Holly Port of Lotion Bar Café is the Bath Fizzy Queen! If you were at the HSMG conference, the Alabama conference or the Texas conference you were lucky enough to get one of her bath bombs. She was visiting this weekend and I asked her if she would be willing to do a bath bomb tutorial for the blog. I told her I wanted something with goat’s milk and oatmeal so she came up with a specially formulated recipe that I could share with you! She also shared her process, which includes some very helpful information and techniques.
UPDATE: Since this blog post, Holly Port has written a book! Check out Make It Fizz for more bath bomb recipes and projects.
These bath bombs have my favorite butter, mango butter, and my favorite oil, avocado! I got in a new fragrance from Bramble Berry (Fresh Snow) that smells amazing so I wanted to try that out.
Holly Port Bath Bomb Recipe
2.5 cups baking soda
.5 cups goat milk powder
1.5 cups citric acid
1 cup cornstarch
.5 cups powder oatmeal
1.6 oz avocado oil (wt)
2 oz mango buter (wt)
.5 oz water (wt)
.5 oz alcohol (wt)
.75 oz scent (wt)
Step 1 – Measure the citric acid, cornstarch, baking soda, oatmeal and goat’s milk into your mixing bowl. Put a towel over your mixer and turn on the lowest setting. The towel prevents the powders from flying everywhere! Although you don’t have to use a stand mixer…it helps to get everything mixed well and also aerate the mixture. Leave this mixing while you measure out the butter and liquid ingredients.
Step 2 – Measure out the butter and oil. Melt.
Step 3 – While the butter is melting, measure out the other liquid ingredients (alcohol, water, fragrance).
Step 4 – When the melted oil has cooled down a bit (warm to touch – not hot) combine with the liquid ingredients.
Step 5 – With the mixer still on low, dump in the liquid mix. Turn the mixer up higher to get everything mixed quickly. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl with a skewer as the butter might stick a bit to the sides.
Step 6 – Test the mixture’s consistency by grabbing a handful and squeezing it hard. It should keep its shape and not fall apart easily.
Step 7 – Using a meatballer, scoop up some of the mixture. Squeeze the meatballer hard with your hand while smoothing the seam.
Step 8 – Using your thumb, press down on the hole on the top of the meatballer as you open it. This helps the bathbomb stay together as the meatballer opens. It takes some practice! If the bathbomb falls apart just dump it back into the mix and try again.
Step 9 – Let your bathbombs dry out in a cool dry place away from humidity and heat.
We dusted them with a bit of glitter just to add a holiday sparkle!
To use your bathbomb, simply drop it into the tub and watch it fizz!
Warning: This recipe does contain butters/oils. They will float on the surface of the water and deposit on your body as you soak in the tub and as you get out of the water. It will leave some in the tub and make it a bit slick so take care when getting out of the tub.
Thank you so much for doing this tutorial for us and sharing some of your tips, Holly!
Happy Soaping! (Or bath bomb making!)
-Amanda & Holly
This really helping post for holly port bath bomb recipe, I read your blog and follow up you instruction to prepare holly ball bath bombs. The ingredient is also perfectly describe. Thanks for sharing helpful post.
Question on measurement. Does .5 cups equate to a 1/2 cup dry measurement.?
Yes. Holly uses volume to measure (not weight).
This looks like a great recipe! I do have a couple questions:
1) How long is the shelf life of these bombs?
2) If the preservative Germall Plus was to be added, how much should be added?
Thanks for the help!
The shelf life would probably be about 6 months. I haven’t added a preservative to bath bombs before, so I’m not sure how that would work.
I am new to this. Where would I get most of these ingredients-goat milk powder, citric acid, avocado oil, mango butter, scent-is this the same as candle making? Is the Alcohol a rubbing alcohol?
How big is the meatballer you use? sorry for my english. thank you
I believe it is 1.75 inches.
http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Meat-Baller/dp/B0000CFTJB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440433400&sr=8-1&keywords=meat+baller
thanks
Can you make bath bombs with real goats milk vs. powder. If so, what do the measurements/steps change to?
Thanks!
No you can not make them with real goat milk or any milk …. it will spoil
Hi
I made a basic bath bomb with goats milk, after a couple of days I then shrink wrapped it. A month or so later I have noticed a few spots of mould on the bomb, I thought that the had dried out enough prior packaging.
Can you please explain why you think this may have happened?
I know this is late in coming… I live in South Florida and I have to wait AT LEAST 7-10 days to be certain my bath bombs are truly dry. Whomever can package their bombs in only two days — must live in a very dry climate.
You did use powder and not fresh milk right ?
Yes powder for sure. 🙂
This recipe looks great but I have one question can you sub arrow root powder for the cornstarch? Thanks in advance!
I do believe the reason a pregnant woman isn’t supposed to take a bath is because their center of gravity has changed and they are at higher risk of slipping and falling AND taking a really hot bath (over 100F) can raise the mothers temp and thus increasing the heart rate of the baby. As another person already mentioned. Taking a bath in plain water does not contribute to the risk of a UTI (unless you are already prone to them) it’s what additives you put in the bath that increases your risk for UTI. Commercial soaps and bubble baths have perfumes, dyes, surfactants, and lots of skin irritants. That is why some of us choose to make our own bath products. It is very generous of Amanda and Holly to share recipes with us and very much appreciated. It is our responsibility to know our own bodies and take the recipes that are shared with us and tweek them to fit our needs. Thank you for your giving nature Amanda and Holly 🙂
Hi!! Just one question? does the cornstarch cause urine track infections? at least thats what i have read on some websites. Thanks Deb.
I haven’t found it to cause UTI’s at the usage rates that I use for bathbombs.
UTIs are caused by the bath itself, not necessarily caused by any one ingredient. I’m not saying that the cornstarch doesn’t cause them, but the fact you are sitting in a bath is a good way to get a UTI to begin with. That is why many OBs suggest pregnant women don’t take baths.
My BFF will be 50 in Jan and I am making bath bombs as the gifts to give out to guests. Perfect recipe to try out. I may use Shea butter also because I have more of it on hand. I usually make my lip balms with the mango butter. Dee @ Yada Soaps N Spa
Hello!
I seem to have all of these ingredients on hand……except goat’s milk powder. Any suggestions for substitutes?
Dina
Buttermilk powder maybe. I have heard of people adding regular dry milk powder as well but I haven’t tried either yet. Dee @ Yadasoaps
Great tutorial!
Thanks, TA!
Lovely. They are such easy things to make but look so great.
Hi Amanda and Holly,
Ava used the one you gave me yesterday in her bath. She called me in to tell me how much is was fizzing. She loved it & the glitter was a nice touch. She was left feeling smooth and silky with a light dusting of sparkles. She loves them! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Yay! So glad she liked it!
I do love the glitter sprinkles~ great idea for Christmas Parties~!
I think the alcohol helps to keep the mixture wet enough to mold and hold itself together. Then it evaporates to create a really hard, tight bath bomb. I have no idea about using the polysorbate 80. You’ll have to experiment and let us know what you come up with! But I would think you would replace some of the water.
Actually I replace some of my oil with Poly 80 if/when I use it~If I use a thicker butter ie shea, coco etc I use the Poly as it really helps reduce some of the slipperiness (that’s a made up word ya’ll)
Oh awesome! Thanks for the tip!
This recipe looks lovely! I have a couple of questions, though. What is the alcohol intended to do in ths formula? Is it required? Also, I’d like to add polysorbate 80 to help with emulsion and reduce slipperiness in the tub. Do you have any advice as to how much to add and at what point it should be added so I can avoid setting off the fizzy reaction prematurely? Can I just mix it with the water and/or alcohol? Thanks!
I add Polysorbate 20 to mine at 1% for just this reason. Recommended levels of Polysorbate 80 are 1 to 10% of your formula. HTH
I add poly 80 to mine…. decrease soft oil to .8 oz and add poly 80 at .8 oz….