Have you ever wanted to know how to make a shower bomb or shower soother? It’s merely a different version of a bath bomb that fizzes and fizzles while you take a shower. It’s a great project and a perfect gift idea.
Shower bombs are perfect for taking a quick “wake me up” shower as the aroma, and the steam will help wake you up.
If you are looking for something relaxing, consider trying these Stress Away Shower Soothers after this project!
Shower Bomb recipe
I love these.
Generally, I am a shower person since I am always running in 500 directions. I honestly can’t remember the last time I took a nice, long bath. These make the quick shower experience a little more like a “spa.” Check out how easy these are to make.
Below are the ingredients you will need for a shower bomb. I include a few affiliate links so you can see what I used.
How to Make a Shower Bomb
- 2 cups Baking Soda
- 1/2 cup Citric Acid
- 20 drops Peppermint essential oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp water
- 6 drops food coloring if you want different colors (I used blue)
- Silicone Mold or other shape making product
- dropper and a small bowl
or other shape making product
If you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, this may be the easiest thing to use. Pour the baking soda and citric acid into the mixing bowl and stir well.
In a small bowl, add water, essential oil, and food coloring. Mix well.
Once you have all of the ingredients mixed, you should have a light colored damp mixture. You don’t want it wet like a paste, just moist.
How to make shower soothers
I then took the mold and my tablespoon and scooped the mixture into the mold. It takes about two tablespoons of mixture per mold piece.
Once you have all of the mold full, take the spoon and press down to make sure they are right and compact. Allow the mixture to sit for a few hours to rest and begin to dry.
After a couple of hours carefully remove the shower bombs from the silicone mold and allow to continue to dry overnight.
You want to make sure they are in a safe place, so they don’t get wet.
I like to keep these in a jar on the counter so when it’s shower time I can grab one and go.
I love how refreshing the smell is, and how the steam and the Peppermint help open up my head congestion right when I need it. It’s a nice “wake me up,” too.
Stress Away Shower Soothers are also fantastic and easy to make. You can find them here!
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Seana Turner says
January 26, 2015 at 11:45What a beautiful product. So do you just drop them on the floor of the shower then? I’ve never heard of these…. I’m thinking stocking stuffers for next year, or a nice gift for girlfriends!
Jennifer says
January 26, 2015 at 11:58That’s correct! Just grab one and place it on the floor of the shower. It will dissolve before you get out, and these do make great gifts! I’m going to do more in different scents. LOVE these.
Melissa says
January 28, 2015 at 08:58I’m now a bath person either. Going to try these out!
Mary says
January 30, 2015 at 08:54I am going to try these for baby shower gifts. Great for bridal shower too. Thank you! 🙂
Jennifer says
January 30, 2015 at 09:50They are really awesome. I love just to throw one in and wake up. 🙂
Kathy R says
January 30, 2015 at 09:23What is the purpose of the citric acid in this recipe? Can it be made without it? Also, I’ve read that “artificial” citric acid is a problem. The link to the CA you provided does not state what kind of CA it is (natural or artificial). thanks!
Jennifer says
January 30, 2015 at 09:54I have never made these without the citric acid, but I believe it helps keep the end product together as well as keep it from dissolving to quickly. The link (which is the exact one I purchased) says it is 100% pure citric acid. Hopefully that helps! 🙂
Caleb Roberts says
March 1, 2018 at 10:23The citric acid reacts with the bicarbonate (base) to produce carbon dioxide gas which is why it fizzes. Without an acid you wont get a reaction that produces gas. I don’t know about the artificial CA tho.
Tamara says
January 30, 2015 at 14:04Oh fun! I might skip the food coloring personally but you used the perfect amount. I can just smell it now!
Actually, I literally can. I have Peppermint oil on my fingernails.
Amanda says
February 2, 2015 at 13:41I just recently got on the Young Living bandwagon. I’m excited to try your shower bomb recipe! Pinned!
Beverly says
February 2, 2015 at 19:55What an easy and great idea. I would love these. Definitely trying this.
Bev
Brandi Clevinger says
February 6, 2015 at 16:27Peppermint is also good for pain, so these are a must try for me!
Thanks for sharing at Inspire Me Mondays!
Cara fowler says
February 12, 2015 at 16:39Has anyone tried using thieves in these?
Ginger says
February 13, 2015 at 15:37Love these! I pinned your post a few weeks ago when I was planning for a Make & Take class. We didn’t make them that night b/c of the time to dry, but they are definitely on my list for myself. 🙂 I’m featuring you tomorrow at Show Me Saturday. Thanks for linking up.
Lisa says
September 13, 2015 at 12:22I just found this on Pinterest and would love to make these for Christmas gifts. How many shower bombs can you make out of one batch?
Jennifer says
September 14, 2015 at 08:58I was able to make the entire silicon tray once, and I had a little left over to where I could make a few more if needed. 🙂
Julie McCartney says
November 21, 2015 at 17:43How long do they last in storage (mason jars)? I made eucalyptus ones and they’re amazing! But want to make ahead for Christmas. TX!
Jennifer says
November 22, 2015 at 18:29I think they would last for a couple of months. I am not sure how much longer because mine were all gone!
Kelly says
February 4, 2016 at 10:40Was it a 12 spot tray? Trying to get a better idea of how many one batch makes for a make n take we are planning…
Thanks for the information 🙂
Jennifer says
February 4, 2016 at 14:06It’s the 24 cavity silicone tray. I have the link for the same one I used under the list of supplies. Hope that helps!
Autumn says
November 28, 2015 at 09:25I have a large open shower and didn’t really get the peppermint sensation with this recipe. Are you using these in a smaller closed in shower?
Jennifer says
November 28, 2015 at 10:16My shower is more closed in and is not very large. If you have a larger shower and want a stronger scent, you can always adjust your peppermint ratio, or use more than one when you shower. 🙂
jess greco says
December 8, 2015 at 12:43Was disappointed with this i followed the directions exactly planned on doing these for xmas gifts and i didnt even make it into the shower and it was gone already!
Jennifer says
December 9, 2015 at 12:09I am so sorry you had a difficult time with these. I wouldn’t give up! They are amazing, and maybe you accidentally added a little too much liquid. Hopefully you will get a second chance and they will turn out amazing. 🙂
Amy says
December 8, 2015 at 15:01Im making right now in a silicon sheet just like yours, however, they are puffing up like cupcakes. Did yours do that? They sure don’t looks as pretty as yours. Did I put too much water in? I also used eucalyptus and lavender in mine. ????
Jennifer says
December 9, 2015 at 12:07Oh no! Mine did not puff up at all. In fact, I packed my ingredients in. If they are getting puffy, you may have used too much liquid. 🙁
Valerie says
February 26, 2017 at 10:44Mine also puffed up somewhat, but here are some things I might have done wrong. I added liquid very slowly but not with a dropper so I might have caused the reaction to begin in the mixing. I used a 6 mold rather than 12 so they might have been too big. I’m going to try again.
Adrienne says
December 14, 2015 at 16:56I see that a few people had some trouble making these, but I just made a batch to give as gifts with my handmade soaps and lip balms, and they came out great. A few notes: when Jennifer says to add the essential oil mixture a couple of drops at a time, she means it! If you dump the whole thing it at once, you will end up with a big, fizzy failure. Also, if you don’t have a stand mixer (and I don’t) it works fine to keep stirring with a spoon with one hand while you add the EO mixture with the other. Finally, when you use them, put the soother on the very outside of the shower stream so it gets wet slowly and releases the fragrance a bit at a time. Otherwise, it will melt before you’ve managed to get your hair wet.
Shannon says
December 19, 2015 at 16:13What are the instructions for the person receiving these as a gift? Can you put in a dish in the shower as a aromatherapy bomb or just on shower floor?
Jennifer says
December 22, 2015 at 12:41You just place them on the shower floor. I would place these in the shower just before you get in. Otherwise, they may be gone before you get in. 🙂
Deanna says
January 11, 2016 at 11:08I made these a few weeks ago in a gingerbread silicone mold, but they puffed up. Any suggestions?
Jennifer says
January 11, 2016 at 13:01Hmmm, I am not sure. I made sure to pack mine really well and then let them sit overnight to dry out some before I removed them from the mold.
Rebecca says
January 31, 2016 at 13:36I love this recipe!! Just curious, what does the citric acid do in the recipe? Thanks
Monica says
February 2, 2016 at 08:58Does anyone know if the food coloring has stained any bath tubs?? Just worried about that!! Otherwise, the recipe sounds great!!
Sunny says
November 20, 2016 at 18:09I was wondering the same thing…anyone used these on a white shower floor before?
Jennifer says
December 2, 2016 at 12:50My shower floor is white and it didn’t stain or anything. I love them!
Chiara says
October 12, 2016 at 13:49Fantastic idea! But how do you use these bombs in shower?? You keep them in your hand and then you put on your skin?
Because in bath they are fantastic and easier to use!!
Thanks
Chiara
Jennifer says
October 20, 2016 at 21:01You place them on the floor of the shower and allow the water and steam to create the aroma from the bombs. 🙂
Gena says
November 6, 2016 at 11:35I followed the directions & most of the scent evaporated over night. I ended up adding 3 drops to all of the steamers again. Has anyone tried the baking method instead?
I used a water-based food colouring to avoid staining. You need to use about 25 drops to get a faint blue colour.
Trisha Brown says
November 19, 2017 at 22:05I read somewhere that if you were to “bake” them, don’t put the Essential Oils INTO the mixture, but to put the oils ONTO the dried discs.
Jennifer says
February 1, 2018 at 16:42You don’t want to heat the oils up because it will kill the effectiveness of them.
Ashley says
December 17, 2016 at 12:26I only bought 2 molds. How can I store the left over so I can make more tomorrow?
Jennifer says
December 21, 2016 at 11:25I save mine in jars and they are easy to store. In fact, some of mine have been stored for several months and are still fully intact.
Amy Dearie says
December 20, 2016 at 12:23I did 2 batches of this. First batch totally worked. Second was all crumbly. Can I salvage it? Thought about adding more water to make it “packable” again? The only difference was the oil blend that I can figure out. Thanks!
Tia says
December 20, 2016 at 15:36I made a few batches using a variety of different oil combinations. They look nice and fast through most of the shower if I keep them at the edge of water but I didn’t get a very strong scent from them. Should I just add more drops of oil? Do you think the brand of oils used will make a difference?
Jennifer says
December 30, 2016 at 16:27You could probably add more oil to them if you want a stronger scent.
Cheryl says
December 24, 2016 at 18:54I made these and mine puffed too but other recipes say they puff because of the ewction between the baking soda and citric acid. Anyways, can these just be dried overnight because I tried removing them as stated carefully and they stuck to the mold and fell apart! 🙁 I rolled them into a ball so as not to waste them. I also used a tad of beet powder and it did not stain my tub. However, I added extra scent but could not smell it in the shower. Can I use them taking a bath instead? Maybe I’ll smell them better.
Jennifer says
December 30, 2016 at 16:29You can probably use them as a bath bomb, and if you want more scent, you will want to add more oil. Just do it carefully so that you don’t cause them to activate.
Patty says
January 30, 2017 at 16:40I am wondering how slippery they are with the essential oils. I would like to make some for my mom but am concerned about falls. I know some of my bath ones are very slick.
Thanks,
Patty
Jennifer says
February 7, 2017 at 13:28Hi Patty! I actually like to toss mine on the side of the shower. That way they dissolve slowly, and also release the scent a little longer. If you are worried about slippage, I would try maybe a soap dish or something to hold the shower bomb, but still allowing it to get wet and release the scent. I would also recommend trying this ahead of time to make sure it is not too slippery. Hope that helps!
Kelly says
April 17, 2017 at 06:41Hi, not sure what I did wrong. Mine won’t dissolve unless I crush it in little pieces and I can’t smell them at all. What did I do wrong?? I thought I followed the recipe exactly.
Jennifer says
May 25, 2017 at 12:13hi Kelly, I am not sure what the difference would be? I have never had a problem making these. The only thing that would stand out to me in maybe elevation of the area you live in? Humidity and elevation can make a difference in these projects. I live in a high humidity area and at sea level.
Amy says
November 8, 2017 at 16:37Can I use mini cupcake liners in a muffin tin instead of a silicone mold? Thank you!
Paige says
December 11, 2017 at 23:45Can you make these without a stand mixer? Mine just gave out on me. 🙁
Jennifer says
February 1, 2018 at 16:41Of course! You may have sore arms by the time you finish 🙂
Christine says
January 13, 2018 at 13:01I mixed these exactly according to the directions and amount. But, they were too dry when I placed in molds and didn’t set. I ended up pouring the contents back into the mixer. I guess I will try adding more oil and water to see if they will hold together and setup better.
Jennifer says
February 1, 2018 at 16:37Some people do have problems, so I should say that I am on sea level. I definitely think that the elevation level where you live can cause you to have to adjust the recipe a bit. I hope you are able to adjust a few amounts here and there and get them to work for you. They are the best!
Renee-Claude Gratton says
June 18, 2018 at 10:57Hi Jennifer!
Any additional tips on packaging? I’ve tried storing my bath shower bombs in an airtight container, wrapping in plastic wrap, and wrapping in foil and they all loose their scent after 2 weeks :(.
Any ideas?
Jennifer says
June 18, 2018 at 22:28I have noticed my scent diminish as well. My suggestion would be to add a few drops to a cotton ball and place that in the container as well before sealing. It should help lengthen the scent life. 🙂
Renee-Claude Gratton says
June 19, 2018 at 11:03hmm, I tried something similar (putting a few drops on the inside of the cork stopper) and the jar smells very strong for months on end but the shower bombs don’t smell like anything when placed in the shower.