‘Tis the season to light up the autumn candles, empty your wallet on pumpkin spice lattes, throw on a sweater and go pick some apples. Haven’t had enough? We’ve got a new way you can (pumpkin) spice up your autumn celebrations: DIY bath bombs!
As cool weather kicks in, a hot bath at the end of a long day feels great. These bath bring your favorite scents of the season to the experience, while leaving your skin refreshed and your muscles relaxed, thanks to the additions of coconut oil and Epsom salt.
It may seem daunting to make your own bath bomb, the ingredients and steps are simpler than you think. This recipe calls mainly for essential oils to offer the most aromatic experience; however, if you’re looking for an easier and less expensive option, use ground spices instead. (Just note that everyone’s skin is different: while some may not be sensitive to cinnamon, ginger and clove, others may find it irritating to the skin.)
When it comes to molds, any spherical (or pumpkin-shaped!) silicon or stainless steel will work best. You can also use a muffin tin if you don’t have an actual mold handy — the shape won’t be spherical, but it works just the same. Grab some friends and have a festive fall crafting night!
DIY Pumpkin Spice Bath Bombs
Ingredients
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup citric acid
- 1/2 cup Epsom salt
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp. water
- 6 drops cinnamon essential oil (or 1 1/3 tsp. cinnamon)
- 3 drops ginger essential oil (or 1 tsp. ginger)
- 3 drops nutmeg essential oil (or 1 tsp. nutmeg)
- 3/4 tsp. ground allspice
- 3/4 tsp. ground cloves
- Natural food coloring (yellow and red)
Instructions
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In large bowl, mix together dry ingredients -- baking soda, citric acid, corn startch, Epsom salt, allspice and cloves. If using powdered food coloring, add during this step. Whisk to combine
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In small bowl, mix coconut oil, water and essential oils. If using liquid food coloring, add during this step. DO NOT USE MORE THAN 1 TSP WATER or you could accidentally "activate" the fizzy action of the bath bomb.
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Slowly whisk wet ingredients into dry until well combined. Mixture should be crumbly and dry.
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Pack mixture tightly into molds. Let sit overnight or longer to set.
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Carefully remove bath bombs from molds and store somewhere cool and dry until use.
Recipe Notes
· If using food coloring, remember that a little goes a long way. Add a drop at a time until you get a perfectly pumpkin-y orange.
· You can adjust the essential oil amounts as you’d like. Feel free to make these bath bombs as subtle or as scented as you want. As noted above, be mindful that some peoples' skin may be sensitive to cinnamon, ginger or cloves.
· If giving as a gift, you can find plastic molds that you can pop the bath bombs in after they are set. If you are familiar with shrink-wrapping, you can shrink-wrap them for storage or gifting as well.
· If making for friends or a party, throw a prize in the middle of each bath bomb for a special surprise!
Easily get the ingredients you need to make your bath bombs at Vitacost.com!
