Teach Soap

I need some advice! Here is the background: I have tested out a few different recipes so far when I am making bath bombs. I live in Florida, so I leave the bath bombs in the fridge over night to set. Both times, once I have taken the bath bomb out of the mold and it has been sitting for a bit, it begins to expand. They are rock hard once I remove them from the mold, but after being in the air, I can see they start to expand very gradually. I tried replacing water for witch hazel because I read that water prematurely activates it, but it still seems to expand. I used less coconut oil this time trying to reduce the moisture, but I am not sure if I should use less or none at all since I live in a moist climate. I made sure that my epsom salt was fine instead of large crystals and that didn’t seem to help either. I bought my citric acid at Whole Foods (food grade with natural preservatives). Here is my recipe as follows below (I did the half amount of everything though as I did not want to make sure a large batch, although I don’t think that matters). I made sure they had a consistency like wet sand as well because last time it was a bit grainier. I really need some guidance! I love making these but they don’t stay once I remove them from the fridge! I am not sure if I should be using more corn starch to help them stay hard, if I should buy a different brand of Epsom salts, if I should use less/no oil, should I be adding borax, etc.

1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup corn starch
1/4 cup epsom salt
1/2 cup citric acid
2-3/4 tablespoons coconut oil
3/4 tablespoon witch hazel (poured in, not spritzed)
1-1/2 teaspoon essential oil
Drops of food dye

I have gotten feedback from Kelsey at Soap Queen and she suggested it is that the bath bombs are creating condensation once being moved from the fridge to room temperature (as they increase in temperature). She suggested that I should not put them in the fridge and instead use a dehumidifier if needed, or put in a container with rice or silica beads to keep moisture away. I will keep you all posted!

Witch hazel is only 14% active ingredient. The rest is water. You might have a better luck spritzing it instead of pouring it in. If it's humid where you are, the change in temps from the fridge to room temp creates condensation. I would not put it in the fridge.

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I'm wondering if that recipe dbernard created could be used as a good bubble bath, but in a powdered form? There's nothing there that's sounds like it would be irritating to the skin. I think you may have stumbled upon a good thing!! Sounds fun to me especially for kids.

_________________
“SOAP AND WATER AND COMMON SENSE ARE THE BEST DISINFECTANTS.”

_________________
~Kelly~

_________________
“SOAP AND WATER AND COMMON SENSE ARE THE BEST DISINFECTANTS.”