Snowball Bath Bombs
Learn how to make your own bath bombs and be creative using different colors, scented oils or eye-catching accents to make your fizzy mixtures unique!
Fun Facts/Information:
- Bath bombs were first created in 1989 by Mo Constantine, co-founder of the Lush Cosmetics company.
- The essential oils contained in some bath bombs can provide healthy benefits like relaxation, tension relief and mood improvement.
- Some bath bombs contain moisturizing ingredients like oils and Epsom salts that can hydrate and soften your skin.
- The fizzing action of bath bombs helps disperse the ingredients and colors throughout your bath water.
Learning Objectives:
- Students will use household products to create a bath bomb that demonstrates the difference between physical change and chemical change and how each can be messy, extreme, unnoticeable and even enjoyed!
- Students will observe the physical change of oil bonding with various powders during ingredient mixing.
- Students will observe the chemical reaction of the finished bath bomb when exposed to bath water.
Materials:
- ½ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup citric acid
- ¼ cup Epsom salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1.5 oz baby oil
- Plastic ornament sphere
- Large mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Paper towels
- Essential oils (optional)
- Natural (liquid or powder) food coloring (optional)
- Accents (ex: rose petals, dried flowers, orange peels, etc.) (optional)
Safety Considerations:
- Students may want to use rubber gloves to mix and mold the bath bomb.
- Use care when exiting the bath tub, as the oil in the bath bombs can create slick surfaces.
Procedures
Mix the 4 powders together in a large bowl and carefully stir with the mixing spoon.
Slowly add the baby oil & stir until well mixed. At this time, you may add a few drops of essential oils if you choose (optional). You have just created a physical change because the oil has bonded with the powders, but they remain the same ingredients.
Pack each half of the "bath bomb mold" with the new mixture. Use the spoon to really press the powders together into the molds. Once done, firmly press the 2 molds together & let sit for at least one minute.
Gently tap and pull the mold apart so that the mold slides off the bath bomb.
The bath bombs need to dry for at least 24 hours before use.
Once dry, try out your Snowball Bath Bombs in a warm tub or place them into a gallon bin or sink to observe the fizzing/bubbling that occurs. This is a chemical reaction. The water reacts with citric acid & baking soda and actually emits carbon dioxide gas to create the fizz.
Discussion Questions
- What is a chemical reaction? What other examples of a physical reaction can you think of?
- What is a physical reaction? What other examples of a chemical reaction can you think of?
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