30-45 gallons based on how many cubes I used in the 1 gallon jar and how much I needed in the tub... if your bath tub is bigger you might play with these numbers. Also different supplies have different dye loads so always make sure you test before you sell!
MICA (Regular): 1 tsp (or 2grams) PER BATH
--A batch of 10 full-size bath bombs would need ~20grams or 6 Tablespoons of mica
MICA (Lava): 2 tsp (or 4 grams) PER BATH
--A batch of 10 full size bath bombs would need ~40grams or 12 Tablespoons of mica
DYE: .03-.05 grams per bath
--A batch of 10 full size bath bombs would need .3-.5 grams or 1/8-1/4 teaspoons of dye
LAKE: .3-.5 grams per bath
--A batch of 10 full size bath bombs would need 3-5 grams or 2-4 teaspoons of lake
These numbers aren't set in stone and I certainly use more Lake than that on a regular basis because I like highly saturated water, but this should help you get a start!
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What's up! My name is Robyn French Smith! Amanda Aaron and I co-own and run Bath Fizz and Foam! We create content, develop recipes, and educate handmade cosmetic makers of all skill levels! We are committed to seeing other makers succeed!
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💥✨👉RESOURCES👈✨💥
❤️FREE BATH BOMB RECIPE❤️
Here's a link to Amanda's Basic Bath Bomb Recipe! It's the exact one used in the video and the PERFECT place to start if you want to learn to make bath bombs!
www.bathfizzan...
🤗JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP!
We have a helpful and supportive bath bomb and bubble bar community and we’d love to see you there!
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📚LEARN: Check out our Bootcamps, color studies, articles and more! We have hours of video classes with everything from beginner bath bomb classes to advanced decorating techniques!
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🙌 MOLDS:
My embed makers are from Chunkadust!
chunkadust.com
✨LAKES: TKB trading
tkbtrading.com
🎨 MICA:
Nurture Soap Supply
nurturesoap.com?aff=310
(this is an affiliate link)
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🤗 Happy Making!

[@annatyburski6506]

Omg I have been searching and searching for exactly this explanation. It finally makes sense!!!! Thank you so much. ❤

[@BathFizzFoam]

You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful!

[@thebathtime1]

Thank you so much! Your explanations of dyes, micas, and lakes was exactly I needed.

[@lianne2830]

this is good info especially the blue and green micas! I see so many people selling bath bombs using these micas and it is not a good thing for so many reasons.

[@BathFizzFoam]

Ahhhh. The blue and green micas thing drives me NUTS… when I see makers do it I assume they just don’t know (in other words I stay in my lane 😂)… but when I see BIG INDUSTRY manufacturers selling micas as safe for use in bath bombs when they know good and well they aren’t-yeah, that’s what sends me 😒

[@valariegarcia1266]

I am new to the soap and bath bomb world. It's been fun for me as I learn what to use and why, so thank you for the comparison of dyes, micas and lakes. I am glad I bought the items I will be happy with.

[@BathFizzFoam]

Awesome! I started off as a Soapmaker, but I have loved learning about bath bombs and being able to make the information accessible to others! 😊 Happy making!

[@jaye8872]

I never understood the difference between these three. Thanks for clearing it all up. I use the mica for lotion bars , works great for them. I bought some dye today too now that I understand the difference.

[@BathFizzFoam]

Perfect! 😊

[@Tser]

Thank you so much for making this video, because I have a math learning disability and I have been trying to find a very clear explanation of approximately how much I need to color a bath for so long. I have been making my own bath bombs and bath truffles for a long time but have been too afraid to venture into the actually-coloring-the-bathwater side. This is very clear.

[@nicole307]

Thank you so much! This is one of the best and clearest explanations I have seen on this. I'm so glad I found your channel, and can't wait to check out the rest of your videos!

[@BathFizzFoam]

Yay! I’m so glad this was able to be of help to you!

[@vanessaminervini6772]

Another great video with some grey content, I love the free colour studies & the bootcamp for colour masterclass which I purchased from bath fizz & foam. I learnt so much, even how to airbrush, Thankyou for leaving the bloopers in. We love you too, Ness Ness, Neil & Tigger.

[@BathFizzFoam]

Ahhhh! Hahah thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed my silliness 😊 Say hi to Neil, Melanie & Harper for me and stay a happy maker ❤️❤️❤️

[@HarryDunlopClark]

Amazingly informative. Stuff I really needed an explanation for, so thank you! But, side note. My continuity obsession is screaming with that Cheerios box changing on the fridge 🤣

[@BathFizzFoam]

Hahahahaa… yeah it took me about 2 weeks to make this video! I got my Covid booster in between the start and ending and it derailed me a bit… as someone who hyper fixates I totally feel the obsession!

[@HarryDunlopClark]

@@BathFizzFoam literally, same 🤣 If I see lack of continuity in a film or show it proper ruins it for me haha

[@sagechicktarot]

Thank you for this video, much better than the rest so had watched before hand, much appreciated 👏

[@BathFizzFoam]

Aww thank you! 😊

[@katherinepowers7946]

Thanks for the info, Robyn. It’s very helpful!! appreciate it!! you kept me entertained all the way to the end! ☺️😆💗

[@BathFizzFoam]

Haha yay! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@slicebabe]

Thank you for this! I recently switch from micas to dyes but now I might give lakes a try too!

[@BathFizzFoam]

You are so welcome! And I’m so glad you switched from micas to dyes-I’m sure it’s elevated your color game! Come over to the lake side when you’re ready 😉

[@denisedanielson6856]

You’re amazing. Enjoy this video immensely.

[@BathFizzFoam]

❤️

[@DownhomeGirl1000]

Awesome video! Excellent information. Thanks so much Robin. 😊

[@BathFizzFoam]

You are so welcome! Thanks so much for watching! 😊

[@DarcikinOrganics]

I agree mica was crazy but what I realized if you add the coca b it was ok but I don’t get the colour I want from mica .. glad you did this comparison

[@BathFizzFoam]

Oh that’s interesting! I use coco bet in my standard recipes so I might do a follow up with that! Thanks so much! 💗

[@jaye8872]

Great video. You answered so many of for me. Thanks! 22:33

[@user-vq4hg2mb7r]

Your video was very informative.

[@BathFizzFoam]

Glad it was helpful! 😊

[@anabla1212]

OMG. Best best video!! Tons of great info!! Your the best❤️

[@BathFizzFoam]

You are more than welcome, thanks so much for the feedback! 😊

[@stephanietuba4878]

Absolutely loved this video! SO helpful, thank you so much for making it!

[@BathFizzFoam]

No problem, thanks so much for taking the time to watch!

[@dionicia12]

Thank you for sharing this. I'm going to have to watch this again to see if I can recreate those deep purples. Would be possible to have a "can this batch be rescued" post and/or series.

[@BathFizzFoam]

Hmm, can this batch be saved series…. I’ll have to think about how I would do that, but yeah it’s definitely worth looking into! Thanks for the suggestion! You can definitely get that purple! Have you checked out our color studies yet? www.bathfizzandfoam.com/category/robyns-color-studies/

[@sweetgeekretrochic]

You're amazing. Thanks for this. I still have the mental struggles with dyes with bath bombs and embeds, because I'm always afraid of adding too much!! Also: any chance we might have some videos of your Color Studies? Love the black one, and I still don't think I am adding enough color to my BS.

[@BathFizzFoam]

Ah that’s a good idea! Sometimes I reference them in my lives but I’ve never done videos of them so yeah maybe at some point! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@FeurnSagewind]

Really messed up, my Caribbean blue mica from Brambleberry has Ultramarine blue and they consider it "safe for use in bath bombs".... geez, thanks Brambleberry. Glad I only used it for testing bath bombs and nothing more!!!!!!!!!! I appreciate this video so so SO very much as a fellow maker. Thank you, this is the best information for someone just educating herself on colorants before selling bath bombs

[@BathFizzFoam]

The issue has been brought to their attention many… many… times ☕️🫖 🫠

[@miriamswellspring]

This was an amazing video! thank you!

[@BathFizzFoam]

😊 you’re welcome! Hope it helps!

[@carollesavage-kavanaugh9264]

Thank you so much!! I have learned a lot tonight 💖

[@BathFizzFoam]

Oh yay! I’m so glad to hear that! Happy making!

[@kpoonsawad1]

Glad to come across this very informative video!! Just exactly what I need. Thank you !! Ps have fun cleaning your kids tub 😂

[@BathFizzFoam]

Hahaha, you are more than welcome and yes, my kids will never know how clean their tub really is 🤪

[@rebekkachase694]

This was sooo helpful! Thank you!

[@BathFizzFoam]

You are so welcome! Happy Making 😊

[@kellylatorre9558]

As always this was super helpful!!

[@BathFizzFoam]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@stephanier.4195]

Great information. Exactly what I needed. Thanks again

[@BathFizzFoam]

Awesome! So glad we were able to help you!

[@drazil99]

Omgosh I would so be the person who left the spout open too! I cracked up

[@BathFizzFoam]

Bahhahaaa… I knew it was too good to not include it… glad you enjoyed it! 😆

[@bluelot7546]

very well done video!

[@BathFizzFoam]

🙂thanks!

[@elianamckee]

Great lesson! Thank you!❤️

[@kaddrapowell9836]

Robin y’all are awesome. Love the info

[@BathFizzFoam]

Aww thanks! Hope it was helpful!

[@krisa8296]

Thank you! Very informative.

[@BathFizzFoam]

You’re welcome! Thanks so much for watching!

[@carriewoyke8697]

Thank You! Very helpful!! :)

[@BathFizzFoam]

You are more than welcome! Happy Making!

[@annakhrimyan2841]

You should add a $ button to this video :). Thank you so much, so much great info!

[@BathFizzFoam]

Hahah, thank you so much! Maybe someday we will be able to monetize, but for now we just appreciate the support! 😊

[@papasitoOC]

Well, unholy hell! Thank you for this video. I’m glad I watched it before making bath bombs. I never heard of Lakes before so good to know but now I know why some lady sold all her bath bomb making gadgets to my boss. What a pain in the rear. 😞

[@vanessapitchios2400]

I think mica powders don't mix well with fiberglass bath tubs. That's why some people don't have issues with it but some people do.

[@BathFizzFoam]

Could be! I have really old ceramic tubs (or porcelain maybe?)… but yeah I think if it’s more porous it could definitely be an issue

[@VWeiss-et8pi]

Love watching you. You're so cute and funny. I was cracking up at the testing of a bath bomb and it was taking some time and you came back in with a wig on. I just started making bath bombs. I'm going to be 70 this summer and thought why not! When you say you need a certified batch number for a Lake color are the certified supposed to say that right on if it is. Someone gave me some Lake colors but I don't see anything that says certified. Thanks and keep up with the great things you do and your wonderful sense of humor. Valerie

[@BathFizzFoam]

Yes batch certified colors will say that on the packaging! They have gotten harder to get your hands on since 2020, but I know Muddy Soap co has the full compliment of batch certified colors! 😊 www.muddysoapco.com/

[@VWeiss-et8pi]

@@BathFizzFoam Thank you so much for the info. I will check them out.

[@VWeiss-et8pi]

@@BathFizzFoam I forgot to ask does this certification # have to be on my label?

[@maiflower23]

Thanks for this video

[@BathFizzFoam]

You are so welcome! 😊

[@frenzyfaces1876]

Thank you 🥰

[@BathFizzFoam]

You are so welcome! 😊

[@storm6271]

Agree on the mess mica makes in the tub. How does dye do in the water. Thinking stain and color on the body?

[@BathFizzFoam]

As long as it’s water soluble dye intended for use in cosmetics (ie: NOT food coloring lol!) it will be fine! They can stain the skin in high concentrations, but it generally takes a lot to get to that point

[@sherryhartlove8577]

So is there a certification or anything in general that you have to have to make and sale bath bombs(period), or just if you use colors that are not certified? I'm just trying to get started with them. Been making soap for about a year and people want bath bombs. Thanks

[@BathFizzFoam]

It depends on where you live! In the US it goes state by state. Texas (where I am) is very lenient and I don’t need a certification or anything like that. Florida (where our LLC is registered) requires you to have a commercial location where you’re making your product. In other countries there will be other requirements-for example Canada and the UK require you to have assessments on each product. So yeah it’s really dependent on your location, and your best best is a FB group (or Reddit, something like that) where you can crowd source the answer for your specific location! 🙂

[@DarcikinOrganics]

Thank you Robyn … lol when you hear mica is cheap the look on your face 🤪🤪 … thank you

[@BathFizzFoam]

Lmao 🤣 I was never a very good liar… my face outs me every time hahaha

[@DarcikinOrganics]

@@BathFizzFoam lolol

[@LaToya_Ebony]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@cupcakefatkid]

What is the best way to get dark brown chocolate colored bath bomb/ bubble bar and a true red without staining?

[@BathFizzFoam]

We have both brown and red color studies on our website if you want to check that out! www.bathfizzandfoam.com/category/robyns-color-studies/

[@LittleWendysDaydreaming]

Hello, new subbie I have just start to add bath bombs to my soaping! new #booststeer sent by Melodi! #elfaroo

[@Staceymatchim]

Hey Robin! How do you suggest we prevent ''staining'' when using mica as a paint, on the bath bomb. OK - the mix always has poly 80 - but we don't put poly 80 in the mica paint. We use alcohol ... what can we do to prevent the staining? In this case I HAVE to paint the bomb, it's essential to the design. Thanks a bunch!!!!

[@BathFizzFoam]

You can add a little Poly 80 into your mica paint if you find that it stains. As a rule of thumb I always add poly to my black or purple paint since they are my worst offenders!

[@Staceymatchim]

@@BathFizzFoam Awesome!! Thank you so much! Does the 'paint' still dry, despite having added Ploy 80?

[@BathFizzFoam]

@@Staceymatchim yep 😊

[@Staceymatchim]

@@BathFizzFoam - thanks so much Robin. I really appreciate it 🥰

[@sparklingfashion6276]

Question. Are dyes sensitive to room light? Or just the sun?

[@BathFizzFoam]

Yes! Even the light in a room will cause them to fade over time! Not as quickly as full sunlight but it will definitely happen

[@LovelessYayaoi]

This was hilarious and informative 😂 May I ask what the total batch size you used for the tester minis were? (Not collectively, just for each colorant). I'm trying to get a good starting point of the ratio needed to super-saturate embeds.

[@BathFizzFoam]

They were super small batches with a total weight of around 200 grams

[@LovelessYayaoi]

@@BathFizzFoam thank you so much!

[@klassygurl1005]

So where do you buy the batch certified dyes? Very informative, I just started making bathbombs, so where do you get lakes besides the TKB place? And what was the name of the FB group,?

[@BathFizzFoam]

You can get batch certified dyes from nurture soap, Koala’s Krafting Boutique, or EazyColours (in the UK but they have US distributors) The FB group is www.Facebook.com/groups/bathfizzandfoam

[@michellelambert9912]

Where can I buy batch certified dyes?

[@BathFizzFoam]

If you’re looking for small quantities to start with I would suggest Muddy Soap Co! They have batch certified lakes in the 5 colors we recommend for our color studies

[@BathFizzFoam]

Oh shoot. You said dyes 😅… for dyes check out Eazy Colours! They are in the UK and have 2 certified US distributors that I know of! www.eazycolours.co.uk/

[@kasie680]

Uranium is “NATURAL” but I wouldn’t rub it on my skin 😂😂😂 synthetic is almost safer than many “natural” products 😂😂