Bath bombs have been around for a good number of years now, but some people are still wondering what the deal is. You throw them in the tub and they fizz, so what? That's how I used to feel about them before I started making them.
I'm here to tell you there's more to it than that.
The basic formula for a bath bomb is sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) + citric acid at a 2:1 ratio with a few spritz's of binder (water, witch hazel or rubbing alcohol to bind the two ingredients together).
This is all that's really necessary to create a bath bomb, but many companies including mine, want more than that. Some are looking to give off extra foam, long lasting fizz, bubbles, colorful bath art, the list goes on. Each desired effect requires an added ingredient.
To achieve the foam effect, some use the ingredient Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or SLS. This ingredient can also be found in many baby products, but it's been known to be quite irritating to the skin.
So, why do companies use it?
It's a cost effective way to achieve the desired effect. Others use an ingredient called Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate or SLSa. Although this ingredient is 100% naturally derived and therefore considered a natural ingredient it, too, can cause irritation to the skin.
Many who claim that bath bombs are irritating have used a bath bomb with one of the two ingredients mentioned.
At Essential Wellness Bodycare, I use a sulfate alternative called Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate aka SCI if I'm looking for the foaming effect. This ingredient is super gentle on the skin. I don't use it often, generally only if I've made a specialty bath bomb such as the Rainbow Cloud.
There are ingredients that can be used in bath bombs that make it more than just mesmerizing to watch as it fizzes.
Different carrier oils can be used to nourish the skin, fragrance or essential oils can be used to uplift your mood or help you to relax while other ingredients used leave your skin and your bath water feeling like silk. This is what I aim for with my bath bombs.
I want my bath bombs to create the ultimate experience, to give my customers the true feeling of luxury without the high price tag and without having to worry about what's lurking in my products.
Colorants are another topic for discussion, many people don't want or can't have dyes. For this group of people I have colorant and fragrance free bath bombs. Many alternatives to dyes simply aren't approved for use in bath bombs. Colorants must be batch certified by the FDA and recertified if they're changed or redistributed in order to be within guidelines.
I use batch certified, water soluable dyes and as I mentioned previously have a natural line for those who need to avoid dyes.
Mica powder is another type of batch certified colorant, it's what I use to paint or airbrush the outside. Using mica in bath bomb mix, although approved, can cause an awful mess in the tub which ultimately takes away from the customer experience.
Bath bombs have come to be known as an easy and effective way of Self-Care. As a Mom of 2, I find it's not always easy to sneak away for long enough to practice self-care and so bath bombs are an affordable, easy way for me to take 20-30 minutes to myself. With the right ingredients, it takes only a few minutes to feel like I'm floating on a cloud of bliss leaving my skin feeling baby soft and brand new.
This is my goal for you, my customers, as well.
If you're ready to give my bath bombs a try, click the link to see my current inventory
www.essentialwellnessbodycare.com/bath-bombs
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