Spring is here, but with the cold weather still upon us (at least here on the East Coast), I’ll for sure be squeezing in a few more relaxing baths before the weather warms up. One of my all-time favorite bath bombs is LUSH’s Twilight, but at nearly $7 a pop, bath time can start to get pretty pricey when you’re taking them multiple times a week. Fortunately, I’ve come up with a little recipe that smells almost like the real thing (it’s not 100% perfect, but it does have a similar warm, sweet, and relaxing scent). It uses the four main scents found in Twilight – Lavender, Benzoin Resinoid, Tonka Bean, and Ylang Ylang.
I was able to find all four scents at Piping Rock. Three of which are essential oils (i.e. derived from 100% all-natural, pure plant sources), while Tonka Bean is a fragrance oil, meaning it’s synthetic/laboratory created, however it can still safe for use in bath and body products. (The real deal – Tonka Bean Absolute – is pretty expensive, at around $250 USD per oz.) Here are all the oils I used:
I’ve also added my own little spin to it though by taking out all the glitter and dyes, while adding in some dried lavender bits to complement the lavender essential oil.
DIY LUSH Twilight Bath Bomb Tutorial
This recipe makes approximately 2 and 1/2 large bath bombs, or 5-6 smaller sized bath bombs. You can easily double it if you’re looking to really stock up!
What You’ll Need:
- 1 cup baking soda (found at the grocery store)
- 1/2 cup corn starch (found at the grocery store)
- 1/2 cup citric acid
- 1/2 cup Epsom salts (fine grained)
- 3 tsp. carrier oil (coconut oil, jojoba oil, etc)
- 2 tsp. water
- fragrance mixture:
- 4 drops Lavender Oil
- 10 drops Tonka Bean
- 1 drop Ylang Ylang
- 1/2 tsp Benzoin Resinoid
- Optional: dried lavender flowers, hibiscus powder
Equipment:
I use large stainless steel bath bomb molds and smaller plastic molds, but you can also experiment with ice, soap, and candy molds for different sizes and shapes. I also use a small bowl for mixing the liquid ingredients, and large bowl for mixing all the ingredients together.
Step 1
Start by adding all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then mix everything together using a whisk.
Step 2
In a separate smaller bowl, combine all the essential/fragrance oils and carrier oil of your choice. Mix them all together.
Step 3
Start gradually adding your liquid mixture to your dry ingredients, mixing as you go. Continue adding a few drops at a time until you’ve used it all up.
Step 4
Slowly add water to the mixture while simultaneously mixing it with your hands or a whisk. Use a spray bottle to add the water if you have one, or add the liquid drop by drop.
It doesn’t take much water to dampen the mixture enough to form bath bombs. Go slowly, testing out the mixture every few sprays/drops. Once it has a consistency similar to dampened sand and stays together when pressed firmly, you’re good to go. (If you accidentally moisten the mixture too much, just add a little more baking soda.)
Step 5
Now it’s time to grab your molds. Take one half and add a pinch of dried lavender to the bottom of one mold.
Then, take some of your bath bomb mixture and fill in the rest of the mold, letting it overfill a bit. Grab your other half mold, filling it up slightly over the top again, then press the two molds together.
(Alternatively, you can use a silicone ice cube tray or cookie mold, in which case you’ll want to keep packing and pressing until the mixture feels solid.)
Once the mold is pressed tightly, gently tap it with a spoon to loosen your bath bomb. Then, lift the molds away very slowly. Gently place your bath bomb on a table to dry.
Step 6
Leave your bath bombs out for a couple of days to harden. Once they’ve completely hardened, store them in an airtight container or wrap them up in plastic wrap to keep them fresh (and to make sure the citric acid stays fizzy!). Grab one whenever your ready for a little relaxation time!
If you want to add some pink color to make it look like the actual Twilight bath bombs, simply add a few teaspoons of natural hibiscus powder. You can also add some dried lavender directly into your mixture. I did both with my second round of ‘mini’ bath bombs. 🙂
If you still want to experience a ‘Twilight’-like scent, but are fresh out of bath bombs, you can add a few drops of the Piping Rock Essential Oils to a shower steam. Or, mix them with a little coconut or jojoba oil and add to your bath water for some aromatherapy plus extra hydration!
Have you tried making your own homemade bath bombs?
What’s your favorite bath bomb scent?
Collaboration supported by Shopping Links
Save
