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Transform your bath time into a luxurious sensory experience with homemade orange bath bombs. They’re really easy to make and you can experiment with different colors and scents, and perhaps even make some as gifts. You only need six different ingredients to make homemade bath bombs, along with bath bomb molds. Self-care is important, and you’ll definitely enjoy winding down at bath time even more with a DIY bath bomb to add fun fizz and a soothing aroma.
Making orange bath bombs is a cool project and fizzy bath bombs make great gifts. They are a fun, easy treat you can make using budget-friendly ingredients.
If you like crafting, you might also want to try making DIY shower steamers or lavender-orange bath salts. And you might also like to make this gorgeous orange garland.
Why You’ll Love These
Easy: Making bath bombs involves mixing the ingredients together and putting this mixture into bath bomb molds, then just being patient and waiting for them to set!
Fragrant: Orange essential oil gives these DIY bath bombs a wonderful scent. You can tweak the amount or even mix and match different essential oils.
Economical: Drugstore bath bombs can be expensive, so making your own is a great way to enjoy a luxurious soak in the tub without breaking the bank.
Bath Bomb Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below
Baking soda: This gives the bath bombs their fizziness. It’s worth buying extra because you can use it in other applications, such as cleaning the house, eliminating odors and cleaning out your garbage disposal.
Corn starch: You probably already have this ingredient in the pantry. If not, you can grab some from the baking aisle.
Citric acid: When mixed with baking soda, this natural ingredient (from citrus fruits) makes the bath bombs fizz.
Epsom salt: Also known as magnesium sulfate, Epsom salt is great for sore muscles, making it a nice ingredient to use in a homemade bath bomb recipe.
Mica powder: A natural colorant (here). You can use as much or as little of this as you want, as it’s just to color the bath bombs. You can omit it altogether if you want, or try different colors, or use a couple of drops of food coloring instead.
Orange essential oil: This is what gives the bath bombs their wonderful scent. You can adjust the amount or even add a second essential oil into the mix. A few drops of essential oil (here) does go a surprisingly long way though.
How to Make Bath Bombs
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card
Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the baking soda with the citric acid, Epsom salt, and orange mica powder in a mixing bowl.
Add the essential oil: Mix the essential oil with the water, and then mix this into the dry ingredients until the mixture is the texture of sand.
Fill the bath bomb molds: Pack the mixture into your bath bomb molds (here), overfilling each one slightly. Twist them together so both sides are touching.
Let them dry: Let the bath bombs dry for 24 hours to ensure they hold together.
Substitutions and Variations
Change the scent: Feel free to use another kind of essential oil if you prefer or a blend of essential oils. Tea tree is another nice option, or how about lavender or bergamot?
Boost the scent: If you love citrus essential oils, you can add lemon or grapefruit to the mix, or even add dried orange zest. Make your own by zesting oranges and letting the zest dry for a couple of days at room temperature. You can also buy it from the spice aisle in the grocery store.
Optional add-ins: You might like to add coconut oil or almond oil, which are moisturizing. Coconut oil is also useful for helping the bath bombs hold together.
How to Use Bath Bombs
In the bath: Simply drop a bath bomb into the tub while you’re running the bath water and it will fizz, disintegrate and release a gorgeous scent into the bathroom. A bath bomb takes about 30 seconds to fully dissolve.
As a gift: Wrap bath bombs in cellophane and decorate with a ribbon. It’s also nice to write labels so the recipient knows what they are and what’s in them.
How to Store Homemade Bath Bombs
Store: Keep your orange bath bombs in an airtight container and they should be fine for 6 months or more.
Top Tips
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones slowly: The citric acid and baking soda reacts with the dry ingredient and creates fizz when added. For this reason, add it slowly.
Shrink wrap them: For a fancier presentation you might like to use shrink wrap (here) on each bath bomb. You just need to use a heat gun or blow dryer to make the plastic tighten around each bath bomb.
Bath bomb gift idea: You might like to hide a small toy or something in the center of each bath bomb (inside a small plastic Easter egg perhaps) before pressing the two halves together, as a special treat for whoever you give it to. Make sure they know to look out for something in the middle, as you don’t want it ending up down the drain!
Bath Bombs FAQs
Yes, that’s fine. The citric acid just makes the mixture fizz a bit when you add it. Don’t worry, the bath bombs will still fizz when added to bath water.
The recipe makes 3 bath bombs if you’re using 2½-inch diameter molds but you can double or triple the recipe if you want to make more than that.
Bath bombs from the store contain a variety of chemical ingredients such as preservatives and artificial coloring, and substances you might not want to come into contact with. While a shower steamer doesn’t come into contact with your skin, you’re literally going to marinate in a bath bomb infused bath water, so it’s important to use all-natural ingredients, especially if you have sensitive skin. You can leave out the mica coloring and the essential oils if you’re allergic to perfumes and fragrances.
DIY Orange Bath Bombs
Prevent your screen from going dark
Add the baking soda, citric acid, Epsom salts and orange powder into a bowl and whisk together with a fork.
In a small separate bowl, add the essential oil drops to the water and mix thoroughly with a fork to distribute the oil.
Pour the water and oil mixture into the dry ingredients. This will form a sand-like texture. Also, due to the citric acid, the mixture will fizz when the water is poured in.
Pack the mixture into both sides of the bath bomb molds tightly. Slightly overfill each mold and twist each side together a few times until the lip of each side of the mold is touching.
Let the bath bombs dry for 24 hours to make sure they will hold their shape.
Shrink wrap them: For a fancier presentation you might like to use shrink wrap on each bath bomb. You just need to use a heat gun or blow dryer to make the plastic tighten around each bath bomb.
Bath bomb gift idea: You might like to hide a small toy or something in the center of each bath bomb (inside a small plastic Easter egg perhaps) before pressing the two halves together, as a special treat for whoever you give it to. Make sure they know to look out for something in the middle, as you don’t want it ending up down the drain!
Making DIY bath bombs is fun! The ingredients are all easy to find and you can experiment with different essential oils and blends as much as you like. They make great gifts and you’ll really look forward to an extra-special bath time if you know you’re going to enjoy an orange bath bomb aromatherapy experience!
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
