You know those days where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong? Today was one of those days for me. And when I say everything, I mean everything.
At one point I found myself chastising the cat for ruining one of my favorite hand towels. And as I was bending over to pick the towel off the floor I actually split my shirt straight down the back from collar to hem. I so wish I was making this stuff up.
On days like this I realize how important it is to find the silver lining, no matter how small. For one, at least it wasnโt my pants that split down the back! And two, I have a cabinet full of these black bath bombs with my name on them and a good, long soak is just what the doctor ordered.
How to Make Black Bath Bombs
These black bath bombs are just like their pastel-colored counterparts, only when they dissolve they turn your bathwater an eerie shade of black. Simply drop one into hot running water and its like stepping into a steamy, bubbling cauldron.
But itโs not just about the color. Activated charcoal is well known for absorbing toxins from the body – but I like to think it may also absorb (ahem, exorcise) a bad mood, too. Toss in a few nourishing ingredients, skin soothing minerals and essential oils, and these babies will cleanse both body and soul.
Now, most bath bombs are made by combining baking soda, citric acid, sea salt or Epsom salt, and a liquid to hold everything together.
While I used to use a tiny bit of water as a binding agent, I could never quite get them to stick. Either I would use too much water and kick off the fizzing reaction. Or I wouldn’t use enough and my bath bombs would be super crumbly.
So now I just stick to coconut oil. You only need 1-2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil to create that wet sand consistency that’s ideal for bath bombs. And once it cools, it hardens just enough to bind your bath bombs so they pop out of the mold and hold together.
As for the color, I rely solely on activated charcoal. Just note that these black bath bombs won’t be as dark as some of the commercial bath bombs on the market unless you use a ton of charcoal. While you can always use non-toxic food coloring to deepen the color (mix together red, blue and yellow until you get an inky color), it’s not necessary. The beauty of these is that they’re more natural than bath bombs you can buy – even if they’re not quite as spooky looking.
As an added bonus, once you give tub a little scrub down, it will look cleaner than youโve seen it in months! Just make sure to keep an old sponge or scrub brush handy. After you hop out of the tub, quickly wipe down the walls and floor to remove any oily residue. Then take a quick shower to rinse off your body as well.
Ta-da! Shiny and new.
Black Bath Bomb FAQ
Are these safe for kids?
Yes, absolutely! All the ingredients are safe for children. If you plan to mix up the recipe a little bit, just make sure to choose kid-friendly essential oils, like lavender, mandarin orange, and chamomile.
Can I use olive oil instead of coconut oil?
I recommend coconut oil because it hardens as it cools and helps hold the bath bombs together. If you would like to use olive oil (or another type of carrier oil), I recommend having a spray bottle with water at the ready. Spritz the baking soda mixture with just enough water to reach a wet sand consistency, but not enough to kickstart the fizzing reaction. Pack them into your mold and let them dry overnight before removing the mold.
Will black bath bombs stain my skin or bathtub?
No, not at all. It will stick to your skin and the tub, so you should be prepared to rinse off when you’re done. But it won’t stain.
Black Bath Bomb Recipe
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Bath bomb mold
Materials
- 3/4 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup citric acid
- 1/4 cup Epsom salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 3 tablespoons activated charcoal
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the baking soda, citric acid and Epsom salt. Whisk and set aside.
- Add the melted coconut oil and stir everything as quickly as possible, before the oil has a chance to solidify. If needed, use your hands to break apart the solid bits until the mixture feels relatively smooth.
- Add the essential oil and activated charcoal, and use a spoon to mix. It should be the consistency of damp sand, so feel free to add more coconut oil, as needed.
- Pack your mixture tightly into a bath bomb mold, cupcake pan or small ramekin. Pop in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Remove the bath bomb from its mold and let dry overnight.
Love these black bath bombs! Made total of 8 and it is time to make more!!!! Find they soften the skin . The tub rinsed clean as just needed to wipe the oil of the bottom of it. I did melt my coconut oil and used it in place of any water to bind the bombs together. They released very easy from their molds.
Thank you so very much for this lovely bomb recipe!!
Yvonne
How many bath bombs does this make with the recipe listed? I need to make like 10 at a time.
Thanks!
I was wondering your thoughts on if these were safe for kids? I have a friend who’s daughters LOVE my bath bombs and i think they will get a kick outta the fact that these are black but i want to make sure they are safe foe them to use
Can you use Olive oil instead of the coconut oil?
Definitely!
I read over the instruction several times and never saw where to put the essential oils. I put mine in with the coconut oil and it worked great!
Omg it stinks like rotten eggs
this is amazing the bath bomb is great for the skin, its sodium bicarbonate and oils are the best things for the soothing of skin. thank you for providing this information. keep posting such kind of post.
Love this idea! But tell me, does the food colouring and charcoal stain your skin/tub? I’m more worried about the skin.
I’d like to know if it stains the tub as well.
Oops I guess not, I just reread the article, it says it leaves the tub cleaner than ever after you scrub it well.