The Secret to Making Bath Bombs Float!

Today I'm giving you the secret to making bath bombs float! I'm going over everything, but I can guarantee it's from adding too much wet, packing it with too much, or not letting them dry enough.
Even I STILL have trouble getting them to float. So don't feel bad. Be patient; let them dry & try decreasing liquid.
Bombs float best when they're fully dry & light in weight. Some ingredients, like clay, are heavier and require more wet ingredients to bind them together, making bombs even heavier. Also, humectants, like salt, draw in moisture which may make your bomb heavier & could even cause premature reactions.
RULE: Use a balanced mix of wet ingredients to the correct ratio of dry ingredients. . Heavy liquids like oil, butter, & polysorbate 80 weigh more, don’t dry well nor quickly. But they rarely cause premature reactions & are necessary. Thin liquids like water, witch hazel, COA betaine, or castile soap, dry effectively & a lot quicker. But will cause premature reactions (which will also make bombs sink), especially if added without a thicker liquid to act as a buffer.
RECIPE: 1 cup (250 grams) baking soda, 1/2 cup (100 grams) citric acid, 1/4 cup (30 grams) corn starch + 8 milliliters fragrance oil, 5 milliliters water (or liquid color), 5 milliliters carrier oil, 4 milliliters polysorbate 80. *You should never have to use more than 20-25 milliliters of liquid total*. If humidity is high, decrease liquid (perhaps 18-20).
GOLDEN RULE 1: Don’t add too much liquid or the bomb will be heavy, take more time to dry, & it may cause premature reactions. Wet the mix JUST enough so it sticks together. You don’t have to add all of it; stop adding once the mix is right. Add wet ingredients slowly while whisking. You can also add citric acid last (after the wet) to limit premature reactions. The mix should be only slightly damp & fluffy. **Add the LEAST amount of liquid as possible: Keep decreasing liquid until you get away with using the least amount in your recipe. If bombs start to crack & crumble, then you've decreased liquid too much. **
GOLDEN RULE 2: Do NOT overpack the mold. Just like with wet, only use what you need; no extra. Fill the mold, pack it, & sprinkle loose mix on top. You may also poke the mix with a sharp object to create air pockets [whatever works]. Smoosh the 2 sides together then tap to release. {Mold probably doesn't have enough mix in it if bomb releases without being tapped first.}
GOLDEN RULE 3: Allow bombs sufficient time to dry. Dry them for 24-48 hours. Wrap them & dry 3-5 days more (they will dry even when wrapped). Fully dry bombs float & also reach optimal performance in the water. You should NOT have to dry them more than 10 days, however, it could take 30-60 days (depressing, I know). When I first started making bath bombs I had to dry most of them for 3-4 weeks to float. Sometimes 6 weeks… But they ALL eventually floated if given enough time to fully dry. Store them in a dry place; not in high humidity or next to a water source.
TIPS & TRICKS: Bath bombs still sinking? Try these tricks.
Add 1/2 - 1 teaspoon sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (SLSa) to recipe. Bombs float, but will be slow, lathery, & have little-no vigor. Try thin molds with ample surface area. Or make a geode or bowl-shaped bath bomb.
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CHAPTERS
0:00 - Introduction
1:23 - Things to Know
1:50 - Balance Wet Ingredients
2:51 - Recipe
3:25 - Golden Rule 1
4:07 - Golden Rule 2
5:00 - Golden Rule 3
5:33 - Tips & Tricks

[@charkingabysswalker8595]

I can't even begin to tell you how helpful your videos have been. Prior to watching your videos my bathbombs kinda just sank and slowly covered the water but after your videos I did a test run with my coworkers for Christmas and valentines day and now I have people coming up to me weekly asking when my next batch is coming! I appreciate your videos and hope to see more new and exciting things we can do with them!!

[@CreativeBathLab]

I am so glad to hear it!

[@katiesahraei9266]

Thank you for all these tips! My bath bombs won't dry and just crumble, I will try this.

[@haikubarbie]

I appreciate the time and effort you take in making these videos to help us be successful. I don't run a business, but my siblings sure love bath bombs! Thank you, Dora.

[@CreativeBathLab]

I am glad you find it helpful!

[@Maiier]

Thank you for your videos, I’m always rewatching just to make sure I get it right ❤

[@mermaidzombie23]

Thank you Dora for the video i have been struggling with this and after watching this finally got my bath bombs floating ! 🎉🎉🎉

[@kristinh7982]

you're the best!! thanks for another great video!!

[@traceymoroze8753]

You are so awesome Dora! Love watching your channel!

[@aeo2727]

I'm excited to try to make my own! I love Lush's more than everyone else's and I finally know what makes them different because of your videos.

[@BrownSugarSoaps]

Thank you for the recipe! I was a little intimidated by making my own. I made some with my sister and just waiting for them to dry. I needed a tad more oil to get them to the kinetic sand feel before shaping them. Just waiting for them to dry.

[@handcraftedbyhelen1963]

Lots of great help, thanks Dora💜

[@jonathand3613]

Just the video I've been waiting for ❤

[@soapsoilandsunshine3241]

Another awesome informative video Dora. Well done. Thanks so much for posting this. My dehumidifier arrives in a few days, can't wait to start making bath bombs without having to worry about the humidity activating them. Yay. I made some shower steamers a few weeks ago and had the air con on for 24 hours. It killed me knowing how much power I was using, but they turned out perfect. Thanks for all you do to create your content.

[@Jane-West]

Thank you as always Dora!❤❤❤

[@elisebruno6476]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your sharing. I love bath bombs and just starting making them. Your videos have really helped me.

[@K1F1L]

Thank you!

[@pamcolechadwell1302]

Yes, Thank you, Dora, love ya girl.

[@CreativeBathLab]

Love you PAM!!!

[@carmenmiller4443]

Your videos are so educational! I like how you show "experiments" and results instead of just preaching.

[@ysimeatrevoyya.8193]

Thanks,!!!

[@kasie680]

What a beautiful vibrant pink!!!

[@CreativeBathLab]

😚

[@tyabfacile770]

Thanks dora ❤

[@shirleyjuarez7712]

Dora!!! You are really amazing and adorable. Thanks a lot❤

[@Passionbloom52]

This has been very helpful , as made my first Bath Bombs today & they came out looking like ice cream 😱

[@jankates1274]

Great video - thank you! Do you have an opinion on using Tapioca starch in place of cornflour?

[@CreativeBathLab]

You mean corn starch? If so, I feel like they are the same & are interchangeable (as far as using them in bath bomb recipes).

[@elleluella4565]

First off love ou! Your channel is so amazing. Do you think that if you don’t over pack it so there are small holes that form when the bath bomb comes into contact with water that water could get in those small holes and sink?

[@CreativeBathLab]

IDK

[@sarahjberman]

Hi there! Your videos have been so useful, thank you so much! I have a question - I'm trying to understand the difference between bath bombs that are many colors and seep out into a foamy beautiful result like at 6:03 in your video. I watched your ingredients video, too. Would you say what creates that result is the polysorbate 80? I've noticed other bombs just fizz out and change the water color, instead of resulting in a surface rainbow effect. Thanks in advance!

[@user-lt6fw7qr6r]

This video is great! Thank you so much 💓 How much slsa do you recommend adding to this recipe?

[@CreativeBathLab]

description

[@NadyVlogs]

hello it turned out beautiful I'm starting to make my mixes and the bath bombs change color saves why can it happen I made it white and it turned brown very ugly ☹

[@melanieselenabeke1484]

Hi, I'm Hungarian and I don't understand one thing. Which is the carrier oil?❤

[@Laniitaa]

I have a questions reagrding the moulding technique. Because you say that it's imortant to mould the bombs with really hard moulds. So what are your thoughts if considering the idea to moulding with say silicon moulds taken straight from the freezer placed in a oventray that has been filled with water beneath the siliconmould? Because that way it will be a really hard mould I think, but I don't know how it will react when there is so much water around it even if that water is frozen? Any thoughts? :)

[@LiiLLAMAHx]

iv tried your bath bomb recipe but they are drying powdery.. any solutions please ❤

[@AbraCassandraCrafts]

Curious but where do you obtain your mica powders? Looking to find some myself.

[@CreativeBathLab]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnbVonWmabVmrLM - READ DESCRIPTION, at bottom

[@googley-kf8nx]

Hi Dora, I need your bathbomb expertise. Bcuz you're the bathbomb 👑 I trust your advice. My question is, how do you how much oil & poly 80 to use to prevent or not have ring-around-the-tub? Im learning how to formulate my batches, your advice is greatly appreciated.

[@CreativeBathLab]

I usually add about 1 ml. poly for 5 ml. oil.

[@googley-kf8nx]

@@CreativeBathLab thank you

[@muhammadraffi8433]

is this recipe useful for every shape? for example like a donut shape or only for round shapes?

[@CreativeBathLab]

absolutely

[@carmenyuzpe3315]

What is that beautiful colour

[@CreativeBathLab]

Red 28

[@carmenyuzpe3315]

It’s looks like very bright purple!!!

[@cathyzingaro9362]

What is a carrier oil?

[@CreativeBathLab]

like sweet almond oil, grapeseed, etc

[@lily_p6976]

Hi.. i have ordered poly 80 but they make mistake and they send me poly 20 😢 can i used it instead of poly 80 ??? I was waiting almost one month for this order ... so sad Thank you

[@CreativeBathLab]

U can use it. Poly 20 will emulsify light oils well. P80 is more for heavy butters & such. Each works, just p80 works a lil better

[@megane11222]

Your colors are so vibrant! I've watched all the videos but still can't seem too get mine anywhere near that vibrant 🥲😂