How to use a bath bomb

How to use a bath bomb is not complicated, but a few small choices change the bath you get: when you drop it in, how warm the water is, and what you do when you step out. Here is the method we print on our own box, the reasons behind each step, and how a bath bomb compares with bath salts.

What a bath bomb is

A bath bomb is a pressed ball of two dry ingredients, sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, that fizz when they meet water. The fizz spreads whatever else is pressed into the ball through the bath: scent, and often a little oil for soft-feeling skin.

That is all the "bomb" part is. There is no trick to setting it off, and you cannot do it wrong enough to spoil it.

How to use a bath bomb, step by step

1. Run a warm bath. Warm, not hot. Our directions say warm water, and dermatologists advise the same for dry skin.
2. Drop the bath bomb in. Our directions say to drop it in under the running water, which whips the fizz into foam. If you would like to watch it spin and dissolve slowly, wait until the tub is full and the tap is off.
3. Let it fizz until it has dissolved. A few minutes is normal. You can get in while it is still going.
4. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. That is the time on our box.
5. Rinse off. A quick rinse under the shower clears any leftover salt or oil from your skin. Rinse the tub as well, because a bath bomb may leave some residue.
6. Pat dry and moisturize. Put on body oil or cream while your skin is still slightly damp.

What is in our Eucalyptus Bath Bomb

Our Eucalyptus Bath Bomb is a 4.41 oz (125 g) bomb made for a single bath. Sodium bicarbonate and citric acid make it fizz into foam. Eucalyptus oil, wild mint leaf oil and menthol give it a fresh, green scent, and there are flecks of real dried peppermint leaf pressed in. A little sweet almond oil is there for soft-feeling skin after the bath.

Things worth knowing before you buy:

• It contains sweet almond oil, a nut oil. Skip it if you avoid nuts.
• There are no colorants in the ingredient list, so the water does not turn a bright color and there is no dye to stain the tub.
• It is strongly scented with essential oils and menthol. If you avoid fragrance, it is not for you.
• The peppermint leaf flecks float. They rinse away with the bath water.
• It is vegan and cruelty-free, has no parabens, and comes in a recyclable cardboard box. It is for external use only.

Bath bomb or bath salts?

They both scent a bath, but they behave differently in the water. A bath bomb is a single, measured, fizzing soak. Bath salts are scooped by hand, dissolve quietly and last for several baths. Here is how our three compare:

Pick the bomb for a fresh, minty bath with some theater. Pick the Lavender Bath Salt for a slow evening soak with real petals, or the Sandalwood Bath Salt if you prefer a warm, woody scent to a floral one. In the Sandalwood salt, sandalwood is a note in the scent, built from oils such as patchouli; it is not an ingredient.

Getting more out of the bath

• Scrub first, soak second. If you use a body scrub, do it in the shower before the bath, then soak. Our Volcano Scrub is made for that order.
• Close the door. The scent of a eucalyptus and mint bomb fills a small, warm room quickly.
• Oil or cream straight after. A light body oil smoothed over damp skin, such as our Glow Body Oil, keeps skin feeling soft once you are dry. For rough elbows, knees and heels, see urea cream for rough, dry skin.
• Store bombs dry. Moisture starts the fizz, so keep the bomb in its box, away from a steamy shelf, until bath night.

A bath bomb or a jar of salts is also an easy present; our skincare gift ideas has more, and the whole bath and candles range is in one place.

Who should go easy on bath bombs

If your skin is very dry, long soaks can make it drier. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests keeping baths and showers to five to ten minutes in warm water, patting skin dry and applying moisturizer straight away. So on dry-skin weeks, shorten the soak and do not skip the cream.

Skip scented bath products on broken or irritated skin, and if a product stings or itches, get out and rinse off. Our bath bomb's scent is there for a fresh, spa-style soak. We do not claim it eases aches, clears a cold or helps you sleep.

Frequently asked questions

Do you put a bath bomb in before or after running the water?

Either works. Dropped in under the running tap, it makes more foam. Dropped into a full, still bath, it fizzes more slowly and you can watch it dissolve.

How long should you soak with a bath bomb?

About 15 to 20 minutes. If your skin is very dry, keep it shorter and moisturize straight after.

Should you rinse off after a bath bomb?

Yes, a quick rinse is a good idea. It clears leftover salt, oil and leaf flecks from your skin. Our directions say to rinse off after bathing.

Can you use a bath bomb more than once?

Ours is one 125 g bomb for one bath. Once it touches water it keeps fizzing until it is gone, so it cannot be saved halfway.

Can you take a shower with a bath bomb?

A bath bomb is made to dissolve in a tub of water that you then soak in. In a shower it would simply dissolve on the floor, so it is not what we would use there.

Will a bath bomb stain the tub?

Our Eucalyptus Bath Bomb has no colorants in its ingredient list. It may leave some residue, so give the tub a quick rinse after your bath.

Sources

American Academy of Dermatology. Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin
Product details and directions are taken from the exokiss Eucalyptus Bath Bomb, Lavender Bath Salt and Sandalwood Bath Salt pages. This article is general information, not medical advice.