Halloween Bath Bomb DIY

Halloween is a big holiday in our family. As kids my brother and I would pick out costumes and spend Halloween walking around the neighborhood getting candy – usually bundled up in heavy coats against the cold Ohio weather.

Halloween as an adult is a bit of a different experience, but there’s no reason you can’t still have fun! Spend the night partying away with family and friends and come home to a spooky but relaxing bath with these fun Halloween DIY bath bombs.

To get the fizz and spin bath bombs are great for, use a 2:1 ratio of baking soda and citric acid. The combination fizzes when it gets wet in the tub. The arrowroot or cornstarch helps to slow down the reaction to make it last longer and hardens the bath bomb so that it doesn’t immediately fall apart.

Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier that helps the mica coloring to mix with the bath water. If you don’t add it, you’ll get mica sticking to the sides of the tub and sitting on top of the water. Epsom salts help relax muscle aches and coconut oil moisturizes and smooths the skin.

Keep these bath bombs in a glass airtight container. The humidity in the air can activate the bath bombs, so keeping them in an airtight container is essential to ensuring they last. The container should be glass since essential oils can break down plastic containers and release toxins.

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup citric acid
• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
• 1/4 cup Epsom salts
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon polysorbate 80
• 1/2 teaspoon essential oils or 50 drops
• 3/4 teaspoons each of two colors of mica powder

Combine baking soda, citric acid, arrowroot powder, and Epsom salts in a large bowl. 

In a small bowl, melt the coconut oil and add the essential oils.  Slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients while stirring. 

Divide the bath bomb mixture evenly between two bowls.  Color with two different mica powder.

Dust the bath bomb molds with arrowroot powder to help avoid sticking.

Pack the molds by layering the colors. So, on side one: color one then color two, and on side two: color two then color one. Overfill slightly.

Press the two sides of the bath bomb together.  Press firmly to push them together. 

Let the bath bombs sit for 24 hours before unmolding.  Gently tap the side of the mold, and the bath bomb should slide out.

You can use your Halloween bath bombs immediately.  If you are not using them right away, they should be stored in an airtight glass container.