Teach Soap

Hey everyone! I'm brand new to making bath bombs---have made a grand total of two. I've used two different recipes, one bomb came out perfect but with the other, I couldn't keep the halves together. I ended up scraping it out of the mold (stainless steel domes) and trying to pack it again after another couple of spritzes of witch hazel. It still didn't come out, but there was some excess that I stuffed into a plastic mold and that one was nice and solid.

So my question is, does anyone know what I was most likely doing wrong the second time? Not enough witch hazel (I used a lot total, but mixed it in slowly)? Bad recipe? Any advice would be much appreciated.

I have had this happen with some of mine in the same batch while others stayed together. I could only think that I didn't get the molds packed tight enough or that I didn't put enough pressure on the molds while pushing the two parts together. I have a recipe with clays that works well for me.
I also make what I call bath tablets. I use the lid of a Republic of Tea can and pack the mixture in that. The tablets are just the right size and don't come apart because they are all on piece in the first place. Some people also use the silicone mini soap molds for bath fizzies.

Thanks! I think I actually have a couple of tins of Republic of Tea around here, so I'll try that. The big round bombs are a great shape, but it's probably not worth it if I'm losing batches here and there just due to the halves coming apart and me having to dig them out of the mold

Does demolding bath bombs work the same way as M&P, where if you're having trouble getting it out of the mold you can pop it in the freezer for a few minutes and then run it under hot water? Being careful not to graze the bomb with water, of course...

I have better luck dipping the tea can lids in corn starch. I have not tried the silicone molds for bath fizzies yet.

So, I've made four batches altogether now (four different recipes of one bomb each)... and all but the first one came apart. The main differences in the recipes are that 1) the successful batch had shea butter, and 2) the unsuccessful batches may have been spritzed with too much witch hazel? I'm just wondering what's the most likely cause of the halves not wanting to stick together, but I know it's tough to give advice without actually witnessing what I'm doing! Any help is much appreciated

I find if my mixture is like slightly damp sand, it stays together better.

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

I pm'd you with a recipe that works for me. Hope it helps.

The clay should help make them set harder.

I have found that mine stay together much better since I started using oils (sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed etc) and vegetable glycerine to hold them together, rather than spritzing with witch hazel. There are added advantages, that you can market the moisturising qualities of the oils. I certainly find both my skin and hair feel silkier when I climb out of a bath that has had some sweet almond oil in it. I usually start mixing it together, the way you would mix up flour and butter to make breadcrumbs for apple crumble! Rubbing the dry ingredients with the oil, between my fingers, so they start to clump together a bit.

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"The question is: does it work on stage? If it works on stage, does it fit the theory? If it works on stage, but doesn't fit the theory; throw out the theory." Bertolt Brecht

Here is a video showing how to make bath bombs. This lady uses a method combining pressure and movement. This really helped me to make those tough round bath bombs. I don't use her recipe, but I like her method of molding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOY7QFOVv6A

oh, I have never seen a video of bath bomb making, so I thank you for that, I wanna look! As for me, I have never used witch hazel for my bombs, I use a small amount of oil and that has worked for me. Don't give up, just try something different!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy