Making valentine bath bombs with your kids or grandkids

By Joan Janzen

KINDERSLEY - There’s nothing kids enjoy more than making something with their hands, and Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to do just that. Making homemade bath bombs is a simple and fun project kids can enjoy along with their parents or grandparents. A friend was willing to share the process with kids who can have fun making a valentine for their mom or gramma.

Mix the ingredients together by hand until it is the consistency of wet sand. Then add colouring and fragrant essential oils of your preference. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN

Place rose petals in tin molds before pressing bath bomb mixture into tins. Allow to harden for 24 hours. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN

The finished product is ready to be placed in a gift bag. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN

In a bowl sift together 2 cups baking soda and 1 tablespoon cream of tartar. The cream of tartar causes the bath bomb to foam. You can also add 1 teaspoon surfactant (optional), which lengthens the fizz time. All of these ingredients can be found at your local grocery store.

Wearing latex gloves, combine the ingredients. Next add 1 ounce of avocado oil or melted coconut oil, which acts as a moisturizer. Add 1 cup fine grain citric acid and combine with other ingredients.

Now you’re ready to add 1 ounce of skin safe essential fragrance oil of your choice, as well as drops of food colouring until you attain the desired colour. If you want to have more than one colour or scent, divide the mixture into separate bowls before adding colour and essential oils.

Fill a spray bottle with distilled water and add water as needed until mixture becomes the consistency of wet sand.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of rose petals or another type of petals in heart-shaped tin molds before pressing the bath bomb mixture into the tins. Allow to harden for 24 hours, then line your counter with bubble wrap and gently remove the heart-shaped bath bombs from the tins. The recipe makes six medium sized hearts, which can be packaged and given as a homemade valentine gift.