There is nothing I love more than reading a trashy mag (OMG are Brad and Jen getting back together?) while soaking in a hot bath with a fizzy bath bomb that makes my skin glow.
I've had eczema before so I think it's important to use soothing ingredients that are eczema-friendly (and skin-friendly) in your bath.
This bath bomb recipe was made using SKIN FRIEND Oat and Zinc Bath Powder, which is soothing for eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and acne.
About the Bath Powder ingredients:
- Oat (avena sativa) powder contains cleansing saponions and beta-glucan, which forms protective barriers to soothe and hydrate your skin,
- Bicarb (bicarbonate/baking soda) has anti-bacterial and exfoliating properties
- and zinc oxide soothes the skin and has mild wound healing properties.
This Bath Bomb recipe also contains:
- Citric acid which has exfoliating properties, assisting with cell turnover and new skin growth.
- Shea butter is also a hero ingredient - it is not only super hydrating and anti-inflammatory, but also contains high concentrations of fatty acids and vitamins to create skin softer than a baby’s bottom.
Notes: If you are sensitive to citric acid, sub with 1 cup of fine Epsom salt flakes (the bombs won’t fizz if there is no citric acid, but they will still be lovely and make your skin feel luscious and soft).
Bath bomb must haves (utensils etc.)
You will need silicone moulds or round stainless steel bath bomb moulds (we found the stainless steel moulds work the best) and a spray bottle for the water. Having a minimum of 3 moulds will allow you to easily make a full batch of bath bombs.
I like to wear rubber food prep gloves when making these, but they are not essential.
This recipe makes 6 round bath bombs. Preparation time is 1 hour, plus overnight to set
INGREDIENTS
2 cups bicarbonate/baking soda (bicarb soda, sodium bicarbonate)
1 cup citric acid (or use epsom salts)
1 1/4 cup Skin Friend ‘Oat and Zinc Bath Powder’
40 grams of pure shea butter (about 1/4 cup when well packed)
Water, in a spray bottle (or witch hazel)
Rose petals to decorate (optional)
METHOD
1. Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and break up any clumps.
2. Melt your Shea Butter to a liquid in a pan on the stove, on low heat so it does not burn.
3. Slowly mix the melted Shea Butter into your dry ingredients, a drizzle at a time, to prevent over fizzing your mixture. The mixture at this stage should still be crumbly but slightly hold together when squeezed.
4. Add sprays of water or witch hazel, a few sprays at a time.
5. Keep adding sprays of water and mix it until the mixture keeps its form when you grab and squeeze a handful. Do not make it wet, though.
6. Grab one side of the mould and place a small amount of dried rose petals into the bottom of the mould (only add rose petals into one of the moulds), then cover with the bath bomb mixture and pack in well using your hands. Check out the video on our instagram page here to see how to put them together. Remember to sign up to our instagram page for more tips to help eczema.
7. Working with a small bit of the mixture at a time, continue to press the mixture into the mould, pressing it in after each addition to ensure it is well packed.
8. Once the mixture has reached the top of one side of the mould, continue adding mixture and pressing down lightly to create about a 3cm mountain of mixture. Place this side down on the bench and repeat with the other side of the mould following the same process.
9. Once each side is overfilled, bring the 2 sides together over the bowl of mixture and push together firmly turning as you go as this will allow the excess mixture to fall back into the bowl as the 2 sides get closer together.
10. Continue to turn and push each side together until both moulds are face to face creating a round ball. Hold together well and continue to press to ensure the mixture is packed in firmly and starting to hold together.
11. Very gently, holding the bottom of one side of the moulds, use a spoon to gently tap the top of the other side of the mould which will allow it to come off easier, tap lightly around the whole top of one side of the mould then gently using your hands remove the top so your bath bomb is showing its top half, but still sitting in the bottom half of the mould.
12. Place the bottom half of the mould in a tray filled with a tea towel or something similar to keep the bath bomb upright then continue on with the next bath bomb.
13. If you have a few bath bomb moulds, continue making each bath bomb, removing one side of the mould then placing in the tray.
14. We found that leaving the bath bombs in one side of the mould for a minimum of 1/2 hr up to an hour will allow it to slightly dry, you can then cover the exposed part of the bath bomb with an empty bath mould, turn over the bath bomb, and use a spoon to lightly tap the other side removing the top to then let the other side of the bath bomb dry for 1/2 hour up to an hour.
15. Once all the bath bombs have dried on each side for a minimum of half an hour, you can remove the bath bomb completely, very slowly, then place back into the tray to continue drying overnight. (i.e. if the air is damp, such as living near the ocean), leave your moulds in the tray in the oven overnight—do not turn the oven on, it’s just less humid in there!
Pop a bath bomb into your hot bath and enjoy!
TO STORE THESE, wrap them in cellophane and tie with a ribbon (as shown in the pic) or use cling wrap or foil to prevent the citric acid from swelling up over time, especially if you live in a humid climate and then store in an airtight container.
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Food images by Karen Fischer, Recipe by Karen Fischer and Katie Layland. Katie is shown in the video.