Nothing is better than a nice, warm bath after a long days work and these homemade Hibiscus Bath Bombs are sure to help you relax while exfoliating and soothing your skin.

Hibiscus Bath Bombs

These pretty, pink Hibiscus Bath Bombs are great for helping improve skin elasticity, exfoliation and relaxing. They also make great gifts!

Hibiscus

It is said that hibiscus is a powerful anti-aging plant that is filled with collagen boosting properties. The results of adding hibiscus powder to your soap can result in softer, younger looking skin! It can also:

Help improve skin elasticity
Tighten wrinkles and fine lines
Speed up cell turnover
Unclog pores to help prevent blackheads
Control acne due to the anti-bacterial properties
Exfoliate dead skin cells
Reduce damage from UV rays
Soothe skin
Boost collagen production

Essential Oils

Essential oils are potent, and need to be diluted. Make sure to do your research first and use with extreme care. As this soap is being used on your body, you will need to use essential oils that are gentle enough to be applied to your skin – and use in the correct quantities. Be careful to avoid sensitive areas like your eyes. Also, make sure to use oils that are safe for kids if using this soap on your kids.

Be careful when using some essential oils such as lemon. This is a photosensitive oil, which means that you can have a reaction if you go out in the sun within a few hours of using it. For this reason, when using Lemon essential oil in body care products, I use this Steam-Distilled Lemon Essential Oil from Plant Therapy as it is not phototoxic, which means you don’t have to worry about phototoxicity.

Carrier Oils

When making an infused oil, choosing the correct carrier oil can improve the impact of the end product as each carrier oil has its own set of distinct properties. Blending a couple of carrier oils can also help maximise their benefits.

With this recipe, there are multiple carrier oils that could be used including:

Avocado Oil
Sweet Almond Oil
Argan Oil
Rosehip Oil
Hemp Oil
Safflower Oil

You can learn more about carrier oils here.

Bath Bombs Notes

If you have trouble getting your bath bomb halves to stick together, then this could be a result of filling the moulds incorrectly. Slightly overfill each half of the moulds and very lightly pat the mixture down when making the bath bombs. This should help them stick together better and make them easier to release from the moulds.

If your bath bombs begin to crack, this could happen for a few reasons.

The mixture has dried out too much when making the bath bombs. Try wrapping in cling wrap to stop this from occurring.
The bath bombs may not have been formed correctly. Make sure to press the moulds firmly together to help them stick better.
When there is too much moisture in the mixture, this can cause cracking when drying.

When drying your bath bombs, you will need to place them in a dry place out of direct sunlight. Also avoid drying them out in the kitchen or bathroom areas due to moisture from cooking or using the bathroom. They may not set correctly due to the humidity in the air, or you may have added too much liquid. Try adding more baking soda or citric acid to harden the bath bomb better.

However, if you live in a humid area, the bath bombs can attract moisture from the air if left out. This can cause them to expand and possibly begin to sizzle. You will need to find the driest spot in your home. This can be in a pantry or cupboard.

If you decided to add colour to your bath bombs, try using a natural ingredient, or mica, to colour them.

Also, too much cornflour, oil or water can cause the bath bomb to lack fizz.

Storing Bath Bombs

Bath bombs need to be stored in a sealed, airtight container in a dry, cool place. Avoid direct sunlight and heat as this can cause them to go bad. If you live in a humid area, you could try individually wrapping them in cling wrap to see how they hold up.

These bath bombs should be good for up to six months. Over time, they will begin to lose their scent and fizz, the longer they sit.

More Hibiscus (Rosella) Ideas

Ingredients for Making Hibiscus Bath Bombs

To make 8 big bath bombs, you will need:

1 Cup Cornflour
2 Cups Bicarbonate of Soda
1 Cup Epsom Salts
1 Cup Citric Acid
12 tsp Hibiscus Infused Oil
2 TBSP Hibiscus Powder
20 drops Essential Oil – optional
Large Bath Bomb Mould

Hibiscus Infused Oil

To make these bath bombs, you will first need to make hibiscus infused oil.

First you will need to infuse the hibiscus in the carrier oil. To do this, let your fresh flowers dry for at least a day or two before infusing.

Place the dry hibiscus flowers in a glass jar and cover it completely with a carrier oil such as extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil, or avocado oil.

Put the lid on the jar and store in a dark cupboard for two to four weeks, shaking every couple of days to keep everything submerged.

Strain the flowers with a strainer, cheesecloth or an unbleached coffee filter. The infused oil is now ready to use in these bath bombs.

If you want to speed up the infusion process, slowly heat the oil in a slow cooker on low heat for 24 – 48 hours.

For more information on making infused oils, check this out.

Making Hibiscus Bath Bombs

In a bowl, combine the cornflour, bicarbonate of soda and the Epsom salts together. Mix together well and then set the bowl aside for later.

If using essential oils, add them to the hibiscus infused oil and mix thoroughly.

Slowly pour the infused oil into the bowl with the dry ingredients, mixing as you go.

The mixture will clump together like damp sand when it is ready. If you find it is too dry, carefully add a very small amount of extra infused oil as needed.

When the mixture has reached the right consistency, slowly mixture through the citric acid.

Gently mix through the hibiscus powder.

Pack the mixture into the bath bomb moulds, slightly overfilling them which will help them stick when pressed together.

Push the two halves of the mould together and twist until the metals touch each other.

Gently tap one side of the bath bomb and take the mould off. Repeat for the other half of the mould.

Carefully place the bath bomb on a lined baking tray and repeat with the remaining mixture.

Allow the bath bombs to dry for at least 24 hours or until they are hard to touch. If you find they are still crumbly, then let them sit a bit longer.

Using Bath Bombs

To use your bath bombs, fill the bathtub with warm water. Drop in one bath bomb, which will fizz and dissolve. Let it fully dissolve before hopping in.

Be careful when hopping in the bathtub that you don’t slip.

As always, when using essential oils, always do your research first!