Happy Easter! Kaolin Bath Bombs Recipe

This recipe uses a fabulous British product - Cornish Kaolin Clay - and makes a ROCK hard bath bomb. Perfect for novelty bath bombs such as the massive Easter Egg shell pictured here.  

Colourful & calorie free, this was made using a cracked effect chocolate egg mould (you can now buy one here) which we filled leaving a hollowed out centre.  Doing so enabled us to "fill" the egg with 60mm bath bomb eggs.  The two halves were then simply tied together with curling ribbon so that the inner contents could be seen.

Using the clay appears to speed up the drying time and in turn helped with moulding such a large form.

In combination with Witch Hazel, this is a fairly easy recipe to use for all situations and one that you could adapt to make any kind of bath bomb fizzer.  

INGREDIENTS:

600g Sodium Bicarbonate
300g Citric Acid
50g Corn Flour
75g Kaolin Light BP Grade Clay
10ml Coconut Fragrance (any of your choice)
Acid Red water soluble powder colour
Witch Hazel spritz to bind 

METHOD:

Combine all of the dry ingredients thoroughly in a plastic or glass bowl kept for the purpose.
Add the tip of a teaspoon of powder colour and mix well. The colour will not be apparent until you add moisture, so don't be tempted to add too much.
Add your fragrance whilst mixing constantly with (gloved) hands
Spritz 5 or 6 sprays at a time with Witch hazel, repeating 6 or 8 times or until the mix holds together when pressed in the palm of your hand. The correct consistency is the same as is needed when making successful sandcastles - damp but not over wet.
Press into the mould with fingers, spreading evenly and leaving a hollow in the middle of the mould.
Set aside to dry for 15 minutes before removing carefully and allowing to dry completely (1 hour)

You can of course use the mix in any mould and adapt the colour and fragrance to suit.

Enjoy!



Chill Pill Bath Bombs Recipe

Cute Chill Pills!

How much do we LOVE this new mould?! 

So easy to use, this is a 2D tray style plastic mould that can be used for lots of crafting applications - soap, bath fizzers, mini melts etc. What's more, because it is produced with Food Grade plastic, it's also suitable for chocolate making*.

Our passion as you may have guessed is for all things fizzy.  With that in mind we thought we'd share with you our simple recipe for creating rock solid chill pills that you can package up to make excellent gifts.  

(Don't let us stop you from using this mould for your other crafts though! Let us know what you've used it for :) )

Of course, you can simply use your own favourite bath bomb making recipe for this mould if you prefer.

As these are small fizzers you don't really want to end up with crumbly fizzers therefore we've created a recipe using Witch Hazel as the primary binder and including Corn Flour for a smooth finish.  Witch Hazel will help create a strong solid fizzer.  All good when making and packaging gifts :)

This recipe is also what we'd term oil free.  Because of the size of these adorable fizzies, a lot of people will use them in a shower.  No slippy oils or butters here then please!

We've made ours in white. If you want to add either some colour though you can include a powder pigment/water colour or a liquid colour at the dry stage before binding with Witch Hazel. 

Note that if you use a liquid colour, it is likely that with this recipe you will end up with spotting due to the speed of drying going on. We like spots, but we know not everybody feels the same. 

This recipe will dry at this size in just minutes.  Once you've filled all 6 cavities you are safe to turn them out and go ahead and use the remaining mix to refill and repeat the process.  You could go on like that forever, so if you wish to make more or less Bath Fizzers simply reduce or increase the mix proportionately, keeping the ratios of one ingredient to another.

We suggest wiping the mould with kitchen paper before refilling to avoid the subsequent fizzers from sticking to any residue in the cavities.

To make around 12 Chill Pill Fizzers

Chill Pill Mini Mould

150g Sodium Bicarbonate

75g Citric Acid, Fine Grade

25g Corn Flour

Up to 5ml Fragrance Concentrate

Witch Hazel to bind

Gloves

Optional colour

Method

Sing "Hi Ho, Hi Ho, I must work quickly you know" whilst you place all of the dry ingredients in a plastic bowl (saved for B&B crafting) pop on your gloves and mix everything thoroughly with your hands.

Add your fragrance a couple of drops at a time and keep the mix moving with your free hand. 

Once you've added all of your fragrance, spritz the mix with Witch Hazel. Work steadily until the mix is holding together when squeezed in your hand.(Think sandcastle sand)

Take your mould and press mix into each of the cavities.  Compact the mix and level the base.

As soon as the cavities are all filled, you can turn the fizzers out carefully.  You might want to cover the mould with a plate or tray and use that to help turn out the fizzers without damage.  If necessary, apply firm but gentle pressure to the middle of the mould to release the fizzer.

Set your creations aside, wipe the mould with kitchen paper and repeat until all mix is used. (Keep singing!)

If wrapping the fizzers we suggest leaving them up to an hour to totally dry out and become safe to handle.

Enjoy!

Click here for our Keep Calm & Carry on Chill Pill making KIT

*As with all plastic moulds, do not overheat your ingredients or pour into the mould at high temperatures, whatever medium you are using. For soaps we recommend allowing the soap to cool for a few minutes before pouring but in the case of bath melts where you are using hot oils, it is necessary to exercise lots of caution - have the liquid oils as cool as is practical before you pour. You will find that oils & butters will still pour at quite low temperatures.

Top 5 Tips to Get the Best out of your Soap Moulds - Part 1 - Plastic Tray Moulds

 

Multi Purpose Moulds - the above were all made from the same mould

Some of you know that we now produce our own plastic tray moulds in house.  We've used this style of mould for many years, for Bath Bombs and Soaps as well as melts, shower bombs and the like.

Functional and long lasting, they are a great addition to the Bath & Body crafter's cupboard but as with anything functional, there are ways to get the best out of using them.

As our in house designed & made range grows, we are learning more and more about the do's and don't s and naturally wanted to share with you all.

1) Do not overheat. When using Melt & Pour soap base with your mould, remove the soap base from the heat source and allow a minute or two for the temperature to reduce. Usually, you will be adding colour and fragrance at this point and this time delay will suffice but if you've had to reheat your base, keep this tip in mind. If using melted oils and butters to create massage bars and melts, be especially mindful of the temperature. You must allow the oil/butter to cool before pouring.

2) Always wash your moulds in warm soapy water immediately after use. This is especially important when making bath bombs as the ingredients will weaken the moulds if left unwashed for extended periods of time

3) Do not dishwash or apply direct heat to the moulds. They are plastic and will warp or melt.

4) Take care when de moulding soap.  Most tray moulds will release bath bombs incredibly easily but with soap a number of factors can make de moulding tricky.  Fragrance and colours, additions and layers can all affect the soap itself and make it cling to the mould.  Chilling thoroughly will greatly assist removal of soaps, whatever base you use.  Ensure the soap has had at least 30 minutes in the fridge if it has intricate detail to the mould. You can speed this process by using the freezer but be aware that regularly doing so or leaving the mould for long periods in the freezer will shorten the life of the plastic making it brittle.  Now and then is fine though!

5) Look for the release of air when removing your soaps. Upturn your mould and apply gentle but firm pressure with your fingers/thumbs first in the middle of the soap and then around the sides. You should see the soap release and a pocket of air travel around the mould.  Delicate designs often obscure this so be patient and keep applying firm but gentle pressure until the soap is released.  Do not bend or bash (!) the mould or you will risk permanent damage.

What do you find most helpful when using your moulds? Please do comment below or why not join in the discussions on our Facebook page 
Sign up to our newsletter to receive all the latest mould & ingredients news 

Subscribe to our mailing list

 

Top 10 Tips - Bath Bombs

As we've had many people asking for help with their Bath Bomb making recently, we thought it would be a good idea to revisit this earlier post.

Hand made bath bombs are a joy to use and so much fun to make.  With a few pointers, it's simple to learn to create your own bath fizzers easily at home and it's a great activity to share with children.  Once you've mastered the basics, you can create gifts for friends and family to be proud of.  After all, there's nothing quite like a hand made gift!

As always, feel free to contact us if you need more help 

1) Select your Citric Acid carefully; Super fine granules (table salt size) are best. Powder is too volatile, whilst coarse granules have a lumpy appearance and may "bobble" as your bath bombs dry out.

2) Be fussy about your Bicarb! Fine food grade Sodium Bicarbonate is best. Technical grade may contain unwanted impurities and granular varieties will result in a coarse looking bath bomb.

3) Want smooth bath bombs? Use Cornflour (Cornstarch) as 10-15% of your dry ingredient content. Cornflour also helps control the fizzing reaction between the ingredients as you are mixing.

4) Dry Ingredients = food grade.   Some of the ingredients such as Bicarb, Citric & Cornflour can be sourced in food stores.

5)Wet ingredients = cosmetic/toiletry grade. Fragrance, colours, etc should be purchased as cosmetic/toiletry grade.  Essential oils should be pure or blended with base oils.

6) Don't use water. Really, don't. Using water to bind your mix causes fizzing & expansion in the mixing process. Fact. Result = stressful and unattractive mad panic to get the mix to stick and mould without turning into a fizzing flop. (You can do it - but why?!) Vegetable Base Oils (Sweet almond, Grape Seed etc) or Witch hazel work well. Witch Hazel speeds the drying time so that your bath bombs can be safely handled/removed from their moulds within minutes.(depending upon the size of the mould) 

7) Spray your "wet" ingredients onto the mix. If using Witch Hazel to bind, always spritz from a fine mist "finger" spray. Oil can be "dripped" into your mix or sprayed on with the aid of a trigger type spray (the sort you get on a Febreeze bottle). Spraying helps distribute the oil more evenly and therefore there is less risk of some premature fizzing in the bowl.

8) Wear gloves and mix with your hands. You will learn to detect the correct consistency for making the perfect bath bombs, but believe me you will get there faster by using your hands as opposed to a spoon. Simply spray or pour with one hand whilst mixing with the other.

9) Ensure your moulds or containers are dry. Keep them away from the bowl when mixing/spritzing to avoid wetting them accidentally.  Sound obvious? Hmmm well we've been there.  Wet moulds = stuck & stranded creations! If this happens and you cannot remove your bath bomb - run the whole mould under the tap - it's preferrable to breaking the mould.  Alternatively, I've taken an entire-mould-stranded-but-otherwise-perfect bath bomb into the bath before. (Waste not want not as my Gramma said.) 

10) Don't over wet your mix; aim to achieve the same consistency that is needed to make really good sandcastles.  Damp enough to hold together but not sloppy. You can always add more moisture but if you've overdone it, it's almost impossible to recover your mix and adding more dry ingredient rarely helps.

11) Avoid steamy kitchens! Set your creations aside to dry in a damp free atmosphere.  If you've cooked a roast, rustled up some bath bombs and set them aside in your kitchen you may find when you return to admire them later that they've developed "bobbles". This is simply the damp in the air and can be avoided.

We hope these have been useful tips...We'd love to hear your experiences, so please do comment below :)

PS... ok so there are 11 top tips. Things don't always go to plan.... a bit like making bath bombs! Perhaps the best things in life are meant to be a little harder to achieve?  Philosophy aside, if you'd like a few more free recipes, hints and tips - why not sign up to our newsletter?  We won't spam you, but we will send you exclusive offers, the latest product news and free tips & recipes from time to time

Subscribe to our mailing list

Christmas Pudding Tutorial

Christmas Pud Bath Bombs

These little "puddings" are of course a bath bomb in disguise.
Packed with the usual array of fizzing ingredients we've added some detoxifying Epsom Salts (for texture as well as therapeutic value) and a little skin loving Sweet Almond oil for a touch of luxury.  You can make them without and stick with a simple Witch Hazel bath bomb recipe if you prefer.



For authenticity we've also thrown in a handful of sugar strands - the sort you'd decorate a cake with.  These will dissolve in a warm bath with no ill effect but will help create a Christmas Pud effect.  Again, omit these if you prefer.

Ingredients (will make 5/6 large pudding pot puds or several 50 or 60mm round puds)

500g Sodium Bicarbonate
250g Citric Acid

100g Cornflour (optional but advised if using spherical rigid moulds)

15g Epsom Salts 
15ml Sweet Almond Oil (Or other vegetable base oil such as Grape Seed)
10-15ml Toiletry Grade Fragrance Concentrate - Christmas Pudding is ideal!
1/2 tsp of Chocolate Brown Water Soluble Colour Powder
Crystalina Cosmetic Glitter
Chocolate and White Sugar Strands
Witch Hazel as needed to bind the mix
Holly & Berry decoration or similar
Red and Green cake sprinkles (any design)(optional)
Small grip seal bag & a Sixpence (optional)

(Click HERE for a kit containing the ingredients to make your own Puds!)
You will also need; two plastic mixing bowls, gloves and a mask if susceptible to the dust created when mixing the dry ingredients.  If you wish to use up any leftover mix, have an ice cube type mould or some petit four cases handy.

Finally the other magic "ingredient" you will need for these is the pudding pot.  We've reused a clean steamed pudding bowl - the type you can buy containing a chocolate or treacle microwave pudding.  (Isn't that the perfect excuse to rush out and buy a fridge full?!!) You can also use an old plastic shop bought christmas pudding bowl provided it is the smallest size.  If you can' t get these though, you can still make a gorgeous pudding in a regular 50 or 60mm 2 part mould.

Step 1

Wearing gloves all the time and using your hands to mix;

Mix Bicarb, Citric Corn flour and Epsom Salts in one bowl.  When thoroughly combined, put one third of the mix into the second bowl.  The larger bowl will become your brown "pudding" portion of the finished product and the smaller bowl will remain white and act as the white sauce on top of the pudding.

Step 2 The large bowl

Add the brown powder colour.  Stir thoroughly. 
Add sprinkles if using.
Add 5-10ml of fragrance concentrate a few drops at a time stirring constantly.
Add 10ml of Sweet Almond Oil and stir thoroughly
Spritz with Witch hazel 5 or 6 sprays at a time and mix well until your mixture is holding together - like the sand you make sandcastles with this mix should be damp but not wet.  If you can form a clump in your hand that doesn't crumble, it's probably ready.


Step 3 The small bowl

Working quickly...

To the small bowl add some crystallina and stir through if using
Add 5ml of Fragrance concentrate and mix well
Add 5ml of Sweet Almond Oil and mix well
Spritz with Witch hazel as above

You will need to work quickly to ensure your large mix doesn't dry out whilst you're mixing.  If it has, spritz a few times with Witch Hazel and continue to the next step.

Step 4

Moulding.

If using pudding pots

If you want to top your pudding with glitter you can simply sprinkle some into the pot before filling.

Fill the pot to about a fifth of the way up with white mix - this will be the top of the pudding.

Ensure that the mix is compact - push down with your fingers as you fill the pot. Don't worry about an even edge as these are most effective with a natural looking wavy edge to the "sauce".

Follow immediately with the brown mix filling the pot to the top, pushing the mix down as you do so.  Level the base with your hands.

Set aside and repeat until all pots are full.

Allow to dry for about 15 minutes and then de mould. We suggest you don't leave it longer or your puddings may become stuck. 

To de mould simply upturn the pudding, supporting it underneath with your hand and place on a flat surface upside down.  Push gently in the middle of the pot and if necessary very gently squeeze the sides of the pot.  The pudding bomb should just slide out.  If not, leave 5 minutes and try again.

Add your decoration at this point, before the bath bomb is too hard.  Using a holly topper gently push the "stalk" into the bath bomb - avoid too much pressure or your bath bomb may crack.  If you do see a crack forming carefully push it back together.

Sprinkle with glitter if using.

Leave the puddings at least another 45 minutes before attempting to wrap.

Using 2 part moulds;

Take one half of a mould and fill with brown mix - over fill if you can.  Take the second half, pop a few red and white sprinkles into the mould if using and then use the mould to scoop some white mix into itself.  Now carefully scoop some brown mix into this second half, again using the mould.  What you're trying to do is create a small "blob" of white on top of the sphere to represent the sauce.  Really, it isn't crucial how you do this as the combination of the two colours and some red and white sprinkles or a sprig of holly will do the trick and create a stunning effect.  When you have the second half full bring the two halves together smoothly and without twisting the halves.  This does take some practice therefore to avoid endng up with bowls of mixed colour, we suggest you perform this bit of the moulding process over a sheet of kitchen paper. 

Allow to dry in the moulds for 10-20 minutes according to size and then gently ease one half of the mould away. At this point if you're using a plastic Holly topper we suggest you put that onto your bath bomb now, gently easing the "stalk" into the white area of the bath bomb.  Sprinkle with glitter if using.

Allow to set further for 10 more minutes before removing the final half.  Your puds will need another 30-50 minutes to dry to the point where it's safe to pick them up and wrap them.

Using leftover mix

If you have some petit four cases, and your mix isn't too dry you can try rolling some into small balls and dusting with glitter or even cocoa powder for a truffle effect.  Or even just creating hand rolled mini puds.  If your mix is really dry you can always spritz or add a tiny amount of Almond Oil to help with this.

If you really want to go a step further and add a touch of nostalgia why not embed something in your puddings?  Using a small grip seal bag, there's just enough room for a coin for instance.


Enjoy!  This recipe will be featured in Making Magazine's November issue, do have a look at their website packed full of craft ideas. 

Welcome to our second Spotlight Feature, your chance to meet some enterprising folk who've successfully turned a hobby/passion into a business.

This month we're saying hello to Chloe... founder of Cheeky Suds

Tell us a bit about you and your business

Hi, I am Chloe and I am the owner of Cheeky Suds which is a handmade novelty soaps, bath and beauty products company based in London. Although I live in London I am originally from Manchester – Northern lass! 

All of my products are handmade by me and currently include novelty soaps, body scrubs, body butters, bath salts, foot soaks, bath creamers, bath melts, bath soufflés, and solid lotion/massage bars.

 Lollipop Soaps!

Most of my products are vegan friendly or can be made vegan upon request and nothing has been tested on animals. My soap products are made using a Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) - free soap base. SLS is known to irritate skin if used in large quantities. As Cheeky Suds products do not contain SLS, they are considered to be suitable for people with sensitive skin.

Novelty Transfer Soaps

How long have you been running your business?

I started the business in April 2011, purely as an online business, but I now also sell at Camden Lock Market in Camden, London and also offer children’s parties either in your home or at your chosen venue.  Children enjoy being able to make natural lip balms, soaps and body treats for themselves.

Bath Bomb Cup Cakes

What inspired you to start creating your own Bath & Body Products?

I have three years’ experience working in sales and as a Recruitment Consultant and nearly eleven years’ experience working within Criminal Justice. My previous work experience was quite stressful and I decided that I wanted a total career change and also that I wanted to do something creative. This alongside my love of cosmetics led me to set up Cheeky Suds.

Chocolate Body Scrubs

What are the best bits about your business?

I get bored easily if I am not mentally stimulated or trying new challenges so I love the fact that there are so many different beauty products I can make and I can experiment with design, scents, textures and ingredients. It's also a great feeling when people say that my products both look good and work well for them. It's like baking a cake or cooking a good meal (I also love food so couldn't resist mentioning it) that people enjoy! It's good to know that my efforts are appreciated and it motivates me to keep doing more.

Selling at Camden Market allows me to meet lots of different people from all over the world and the other stall holders are nice too – it’s important to meet new people now that I am no longer in an office environment. I like having my own business as it enables me to be my own boss and that means I have full control over what I do and make all of my own decisions.

Lip Balms & Butters

What are your plans for the future?

I would like to continue to expand my product lines and reach even more people. I want Cheeky Suds to become a place where you can purchase products to suit all of your beauty needs. I also plan to do more craft fairs and deliver some workshops. In the future I would like to open a Cheeky Suds abroad, somewhere with sun, sea, sand, cocktails and maybe a few (hunky) masseurs to demonstrate how to use my products would be nice!

Whipped Shea Body Butter

What advice would you give to anyone considering starting up?

A couple of wise (and maybe a tad cheesy) quotes are 'You've got to be in to win it,' and 'You only get out what you put in.' I would say that you have to be prepared to work hard and never give up.

The first time I made a sale I was ecstatic and the feeling only gets better from there onwards. There will be times when you feel that it is difficult or you want to give up but you have to keep pushing through these barriers and keep going.

I think that if it is something you are passionate about and really want to do it you should go for it. There is no harm in trying and you never know how well you might do.

Watermelon Soap Lolly (Soapsicle!)

What’s been the most valuable resource for you and your business?

The most valuable resource for me has been the internet. I get the majority of my supplies online and a vast amount of my ideas, inspiration and tips come from there. Online soap making/beauty forums are excellent as I get to communicate with people from all over the world who do the same things as me. I have also received good advice from suppliers such as Bathbomb.biz and from various books.

Doughnut Soaps

Finally, can you tell us about Social Networking and your business?

I am involved in Social Networking on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and blogging but I have to admit that since being busier I have not had as much time to keep up to date with it all (naughty naughty).  But it is definitely worth working at as you get to meet great people whilst driving more traffic to your website. I think it is an essential tool for anyone that is serious about starting up their own business.

Thanks Chloe, it's been lovely to hear more about you and your business. 

If you'd like to contact Chloe you will find her on

Facebook www.facebook.com/cheekysuds 

And over on her website www.cheekysuds.co.uk

For general (and free!) advice on Cosmetic Regulations, selling your products and sourcing ingredients why not pop over to www.bathbomb.biz









Glastonbury Anyone?

Angel Gardens 

Are a bunch of people that "do the festival" circuit, setting up home for a few days and spreading happiness among the children of fellow festival goers.  Sam and the crew make all manner of wonderful things with the kids, put on many a free activity and hold bath bomb, soap, shampoo & candle making  workshops with a difference, using magical herbs.  In fact every item made at these workshops comes with its very own spell!

We've supplied Sam for a couple of years now and she's always good enough to take along some of our leaflets to give out, complete with discounts for our website BUT -

This year Sam is generously offering a 50% discount on any workshops providing you mention www.bathbomb.biz when you arrive!  Now that can't be bad can it?

I think Sam and her friends do a sterling job and I know that right now they are incredibly busy setting up - I'm even more aware of this than usual as email communication between us has failed a little bit! You have to love those email gremlins!  So please excuse my less than full information about Angel Gardens itinerary - but no matter, if you are off to Glasto then do give them a visit in the "Green Crafts" area, show your support and say Hello from all of us here please! :)

And if you're not one of the lucky ones off to Glastonbury this year, why not stop by Angel Gardens Facebook page & check back to see Sam's photos of all the fun?

The fun begins at Glastonbury on Weds the 22nd of June and lasts until Sunday the 26th June

Find out more about this year's events at Glastonbury here or take a peek at the musings from Glastonbury's Green Blogger, Rachel Wallace.

Top Ten Tips for Making Bath Bombs

1) Select your Citric Acid carefully; Super fine granules (table salt size) are best. Powder is too volatile, whilst coarse granules have a lumpy appearance and may "bobble" as your bath bombs dry out.

2) Be fussy about your Bicarb! Fine food grade Sodium Bicarbonate is best. Technical grade may contain unwanted impurities and granular varieties will result in a coarse looking bath bomb.

3) Want smooth bath bombs? Use Cornflour (Cornstarch) as 10-15% of your dry ingredient content. Cornflour also helps control the fizzing reaction between the ingredients as you are mixing.

4) Dry Ingredients = food grade.   Some of the ingredients such as Bicarb, Citric & Cornflour can be sourced in food stores.

5)Wet ingredients = cosmetic/toiletry grade. Fragrance, colours, etc should be purchased as cosmetic/toiletry grade.  Essential oils should be pure or blended with base oils.

6) Don't use water. Really, don't. Using water to bind your mix causes fizzing & expansion in the mixing process. Fact. Result = stressful and unattractive mad panic to get the mix to stick and mould without turning into a fizzing flop. (You can do it - but why?!) Vegetable Base Oils (Sweet almond, Grape Seed etc) or Witch hazel work well. Witch Hazel speeds the drying time so that your bath bombs can be safely handled/removed from their moulds within minutes.(depending upon the size of the mould) 

7) Spray your "wet" ingredients onto the mix. If using Witch Hazel to bind, always spritz from a fine mist "finger" spray. Oil can be "dripped" into your mix or sprayed on with the aid of a trigger type spray (the sort you get on a Febreeze bottle). Spraying helps distribute the oil more evenly and therefore there is less risk of some premature fizzing in the bowl.

8) Wear gloves and mix with your hands. You will learn to detect the correct consistency for making the perfect bath bombs, but believe me you will get there faster by using your hands as opposed to a spoon. Simply spray or pour with one hand whilst mixing with the other.

9) Ensure your moulds or containers are dry. Keep them away from the bowl when mixing/spritzing to avoid wetting them accidentally.  Sound obvious? Hmmm well we've been there.  Wet moulds = stuck & stranded creations! If this happens and you cannot remove your bath bomb - run the whole mould under the tap - it's preferrable to breaking the mould.  Alternatively, I've taken an entire-mould-stranded-but-otherwise-perfect bath bomb into the bath before. (Waste not want not as my Gramma said.) 

10) Don't over wet your mix; aim to achieve the same consistency that is needed to make really good sandcastles.  Damp enough to hold together but not sloppy. You can always add more moisture but if you've overdone it, it's almost impossible to recover your mix and adding more dry ingredient rarely helps.

11) Avoid steamy kitchens! Set your creations aside to dry in a damp free atmosphere.  If you've cooked a roast, rustled up some bath bombs and set them aside in your kitchen you may find when you return to admire them later that they've developed "bobbles". This is simply the damp in the air and can be avoided.

We hope these have been useful tips...We'd love to hear your experiences, so please do comment below :)


PS... ok so there are 11 top tips. Things don't always go to plan.... a bit like making bath bombs! Perhaps the best things in life are meant to be a little harder to achieve?  Philosophy aside, if you'd like a few more free recipes, hints and tips - why not sign up to our newsletter?