Teach Soap

Hello everyone,

i am having a great deal of bother with my bath bombs cracking or even breaking away after a day of being made

the recipe i use is

2 parts bicarbonate of soda
1 part citric acid
2 to 3 drops fragrance and colour
and a few drops of water

they mold up ok and are fine when i take them out of their molds. But at least a day after they crack so bad i wonder where have i gone wrong?

Some people use witch-hazel. Is that what i should use instead of water?

pls help xx

Much love

Suzanne

I am not good at bath bombs by any stretch of the imagination, but I thought water was a nono. I've seen recipes with tiny amounts but those have other butters and oils in them. More like a bath melt. Your recipe with just baking soda and citric acid seems like water might be the culprit. Witchazel works for moisture that won't set them off. Usually if they crack its because of moisture issues either too much or not enough. If you are using a larger mold sometimes it helps to add a bit of Kaolin Clay to make them stronger. They are touchy little buggers!

Water can activate the fizzing action. Which Hazel won't, which is why some people use it. I don't use either anymore as my recipe (after much playing) doesn't need any addition wetting now.

Cracking could be the weather, drying too quick, not packed hard enough...

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

What else could be used for Witch Hazel? Since I am currently in Germany, the suppliers won't/can't ship it to me..

Thanks

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Sonya
Living the life of a military wife and keeping my sanity. Hoorah

You should be able to get witch hazel at your local druggist / pharmacy. Usually in the first aid section.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

eBay is another source to get it. Or, if you're like me, you just ask your local tattooist hehe!

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

I don't use Witch Hazel because I seem to have a reaction to it. I do use water as well as some oil in my bath bombs. When I mix it in I am sure to move quickly to push the mixture over the water/oil/colorant to keep the fizzing down. The only time I have a problem with them is on humid days.

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Lisa
“What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul” ~ Yiddish proverb

Try making your bath bomb recipe with 10-15% oil...also try spritzing with vodka! ( cheaper than witch hazel and it all evaporates)
..also try to make that "wet sand" texture not so wet..pack as hard and as barely damp as you can.
Good luck!

Vodka!! But... but... what would I drink then?!?!

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

_________________
Lisa
“What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul” ~ Yiddish proverb