The secret to better bath bombs
Updated: Nov 4, 2021
Among the incredible benefits of bath salts for baths is that they detoxify, condition the skin and provide much-needed minerals to the body (which can relieve a host of conditions, from acne to arthritis). But for some people there is one major drawback to bath salts: Where is the foam? The fizz? The delightfully frothy bubbles you get with other body & bath products, like bath bombs?
Years ago I wrote a blog post basically dissing bath bombs in favour of bath salts for baths. Of course, hindsight is 20/20. I now know that the bath salts vs. bath bombs conundrum will never really be solved; it really comes down to personal preference (and dare I say it's a generational thing too - bath bombs didn't exist a generation ago). But for those who just can't give up the fizz, there is a solution: make a better bath bomb that includes the healthy elements you'd find in a fine spa, to get better results while you soak!
Taking the humble bath bomb up a notch
We've all seen bath bombs that look almost too beautiful to use. Bath bombs as art have been around since people decided to crush citric acid and baking soda into a mold.
But what's really inside a bath bomb? We've seen everything from powdered SLS and Polysorbate 80 (chemical surfactants that have been linked to hormone imbalance, skin irritations and environmental degradation) to phthalate-laden fragrances, non-biodegradeable glitter and cornstarch - which seems innocent enough, except it feeds yeast and thus can worsen infections when sitting in the tub. Yuck!
The key to your bath bomb, just like your sunscreen or your frozen dinner, is knowing and understanding what's inside so you can make good choices. Bath bombs are actually one of the easiest bath products to make naturally and they behave pretty much like what you're used to. I would be happy to enjoy a bath bomb that fizzes a bit faster in exchange for knowing I'm getting healthy natural ingredients inside!
In fact, done right, a bath bomb can be a chance to get really great ingredients into the tub and help make bath time great again. In particular, we like...
Great bath bomb ingredients to use today
Did you know you could put all sorts of skin-friendly healing ingredients into an all-natural bath bomb? Here are some examples...
Epsom salts: Of course we obviously already love Epsom salt baths for their anti-inflammatory, detoxifying effect and for the fact that they replenish the body's magnesium stores, which are often lacking. Bath bombs can also contain sea salt for a more skin conditioning effect.
Essential oils: Just about everyone can appreciate the calming, relaxing and healing properties of essential oils, not to mention their fabulous fragrances!
Soothing oils: Bath bombs need a binder and as such, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, extra-virgin olive oil and many others that we use regularly at SaltZ&Co are great choices for skin softening.
Kaolin clay: In a bath bomb, the use of clay is nothing short of amazing - the silky powder helps delay the fizzy effect of the bath fizzy so your bath bomb doesn't 'bomb', and the clay, which has been used in the cosmetic industry in a wide variety of products for literally thousands of years, tones, detoxifies and tightens the skin.
Can you guess what our best-selling product is right now? :)