How to Use a Bath Bomb? Tips & FAQs

The luxurious feel of a spa at home is a tantalizing thought. But do you know how to do a bath bomb bath right?

The fizzy, scented, glittery balls of fun may look incredible, but there are certain rules to follow and certain things to beware of if you hope to truly enjoy your bathing experience. These crumbly bombs come in different colors and scents, different shapes and sizes. Some are simple, some are eccentric-looking. All make your water softer, leaving your skin nourished. Well, almost all.

Below, we discuss how to use a bath bomb for a relaxing, luxury spa experience in the comfort of your home, as well as some extra bath bomb tips and questions to take up your baths.

What Is a Bath Bomb?

A bath bomb is generally a sphere, but not necessarily, of a combination of two main ingredients – citric acid and a base (usually baking soda). In addition, we find different essential oils, rose petals, glitters, and sometimes crazier ingredients among the list. One in the water, expect fizzing and a release of incredible color, ensuring an almost magical experience. Definitely worth having around for a quiet, calming, nourishing soak, in lieu of a Netflix binge… or perhaps in parallel.

How to Choose a Bath Bomb?

As mentioned, there are many different types of these balls of goodness, for every personality and the day’s needs. If you’re looking for fun colors and glitter, you’d be picking something more in the eccentric tune, while those who would like some nourishment would often opt for colorless and oily versions. When shopping for the best bath bombs, you’ll have to first figure out what the reason is to pick one up.

A Pick-Me-up Bath Bomb: You’ll want to pick a ball of strong-scented love if you’d like to relax your limbs and wake up your senses, getting yourself ready for the hustle and bustle of the day ahead. Lemon and peppermint are your best options here, with the former offering a fresh, clean scent, and the latter doing its best to relieve you of your headaches.
A Soft and Silky Bath Bomb: If you suffer from dry skin, you will want special nourishment. This means specific oils, such as almond, avocado, coconut, as well as butters, such as shea and cocoa. They will soften the skin and provide much-needed nourishment to the upper layers of your skin.
A Fun Mood Bath Bomb: You’ll want a bath bomb that’s more aesthetically pleasing than your average bath accessory, complete with strong colors, glitter, and perhaps some rose petals. Just make sure you read the back and put down any item with phthalates and other unwanted ingredients.
A Sinus Relief Bath Bomb: Pick up a bomb with eucalyptus oil to help clear out your sinuses and curb a cold. Add it to a tub of warm water and sink into it, allowing your body to relax as the strong scent does its work. Peppermint also does wonder in settling an upset stomach and easing a headache. You’ll feel refreshed and energized.
A Relaxing Bath Bomb: After a long day at work, you just want to relax your body, ease the stress, and battle that depression that keeps trying to pull you under. For this, you might want to go with essential oils, such as lavender, chamomile, and rose.
A Natural Bath Bomb: If all you really need is to pamper your skin that’s been exposed to so many toxins throughout the day, pick up a ball of salts, clays, and herbs. Your soft skin will thank you for the moisturization and nourishment. You can even make your own bath bomb at home using the ingredients you like!

How to Protect Your Drainage?

One problem you might face with a bath bomb is getting things in your drainage that will clog the pipes. These include rose petals, which look amazing floating about but won’t go through to the sewers all that well.

It is recommended to use a cloth bag or even a nylon stocking in order to keep things at bay. The oils and fragrances will pass through the bag unhindered. Once you’re done, just empty the bag and recycle. Washing and reusing might also be an option, depending on the material.

It is recommended to clean your bath water before allowing it to go down the drain. A special net over the hole at the bottom of the tub should help catch the worst of it, ensuring you have fewer problems in the near future.

How to Properly Take a Bath Bomb Bath?

This is how you should use a bath bomb properly:

Prep
Get ready for your bath as you normally would. Plug the tub and fill it up with water as warm or hot as you prefer, as deep or as shallow as you’d like. Once it’s ready, turn off the water.
Drop the Bomb into the Water
Grab your bomb and place it into the tub. The moment it touches the water, it will begin to break and dissolve, releasing colors, oils, salts, and butter. You can enter the water while the bomb is still fizzing, so feel free to get in anytime. You may even enter before you put the bomb in.
Relax
Sit back in a comfortable position and relax. Meditate if you enjoy that. Allow your body to soak in the goodness of the minerals and oils in the ball you just dropped. Enjoy the water for as long as you’d like or until it starts to get cold. Don’t stay too long, though, as you’ll get wrinkles and pruney skin.
Rinse off
If you used a bath bomb with glitter or color, you might want to step into the shower for a rinse. It’s not necessary to use soap or a shower gel, but you may if you’d like. You might want to stick to natural-ingredient bombs if you prefer to skip that last step.
Clean the Tub
Clean the tub after you’re done. This is especially necessary to prevent any color rings should there have been dyes in the bomb. It’s easiest to clean while still damp. Clean out the petals or other pieces first before allowing the water to flow down the drain.

How to Turn Your Bath Bomb Bath into a Luxury Spa Experience?

While the bath itself will feel amazing, here are a few things you can do to truly increase the sensation of having walked into a luxury spa for the evening:

Fold a small towel to put behind your head, neck, and shoulders, offering better support that is soft and comfortable.
Have a book ready beside you and some towels to ensure you never touch your treasure with soggy fingers. You can keep it in a plastic bag until you’re good and ready to read for an hour.
Bring a drink, preferably alcoholic if you can. Though careful not to drink too much and to make sure the water’s not too hot if you are indulging.
Something to eat near the tub would be simply heavenly, especially if you’re treating yourself to some fondue. You love yourself. At least, you should. Enjoy treating all your senses at once.
Put on a face mask so that you’re getting every part of your body pampered. By the time you finish with your bath, the mask will have done its job.

How to Use a Bath Bomb? — @kirstenzellers

Tips for Taking a Bath Bomb Bath

You know how to take a bath, obviously. You’ve been doing it all your life. You lie down in the lukewarm water and sometimes grab a book with you. Sometimes you put on your headphones and definitely don’t move, lest you cause an irreparable accident. Usually, you have a bottle of wine, maybe some soap for a bubble bath, and all you need for a relaxing soak.

Your bath bomb will come in handy to make this time you focus on yourself all the better. What can you do to ensure an even lovelier experience?

Consider cutting the ball in two, thus ensuring it lasts longer. One half will be used for the present soak, with the other half nicely wrapped in plastic and stored in a dry location, awaiting the next time you carve out an hour to relax.
Store complete or half bombs in mason jars or other such air-tight containers, ensuring it’s dry first. Moisture will cause it to fizz. It’s best to use it as quickly as possible to prevent moisture from ruining it. A bath bomb doesn’t come cheap.
If you find you don’t want the bomb to melt away immediately, you can use the balls as air fresheners, putting them on a tiny dish in a bathroom and allowing the fragrance to overtake.
Don’t stay in the bath for longer than 20-40 minutes, depending on your body type. It might be as little as 10 minutes. It would be worth it, though.
Use a bubble bar with the bomb for double the effect and three times the fun.
Add extra essential oils if you feel the bath is not soft enough for your liking.
If you don’t have much time, a shower bomb might do the trick, as well. They will still fizz upon moisture touching them. These usually also have seaweed and potato starch added to create a puffy mousse that can be used as cleansing shower foam.
There are certain things to add to your bath that are both medically necessary and great fun. One combination you can do with the bomb is the addition of goat milk, rose, and lavender, which works wonders on sensitive skin.
Finally, it’s important that you have the mood set right before you enter the tub, ensuring calm and relaxation in a spa-like home facility.

Common Bath Bomb FAQs

To make sure you make the best of your bath bombs, find the answers to common bath bomb questions below.

Do Bath Bombs Expire?

Like any other product, bath bombs have expiration dates, usually within one year. However, after six months, they do become less effective, and the amount of fizzes reduces over time, although you still can use them.

Will Bath Bombs Stain Me?

No. It should dissolve into the water, and like a typical soap bar, it can be washed and rinsed off.

Are Bath Bombs Safe?

Yes, they are, as long as you pick ones from reputable brands and steer clear of harmful ingredients.

Can I Wash My Hair in the Water with the Bath Bomb in It?

Yes, you can, only make sure to rinse it to get rid of any dyes, fizzy, and glitter.

Should I Take a Shower Before My Bath Bomb Bath?

You can, but not necessarily. Your bath bomb bath will clean your skin while infusing it with all the good ingredients in it. However, do rinse your body afterward to get rid of the fizzy, glitter residue.

Should I Drop the Bath Bomb While I’m in the Tub or out?

Both ways will work perfectly.

Photos via Lush, Instagram

In this article: