(Not Just) Bath Bombs

February's Fan of the Week Winner

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:58:00 +0000

February's Fan of the week winners were...

1)Celine Blacow 2)Chrissy Wilson 3)Jimi-James 4)Suzi Rahmann

All four numbers were popped into the random number generator

And out popped number 1!

Well done Celine, your virtual tenner to spend on the website will shortly be winging its way to you :)

If you'd like a chance to grab a free tenner, all that you need to do is take part in our Facebook page - post comments, like photos, join in with the chit chat...

Every month we enter the weekly winners into the random number generator to choose a winner. Easy as that and great odds too :)

See you there!

Bath Bomb Moulds - Grab a Free One

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:48:00 +0000

This is a picture of a bath bomb made with our gigantic 2 part mould

Alongside our 10cm beastie sits a 4cm mini bath bomb for comparison

The bath bombs made with this mould will weigh around 500g (Yes, you did read that right)

Undeniably HUGE.

But what a fabulous centre piece to your next craft fair table? It can't fail to draw people in, provide a talking point and added interest for anyone browsing your wares.

If you're making Bath Bombs for gifts then this would be the ultimate pressie.

Using a mould of this size requires previous experience but the impact the finished bath bomb will make will be worth the amount of ingredient required.

Many of our customers have tried these and used them successfully but we thought it would be fab to give some more of you the opportunity to grab one of these for FREE - the perfect excuse to have a go!

Pop along to Bathbomb.biz Ltd's Facebook page and for the next 24 hours, anyone placing a website order and clicking Like on our page will receive one 2 part mould completely free. Let us know by posting on the page.

Offer open until midnight Monday 27th February.

Open Day Fun

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Saturday 11th of Feb "The Grand Open Day" arrived!

I can't quite believe it's now a little over a week since we opened the doors of the newly converted workshop room.

What a lovely day we all had, it was fantastic to meet new friends and old.

Here's a few of the photos from the day.

10 o'clock and we were ready! The new (old) furniture had been painted & waxed, the floor fitted, samples put on display, kits made up for inspection, tables moved and moved again, an urn borrowed, a skip sent packing, paintbrushes washed and put away, signs made and displayed...to name but a few of the items on the "to do" list - phew!

And so, after a couple of (mad) weeks of converting the office-that-was (always thought it was too grand for an office) by an amazing team of people...

Friends old and new came to say hello

And have a go at a bit of hands on making

(We seemed to make a lot of very pink things!)

And to chat over cake and coffee about bath bombs, soaps, fragrance, supplies, oils... chemistry and much more!

A good time was had by all, we loved throwing open the doors and will be doing it again very soon.

Pencilled into the diary is Saturday 24th March or Saturday 31st March - what do you think? Perhaps you'd comment below and let us know - we'd love to see you!

Luscious Lip Scrub - More Credit Crunch Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:07:00 +0000

There is no escaping the fact that it is still winter out there...

With this sort of weather comes, more often than not for me, dry chapped or (horrors!) peely lips. Yes peely! Is that a word? In any case it's a description of just what happens without fail every winter to so many of us.

Time for a little TLC then. This recipe will not break the bank and will ensure that you avoid the dreaded peel or if it's already got you - this will help fix it in no time.

Lip scrubs have become quite the thing and carry quite a price tag. Thankfully there is no need to dig deep - this recipe is really simple and cheap to make leaving no excuse for peelitis!

To make your Luscious Lip Scrub

(For one batch of 6 x 50g Scrubs)

Note: divide the ingredients if you wish to make less, just ensure that you keep the ratios the same

You will need these ingredients;

25g Beeswax or Candelila Wax

100ml Sweet Almond Oil or other vegetable base oil

50g Shea Butter

3ml Vitamin E (optional)

Up to 6ml of Flavour Oil (optional)

175g Caster Sugar (Do not use granulated)

You will need these utensils/containers;

A heat proof bowl or jug

A mixing bowl sized container

Some spoons; tablespoon size will do

Kitchen paper for spills

Pipette to measure flavour if using

50ml/g pots to store the finished scrubs

Green Jojoba Beads

Melt your Beeswax first until *just* liquid - do this in a microwave or in a bowl over water

Add the Shea butter, stir and return to heat briefly until *just* liquid

Remove the butters from the heat and stir in the base oil - at this point if the mix solidifies, return to the heat briefly.

If using, add your Vitamin E (can extend shelf life and provides additional nourishment for lips) and your flavour. We advise using a minimum amount of flavour - try just 3ml and see what you think. In this recipe, that is for a product that you effectively wipe off, you might decide to omit the flavour. It is pleasing to the nose though so the choice is yours :)

Stir thoroughly and then in a larger bowl add the liquid to your caster sugar. The time taken to add your flavour/vit e will have allowed the mix to cool enough so as not to melt the sugar. Stir until all the oils are combined with the sugar and then quickly transfer to your pots/jars.

You don't need to use expensive containers - why not store the main mix in a deli container and decant what you need into a smaller pot. Your mix will keep happily for up to 6 months this way. We suggest you use open and in use pots within 3 months.

How To Use

(Don't use on badly damaged or bleeding lips)

Basically your scrub will help to exfoliate your lips and remove dead skin cells, preventing peeling. To use simply scoop a small spot onto your finger and massage into your lips in a circular motion. Wipe away any excess with a tissue.

The oils/wax/butters will leave a protective residue on your lips but it is good to follow a lip scrub with using a lip balm or butter for extra protection.

Hints & Tips

If you'd like a splash of colour add Jojoba beads to the mix in the final stage (after the sugar/oils have been combined) - this will result in flecks of colour throughout your scrub. Jojoba beads are found in many high end cosmetic products and look really effective as well as providing additional exfoliation.
This recipe will make a firm scrub that softens on contact with the skin. If you'd like a soft buttery scrub, reduce the Beeswax by up to 20%
Do not allow water into the mix. Water harbours bacteria and may result in your finished product going mouldy
Once in use, we suggest that you use your scrub within 3 months. If making just for yourself, either halve the recipe or store the main part of your mix in a deli container or similar, and just remove what you need for a couple of weeks at a time. The main part of your mix should then be perfectly fine for at least 6 months.

Enjoy!

PS we have a new dual product kit here to make both the Luscious Lip Scrub and Soothing Lip Balm

January's Winner

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:46:00 +0000

So now that we've (sort of ) caught up with ourselves, it's time to announce the winner of the January Fan of the Week Tenner :)

Remember, all that you have to do to be in with a chance (and the odds of winning are high - one in four or five depending on the number of weeks in the month) of grabbing a free virtually crisp tenner to spend on the website is simply -

Join in with our Facebook page - post your comments or questions, join in with the chatter, post pictures of your own..or simply hit the like button when something catches your eye. An automatic programme will then select the person who has interacted the most and announce it on the page each week. At the end of the month, each weekly winner is assigned a number and those four or five numbers are entered into Random.org

We had 5 weekly winners for January and are pleased to announce that...

Pam Newton

is the overall winner and will receive a discount code worth £10

Well done Pam, and thank you to everyone for joining us on our page - we really appreciate it.

Here's the randomness from random :)

Fan of the Week Winner for December

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:59:00 +0000

Drum roll please...

Our fans of the week for December were, in week order;

1 Donna Healey
2 Sarah Whitewick
3 Caroline Atkins
4 Nicola Schafer

Using Random.org to select the winner ...

"Winner of the December Facebook Fan of the Week £10 discount is...

Nicola Schafer

Well done Nicola, your discount code will be emailed to you.

A huge thank you to everyone who takes a part in the page - every contribution is appreciated :)

November's Fan of the Week Winner

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:55:00 +0000

Drum roll please...

Our fans of the week for November were, in week order;

1 Sarah Whitewick
2 Helen Tucker
3 Rebecca Steele
4 Sarah Whitewick
5 Rebecca Wood

Using Random.org to select the winner ...

"Winner of the November Facebook Fan of the Week £10 discount is...

Rebecca Steele

Well done Rebecca, your discount code will be emailed to you.

A huge thank you to everyone who takes a part in the page - every contribution is appreciated :)

Beautiful Bath Melts - More Credit Crunch Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:07:00 +0000

Beautiful Bath Melts

So pretty and so straightforward to make - yes really!

Melts are an absolute delight for those of us who suffer from dry skin; the butters melt in the bath but will leave a film of skin loving goodness on the bather - just pat dry after bathing and you'll find that you don't need to moisturise.

If you're planning a wedding, these make gorgeous favours. A single melt can be tied into a small cellophane bag and finished with a piece of curling ribbon. They look fabulous and don't cost the earth.

To make them successfully, you want a mixture that sets up well in the little cases or moulds but that will gently melt into warm running water.

Here is a recipe that will achieve exactly that. This one makes around 20-25 petit four size melts. If you want to make more or less simply multiply the amounts up equally.

INGREDIENTS

Cocoa Butter 100g

Shea Butter 50g

50ml Base oil - vegetable such as Sweet Almond, Grape Seed or even a richer oil such as Wheat Germ/Calendula/Evening Primrose etc

Optional: 2 - 4ml Fragrance or Essential Oil Concentrate

(Use the lower amount where possible; for goods for resale this recipe could be classed as a leave on product due to the fact that the rich butters and oils will adhere to the skin even after bathing. Pay particular attention to the nature of any Essential Oils you may wish to use.)

25 petit four size paper cases

10-15 small paper souffle cases

Small cavity size moulds of your choice

Rose Buds, other dried (plain) flowers/seeds, cosmetic glitters

A teaspoon of Jojoba Beads - coloured - a simple way to add a hint of colour to your melts

METHOD

Cocoa Butter will take the most amount of time to melt. Break it into small chunks if possible and microwave on half heat for 20-30 seconds at a time, taking care not to overheat.

When the Cocoa Butter is "just" melted, add the Shea Butter. Stir, and return to the microwave for just enough time to melt the Shea.

Add the Base Oil (and Jojoba Beads if using) and stir, add (optional) fragrance or essentials, stir thoroughly

If the mix is setting up, return very briefly to the microwave

Pour into your cases/moulds.

EXTRAS

If you want to add a standing rose bud as seen in our pictures, pop your poured melts in the fridge until slightly cloudy but not completely set. Remove and holding the bud by the flower insert the stalk into the partially hardened melt. If the melt is at the right stage, this will result in the bud standing up.

Follow the advice above to sprinkle with glitter as this is best done before the melt has completely set but not too soon otherwise they will sink to the bottom.

Bear in mind that whatever is on or in the melts will end up firmly planted on your skin. A single Rose Bud can be captured... a mountain of glitter cannot :D (ah but for me that's the best bit - getting out the bath all of a twinkle!)

Enjoy!

PS We supply a kit to make Melts that you can find here

Random or Not?

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:20:00 +0000

Back in November, we announced that we'd use the Fan of the Week app in a fun way with a draw each month for £10 to spend on the website. We'd take each weeks winning fan name, pop it in a virtual hat and present one lucky recipient with a £10 virtual voucher to spend on the website.

The Fan of the Week app automatically calculates who has interacted the most with our page over a 7 day period and posts the name of the person to the wall. Whilst this may seem a little twee to some, we really do appreciate that people take the time to interact on our page and feel it's a fun cheerful way to say thank you.

As you may be aware, this was one of the many things that had to be put on hold after the fire at our business park. Now I don't know about you, but I truly believe that we've talked about those events enough. The Fan of the Week promotion was a bit of fun, so we will leave it at this and explain to our new friends who may not know; the competition was interrupted and now we're happily back in the swing of things we want to get the give away back on track.

Easy? You would think so. Now I must confess that I am no Facebook expert. Less of an expert still on the (useful) many third party apps that provide a bit of colour and fun.

Hurdle number one then. How to retrieve the names of each week's fan? Going back down the page posts right the way into history simply by clicking "more posts" at the bottom of the page seemed a bit ... well ... manual? Surely the app would give up this information. Sadly not... Let's hope it's a feature that's being built somewhere behind the scenes.

After a bit of head scratching and some asking around, I clicked on Insights (on the left of the page for those of you who are page admins)

Yipee! Each and every post is listed here, along with useful statistical info. Simply clicking on one reveals the whole post in a pop up box. There! Easy (When you know how. Note to self. Use the features on the page)

So now I have a nice spreadsheet containing a list. There are dates and alongside each date is a person's name. These have been divided into months. So far, we have a complete record for November (5 entries) and December (4 entries) of the weekly fans as announced by the app. January has 4 entries and this week will generate Fan of the Week number 5. (Of course the number varies according to the length of the month)

Now all that we need do is randomly select a person's name from each month's list.

And this is where I am stumbling.

Call me what you will.

I cannot decide.

What is fair?

And by fair I mean truly random.

Oh yes. I will use a random number generator to select the winning name. I can do this because I've assigned a number to each one. I've simply numbered the weeks from 1 to 4 or 5 as appropriate and put that week's name alongside. Ah. There we have it.

My question. Should I also randomise the number assigned to the name? That is possible I guess, if I use the generator for each name, assign that random number to that name and then use the random generator once again.

Have I lost the plot? What do you think?

Please do let me know, it seems my Sunday sanity might just be resting on this ...

Christmas Pudding Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:05:00 +0000

Christmas Pud Bath Bombs

These little "puddings" are of course a bath bomb in disguise.
Packed with the usual array of fizzing ingredients we've added some detoxifying Epsom Salts (for texture as well as therapeutic value) and a little skin loving Sweet Almond oil for a touch of luxury. You can make them without and stick with a simple Witch Hazel bath bomb recipe if you prefer.

For authenticity we've also thrown in a handful of sugar strands - the sort you'd decorate a cake with. These will dissolve in a warm bath with no ill effect but will help create a Christmas Pud effect. Again, omit these if you prefer.

Ingredients (will make 5/6 large pudding pot puds or several 50 or 60mm round puds)

500g Sodium Bicarbonate
250g Citric Acid

100g Cornflour (optional but advised if using spherical rigid moulds)

15g Epsom Salts
15ml Sweet Almond Oil (Or other vegetable base oil such as Grape Seed)
10-15ml Toiletry Grade Fragrance Concentrate - Christmas Pudding is ideal!
1/2 tsp of Chocolate Brown Water Soluble Colour Powder
Crystalina Cosmetic Glitter
Chocolate and White Sugar Strands
Witch Hazel as needed to bind the mix
Holly & Berry decoration or similar
Red and Green cake sprinkles (any design)(optional)
Small grip seal bag & a Sixpence (optional)

(Click HERE for a kit containing the ingredients to make your own Puds!)
You will also need; two plastic mixing bowls, gloves and a mask if susceptible to the dust created when mixing the dry ingredients. If you wish to use up any leftover mix, have an ice cube type mould or some petit four cases handy.

Finally the other magic "ingredient" you will need for these is the pudding pot. We've reused a clean steamed pudding bowl - the type you can buy containing a chocolate or treacle microwave pudding. (Isn't that the perfect excuse to rush out and buy a fridge full?!!) You can also use an old plastic shop bought christmas pudding bowl provided it is the smallest size. If you can' t get these though, you can still make a gorgeous pudding in a regular 50 or 60mm 2 part mould.

Step 1

Wearing gloves all the time and using your hands to mix;

Mix Bicarb, Citric Corn flour and Epsom Salts in one bowl. When thoroughly combined, put one third of the mix into the second bowl. The larger bowl will become your brown "pudding" portion of the finished product and the smaller bowl will remain white and act as the white sauce on top of the pudding.

Step 2 The large bowl

Add the brown powder colour. Stir thoroughly.
Add sprinkles if using.
Add 5-10ml of fragrance concentrate a few drops at a time stirring constantly.
Add 10ml of Sweet Almond Oil and stir thoroughly
Spritz with Witch hazel 5 or 6 sprays at a time and mix well until your mixture is holding together - like the sand you make sandcastles with this mix should be damp but not wet. If you can form a clump in your hand that doesn't crumble, it's probably ready.

Step 3 The small bowl

Working quickly...

To the small bowl add some crystallina and stir through if using
Add 5ml of Fragrance concentrate and mix well
Add 5ml of Sweet Almond Oil and mix well
Spritz with Witch hazel as above

You will need to work quickly to ensure your large mix doesn't dry out whilst you're mixing. If it has, spritz a few times with Witch Hazel and continue to the next step.

Step 4

Moulding.

If using pudding pots

If you want to top your pudding with glitter you can simply sprinkle some into the pot before filling.

Fill the pot to about a fifth of the way up with white mix - this will be the top of the pudding.

Ensure that the mix is compact - push down with your fingers as you fill the pot. Don't worry about an even edge as these are most effective with a natural looking wavy edge to the "sauce".

Follow immediately with the brown mix filling the pot to the top, pushing the mix down as you do so. Level the base with your hands.

Set aside and repeat until all pots are full.

Allow to dry for about 15 minutes and then de mould. We suggest you don't leave it longer or your puddings may become stuck.

To de mould simply upturn the pudding, supporting it underneath with your hand and place on a flat surface upside down. Push gently in the middle of the pot and if necessary very gently squeeze the sides of the pot. The pudding bomb should just slide out. If not, leave 5 minutes and try again.

Add your decoration at this point, before the bath bomb is too hard. Using a holly topper gently push the "stalk" into the bath bomb - avoid too much pressure or your bath bomb may crack. If you do see a crack forming carefully push it back together.

Sprinkle with glitter if using.

Leave the puddings at least another 45 minutes before attempting to wrap.

Using 2 part moulds;

Take one half of a mould and fill with brown mix - over fill if you can. Take the second half, pop a few red and white sprinkles into the mould if using and then use the mould to scoop some white mix into itself. Now carefully scoop some brown mix into this second half, again using the mould. What you're trying to do is create a small "blob" of white on top of the sphere to represent the sauce. Really, it isn't crucial how you do this as the combination of the two colours and some red and white sprinkles or a sprig of holly will do the trick and create a stunning effect. When you have the second half full bring the two halves together smoothly and without twisting the halves. This does take some practice therefore to avoid endng up with bowls of mixed colour, we suggest you perform this bit of the moulding process over a sheet of kitchen paper.

Allow to dry in the moulds for 10-20 minutes according to size and then gently ease one half of the mould away. At this point if you're using a plastic Holly topper we suggest you put that onto your bath bomb now, gently easing the "stalk" into the white area of the bath bomb. Sprinkle with glitter if using.

Allow to set further for 10 more minutes before removing the final half. Your puds will need another 30-50 minutes to dry to the point where it's safe to pick them up and wrap them.

Using leftover mix

If you have some petit four cases, and your mix isn't too dry you can try rolling some into small balls and dusting with glitter or even cocoa powder for a truffle effect. Or even just creating hand rolled mini puds. If your mix is really dry you can always spritz or add a tiny amount of Almond Oil to help with this.

If you really want to go a step further and add a touch of nostalgia why not embed something in your puddings? Using a small grip seal bag, there's just enough room for a coin for instance.

Enjoy! This recipe will be featured in Making Magazine's November issue, do have a look at their website packed full of craft ideas.

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:55:00 +0000

Welcome to our second Spotlight Feature, your chance to meet some enterprising folk who've successfully turned a hobby/passion into a business.

This month we're saying hello to Chloe... founder of Cheeky Suds

Tell us a bit about you and your business

Hi, I am Chloe and I am the owner of Cheeky Suds which is a handmade novelty soaps, bath and beauty products company based in London. Although I live in London I am originally from Manchester – Northern lass!

All of my products are handmade by me and currently include novelty soaps, body scrubs, body butters, bath salts, foot soaks, bath creamers, bath melts, bath soufflés, and solid lotion/massage bars.

Lollipop Soaps!

Most of my products are vegan friendly or can be made vegan upon request and nothing has been tested on animals. My soap products are made using a Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) - free soap base. SLS is known to irritate skin if used in large quantities. As Cheeky Suds products do not contain SLS, they are considered to be suitable for people with sensitive skin.

Novelty Transfer Soaps

How long have you been running your business?

I started the business in April 2011, purely as an online business, but I now also sell at Camden Lock Market in Camden, London and also offer children’s parties either in your home or at your chosen venue. Children enjoy being able to make natural lip balms, soaps and body treats for themselves.

Bath Bomb Cup Cakes

What inspired you to start creating your own Bath & Body Products?

I have three years’ experience working in sales and as a Recruitment Consultant and nearly eleven years’ experience working within Criminal Justice. My previous work experience was quite stressful and I decided that I wanted a total career change and also that I wanted to do something creative. This alongside my love of cosmetics led me to set up Cheeky Suds.

Chocolate Body Scrubs

What are the best bits about your business?

I get bored easily if I am not mentally stimulated or trying new challenges so I love the fact that there are so many different beauty products I can make and I can experiment with design, scents, textures and ingredients. It's also a great feeling when people say that my products both look good and work well for them. It's like baking a cake or cooking a good meal (I also love food so couldn't resist mentioning it) that people enjoy! It's good to know that my efforts are appreciated and it motivates me to keep doing more.

Selling at Camden Market allows me to meet lots of different people from all over the world and the other stall holders are nice too – it’s important to meet new people now that I am no longer in an office environment. I like having my own business as it enables me to be my own boss and that means I have full control over what I do and make all of my own decisions.

Lip Balms & Butters

What are your plans for the future?

I would like to continue to expand my product lines and reach even more people. I want Cheeky Suds to become a place where you can purchase products to suit all of your beauty needs. I also plan to do more craft fairs and deliver some workshops. In the future I would like to open a Cheeky Suds abroad, somewhere with sun, sea, sand, cocktails and maybe a few (hunky) masseurs to demonstrate how to use my products would be nice!

Whipped Shea Body Butter

What advice would you give to anyone considering starting up?

A couple of wise (and maybe a tad cheesy) quotes are 'You've got to be in to win it,' and 'You only get out what you put in.' I would say that you have to be prepared to work hard and never give up.

The first time I made a sale I was ecstatic and the feeling only gets better from there onwards. There will be times when you feel that it is difficult or you want to give up but you have to keep pushing through these barriers and keep going.

I think that if it is something you are passionate about and really want to do it you should go for it. There is no harm in trying and you never know how well you might do.

Watermelon Soap Lolly (Soapsicle!)

What’s been the most valuable resource for you and your business?

The most valuable resource for me has been the internet. I get the majority of my supplies online and a vast amount of my ideas, inspiration and tips come from there. Online soap making/beauty forums are excellent as I get to communicate with people from all over the world who do the same things as me. I have also received good advice from suppliers such as Bathbomb.biz and from various books.

Doughnut Soaps

Finally, can you tell us about Social Networking and your business?

I am involved in Social Networking on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and blogging but I have to admit that since being busier I have not had as much time to keep up to date with it all (naughty naughty). But it is definitely worth working at as you get to meet great people whilst driving more traffic to your website. I think it is an essential tool for anyone that is serious about starting up their own business.

Thanks Chloe, it's been lovely to hear more about you and your business.

If you'd like to contact Chloe you will find her on

Facebook www.facebook.com/cheekysuds

And over on her website www.cheekysuds.co.uk

For general (and free!) advice on Cosmetic Regulations, selling your products and sourcing ingredients why not pop over to www.bathbomb.biz

Bubble Bar Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:35:00 +0000

Over on our Facebook page we've long been having discussions about how to make the best bubble bars. Opinions and experiences vary as with most crafting adventures.
However we've been luck enough to have one of our members contribute a successful recipe and she's kindly agreed to share it with everyone.

Nicola from the Soap And Card Shack - Brackley - has recently opened a bricks and mortar shop where these gorgeous bars are selling really well. If you can't wait and would like to try some for yourself, you can contact Nicola through her website http://www.soapandcardshack.co.uk/ or via her Facebook page Soapandcardshack-brackley

Nicola's Recipe for Bubble Bars

250g Bicarbonate of Soda

100g Citric Acid

50g SLS Noodles <<< please read this before proceeding

8ml Fragrance or Essential Oil of your choice

Colour - any cosmetic/toiletry grade colour (if using ultramarine blue please choose acid resistant)

Combine all dry ingredients thoroughly. Add colour if desired, fragrance and mix well. Bind with a few spritzes of water.

You will find that the noodles do not take up the colour therefore you will have a mottled effect to your bars. Press into a suitable mould or form into shapes by hand. Allow to dry before wrapping.

Thanks Nicola for sharing. We'd love to hear your comments and recipe ideas - please do post below.

Simple Scrubs

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:59:00 +0000

Our feet work hard and it's easy to forget to care for them. Today's simple recipe is for a reviving Peppermint Foot Scrub that's so easy to make and a real treat to use, there's no reason you shouldn't pamper your feet daily.

Ingredients

50g Pumice Grains
50ml Wheatgerm Oil
50ml Grape Seed or Sweet Almond Oil
0.5 - 1ml Peppermint Essential Oil

Optional

Chromium Oxide Green Pigment (Hydrated) - fabulous colour for this particular scrub, a kind of blueish green that works well with the Peppermint theme.

Method

Use a separate bowl for this recipe; it should be one you're happy to keep for your beauty crafting only.

Combine all ingredients thoroughly - begin with the pumice and pigment if using and then add base oils and Essential Oil stirring for several minutes to combine.

Decant into suitable containers. Deli pots or PET jars with lids for example.

This recipe will make around 3 x 50ml scrubs.

There's no preservative in this recipe; it's a tricky thing to preserve an oil rich product against water borne bacteria as a result many presevatives are ineffective in this respect. Hence the making of small batches and using them fresh - a 50ml pot will be used in a couple of weeks in this house.

Avoid introducing water to the pot and your product will be fine. Similarly if you're not using the product it will keep for many months undisturbed. When using, don't sit in the bath and put a wet hand into the pot to scoop some out - try a spoon or spatula instead.

A great gift idea with some small Peppermint Bath Fizzers as well?

Fabulous Sugar Scrubs - Beauty on a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 06:43:00 +0000

I think I've gone Sugar Scrub mad.

It's no longer possible for me to feel like I've had a bath or shower if I haven't

SCRUBBED

So when I came across this article by Anna Sassen, Editor at UK Handmade featuring recipes from Emma Heathcote-James, founder of the Little Soap Company, I had to share it with you

LIFESTYLE: Credit Crunch Proof Beauty Recipes: Face and Body Scrubs

Whats the big deal then? Well for me, the summer (yes it's here!) is a time when I really do fall out with my skin. I've sensitive skin with a tendency to (sometimes extreme) dryness and that presents an exfoliation issue - or at least it did in the dim and distant past when I used commercial products - that frequently ended in irritation and tears.

These days I understand that whilst I do indeed need to slough off rough bits, it's important to nourish your skin as you do so. (do this from the inside too. drink water. lots.)

So a Body Scrub is the perfect solution. Basically an exfoliator (more often than not plain and simple sugar) combined with a Base Oil (frequently Sweet Almond), a scrub will encourage away old tired and dead skin cells (sugar) whilst at the same time nourishing and moisturising (oil) the gorgeous glowing skin that's left.

The Cotswolds based Little Soap Company supply natural soaps and toiletries to retailers such as Waitrose, The National Trust and other independant retailers as well as having an online shop. You may also like to know that they run Cold Process Soap Making workshops too.

Enjoy!

Win a 6 month Tub Club membership worth £189!

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:59:00 +0000

Well we are very nearly there! Almost 1000 "Likes" on Facebook, thank you so much to everyone who makes the page what it is, we really value your support.

In the spirit of giving something back, we thought we'd hold a bit of a Prize draw :)

And what a prize we have! A 6 month membership package to the All Inclusive version of the Tub Club. - Retail price £189.00

Back in January we began something called the Tub Club. The idea behind it was to create a Craft club in your own home.

Each month you receive a newsletter, free recipes, discounted ingredient offers and your very own kit delivered to your door, free of delivery charges of course. Any extra orders that you place before the months kit is dispatched can also be included delivery free (subject to weight restrictions). So even for established crafters, the Tub Club is of benefit.

A great way to learn new skills, save on postage and be inspired to create! Examples of the free recipes that have been enjoyed to date include; Sugar Cube Scrubs, Essential Oil Lip Balms, Solid Lotion Bars and more. Depending upon your choice of package, typical kits include two colour M&P soap, Shower Fizzers, Lavender & Chamomile Bath Bombs, Bath Creamers, Bath Melts... and much more - why not have a look at what is on offer?

View the Tub Club.

So, once again our thanks to you all for being wonderful supporters & friends. Do please grab a ticket whilst you can - the draw takes place on the 15th July and full details can be found here

Glastonbury Anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:42:00 +0000

Angel Gardens

Are a bunch of people that "do the festival" circuit, setting up home for a few days and spreading happiness among the children of fellow festival goers. Sam and the crew make all manner of wonderful things with the kids, put on many a free activity and hold bath bomb, soap, shampoo & candle making workshops with a difference, using magical herbs. In fact every item made at these workshops comes with its very own spell!

We've supplied Sam for a couple of years now and she's always good enough to take along some of our leaflets to give out, complete with discounts for our website BUT -

This year Sam is generously offering a 50% discount on any workshops providing you mention www.bathbomb.biz when you arrive! Now that can't be bad can it?

I think Sam and her friends do a sterling job and I know that right now they are incredibly busy setting up - I'm even more aware of this than usual as email communication between us has failed a little bit! You have to love those email gremlins! So please excuse my less than full information about Angel Gardens itinerary - but no matter, if you are off to Glasto then do give them a visit in the "Green Crafts" area, show your support and say Hello from all of us here please! :)

And if you're not one of the lucky ones off to Glastonbury this year, why not stop by Angel Gardens Facebook page & check back to see Sam's photos of all the fun?

The fun begins at Glastonbury on Weds the 22nd of June and lasts until Sunday the 26th June

Find out more about this year's events at Glastonbury here or take a peek at the musings from Glastonbury's Green Blogger, Rachel Wallace.

New Design - What do you think?

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 20:16:00 +0000

Just a quick note to say a massive thank you to Angie of Artwork By Angie for the fabulous new design we're now sporting. Gradually you will see her gorgeous design work replace our old logo on the website and appear on our new wholesale site when it launches, very soon.

We're over the moon with the new look and very grateful to Angie for her hard work and patience.

Why not pop over to Angie's Facebook page and say hello. And if you're considering a new logo or are just starting out then we'd wholeheartedly recommend you talk to Angie.

Thanks again Angie!

What do you think of our new look? - Please do comment & let us know

Spotlight on Caroline's Creations

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Wed, 11 May 2011 09:13:00 +0000

This is the first in our new series of Spotlight posts.

Once a month, we will be turning our spotlight on to people who’ve taken their love of crafting to the next level. If you would like to be included please contact us

Meet Caroline, owner of Caroline’s Creations

We've known Caroline for a while now & are very pleased that she kindly agreed to fit an interview with us into her already hectic schedule.

Q. What attracted you to the products you make?

"I love luxuriating and soaking in gorgeous, scented bath products. But with my family getting older, and a seemingly decreasing amount of spare money at the end of the month, my expenditure on little bath treats for myself was becoming less and less. I was very much relying on gifts at Christmas and Birthdays for my treats.

Then last summer, at a family BBQ, one of my many cousins had made some bath bombs to compliment the soap that she makes from the beeswax harvested from her 3 hives. I was very curious about how she made them and after a quick "Google" I came across several recipes and the fabulous Bathbomb Biz website. I purchased a couple of kits and thought I'd try and give it a go and make some."

Q. When did you decide to make your hobby a business?

"Originally it never occurred to me to sell what I'd made, but after posting the pictures of my first batches on Facebook, I got loads of comments! My friends were asking how much my creations would cost to buy and then it snowballed really.

I looked into the EU regulations and after loads of emails to (the very helpful) Amanda I decided to get a Cosmetic Safety Assessment package, some insurance and go for it. That was October 2010."

Q. Wow! Things have moved along quickly for you, how do you fit your business around family, work and other commitments?

"I'm a single parent with two boys (14 & 11). I also work part time (25 hrs per wk) as a Sure Start Children's Centre Manager and do 6 hours as a personal assistant to a local family so I’m pretty busy already but I find the business fits in really well.

I can whip up a batch of bath bombs or melts pretty quickly now. As I live very near my local post office, popping orders in the post is very easy. My boyfriend is also very supportive and has set up my business accounts, ordering system and stock information. My first orders were all to friends and family but as the word is spreading I am getting more online sales - Facebook has been a great help."

Q When did you set up your website and was it easy to do?

"My website is www.carolinescreations.co.uk. I think this is the thing that worried me the most because a) I had never done anything like it before and b) I really didn’t want a huge expenditure so early in the start up of the business.

Fortunately I came across an article in a magazine about a new scheme that Google is involved with called Getting British Business Online, so I registered in January this year and after a few tutorial emails I started developing my site. I was surprised at how easy it was, though it still needs lots of work. I am slowly adding new products and paypal buttons but it’s all mine and best of all it’s free for two years!"

Q Where else do you sell your products and why?

"I sell my products in a couple of other places; I met a lovely lady at my first fair in December 2010 who introduced me to a local shop - Flora Lou (Chobham) - that supports people who handmake items by selling them through their shop. They predominately sell jewellery so were more than happy to stock my lovely goodies. I visit regularly to top the big basket up and they pay me fortnightly for any products sold.

Also I recently took advantage of the introductory offer that wowthankyou.co.uk were doing. I now have a couple of my new gift boxes available on their site. It’s a great site, established specifically to showcase items that are hand made in this country. A fabulous idea and full of wonderful gifts made by very talented people so please do go and have a good look around."

Q. How important is networking to you?

Networking is my middle name - it is so important you never know when you might need something or someone. My children constantly tell me off for "talking" to everyone but I've lost count of the number of times I've needed something and known exactly where or who to get it from.

Meeting new people through craft fairs and sales are both great ways to make new contacts, but the internet can be a very useful tool too. Take Facebook. Not only have I found some wonderful gifts for friends and family but by "sharing" my page I have received sales from new customers. Not to mention the helpful advice I have received and shared. Networking pages on Facebook such as Send In The Troops, and Pop Round For a Cuppa who work hard to spread the word about pages are a really useful place to start.

Q. What benefits has making & selling your products brought to you

"Most importantly my luxurious bath times have been restored :-) but also it has allowed me to be creative and share my talent with others.

I am amazed by the support I have received, not only from my friends and family but also from people who previously were complete strangers, new customers and also all the followers on Facebook. I have some lovely "friends" on there now and I mustn't forget all the help and support I 've received from Bathbomb.Biz. Also, hopefully, the extra income will mean I don't have to get an evening job to make ends meet."

Q. What advice would you give anyone thinking of setting up a home based business, or turning their hobby into a source of income?

"Be brave and go for it, it's very rewarding. There is nothing nicer than people complimenting you on your creativeness and telling you how lovely your products are."

Q. Where do you see your business going over the next year and beyond?

"Long term I would love to expand my range of products, upgrade my website, hit 2000 likes on Facebook and do more craft fairs - one of my friends and I joke about having a little shop when we're retired where we can make things to our hearts content so who knows - watch this space.............................."

Our thanks to Caroline for sharing with us all; we hope that Caroline’s Creations continues to flourish & grow. If you’d like to see more of her gorgeous products, visit http://www.carolines-creations.co.uk/ or why not pop along for a chat on Facebook with Caroline herself? Don't forget that you can also view Caroline's products and those of other talented UK makers on wowthankyou.co.uk

Competition Round Up

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:45:00 +0000

As some of you may be aware, as a business we've entered the Barclays Take One Small Step Competition. As we've excitedly tweeted, Facebook posted, Blogged and madly chattered to anyone and everyone for a couple of weeks now about the competition, I thought it best to have a round up and clarify what will happen when and why!

If you haven't already, please please PLEASE take a look at our entry and comment or like it if you've got some time. We would really appreciate your feedback and input throughout this exciting process not least because you, our customers and friends, have shaped our business just as much as we who physically work here. In fact it could be said that the impetus for entering the competition itself has come from the enthusiastic feedback we always receive from you guys whether we're discussing products, ideas, or just life in general! Thank you :)

So now that entry to the competition is closed, this is an overview of the whole process;

April 7th-27th - Competition is open, entries are submitted by hopeful businesses. Full details of their business idea is sent to the judges along with a small public paragraph of information and a video if desired. (or in our case if it doesnt fail on upload) Entries that comply with the competitions terms and conditions then appear on the Take One Small Step wesbite within 48 hours of submission.

April 28th - May 29th - A panel of judges prepares the shortlist from the many entries received. From each of the nine regions throughout the UK there will be three shortlisted business chosen to go through to the next stage of the competition.

30th May - 26th June - Public voting takes place.

27th June - 19th July - Votes are counted

22nd July - Winners announced - 1 for each of the nine Barclay's Regions in the UK.

Of course it doesn't end there for the winners; part of the attraction of this competition is the support and guidance given by Barclays to the winners to enable them to achieve their goals. Ok, that and £50,000 of debt free funding for your business!

So we don't have too long to wait, for news about getting through to the voting stage. Whether we make it or not, we will be fully supporting the remaining stages and we're very excited to see the winners from all regions and follow their progress over the coming months.

For those who missed it and because we're very proud of it, here's that video again which is important to view together with the written public part of the entry here

Gremlins, Competitions and Wedding Fever

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:13:00 +0000

Ok, we did it*. But before I say any more I have to say a huge thank you for the massive amount of support that's flown our way in the 24 hours since we first mentioned the competition. You're all amazing.

Our entry for the Barclays Take One Small Step competition 2011 is now live; almost 24 hours after clicking the upload button on the full entry and video, we were informed it was available to view having been duly moderated.

To say the office has been tense is definitely an understatement. I am quite sure I saw the very building itself heave a sigh of relief when that email came in. Thank goodness tomorrow is all about a very different kind of excitement - we wish William & Kate the very best of days.

So here's the link..

Bathbomb.Biz entry

please do pop over there and "like" the entry & comment if you have the time, we're really looking forward to hearing what you think.

*When you do visit, you will notice something missing! Sadly, technology and gremlins combined to defeat our attempts to upload our video... we had a sneaking suspicion all was not well but had to wait till today to discover that.

It would be easy to whinge, beat ourselves up, walk around with long faces. It wasn't for want of trying that the video failed and in the end you have to deal with disappointment and move on. We hope we've made a strong case in our public and private written submissions to the judges. (It isn't possible to amend or add to your entry once submitted) Once again, time will tell and we can only keep everything crossed and keep the video well in the public eye for all to see.

Exciting stuff! Do have a look at the other entries, it feels good simply to be sitting alongside so many bright and innovative people.

Whatever happens this has already been a fabulous journey and it's lovely to be able to share it with you all.

Competition Time with a Difference...

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:07:00 +0000

Some of you may have noticed a little bit of falling silent on our part lately. The Bath Bomb kitchen has been eerily still, the office has generated very little sound other than the echo of whirring brain cells and the occasional cough of an overworked printer. Ok so the packing and dispatch rooms are still buzzing and occasionally rocking to the sound of good old Radio 1 but otherwise there has been a lot more silent working than usual.

Our week long 50% discount promotion has been left to run a while amid surely the sunniest ever Easter, a bumper crop of bank holidays and a bunting fuelled flurry of that wedding excitement.

Why the silence then? We've been swotting. Maybe that should read "brainstorming". Perhaps a bit of both.

Grey matter has been challenged. Ideas put on paper and properly costed. (Accosted? Maybe!)

Plans have been drawn up. Ideas have been given legs. Concerns have been tabled. Discussions have been had. Heads have been scratched and excitement HAS finally BEEN unleashed.

What on earth is going on?!

We've entered a competition of our own.

Accustomed to organising competitions, I've found that it's quite scary being on the other side!

So today as we finally clicked "upload" on our application to Barclays for the One Small Step competition, the first place I wanted to run was here. Our entry isnt live on the Barclays website yet but I feel the need to scream our news from the rooftops.

On the basis that behaviour of that sort would be a tad dangerous and a little eccentric even for Basingstoke, posting on this Blog seems a very good substitute.

Our plans for this year have been outlined in a summary which will form the public view of our entry along with a video (provided the god of computer gremlins was shining his happy face on us - we don't yet know if our upload was a success!) giving an insight into our vision for our business.

Behind the public side of the application was a raft of further questions concerning our business plan, costings and essentially the features and benefits of our offering, all of which will go under a panel of judges scrutiny, along with the entries from a great many other businesses.

In the end, 3 shortlisted candidates from 9 regions will go through to a public voting round with one winner in each region gaining £50,000 of investment from Barclays under the guidance of an appointed Business Manager and members of the Barclays Business Team.

The closing date for applications was today at 13:59 - (please don't ask us how close to that time we were) and our entry isn't yet live as I've said, as it has to be moderated before being published...

But here is the paragraph (written by Amanda) that will be on public view along with the video (created by Brian) ... let us know what you think if you would be so kind...

"We sell a unique range of kits at www.bathbomb.biz containing natural ingredients enabling anybody to create their own fun & functional bath & body products. Each kit provides an opportunity to learn a new skill, save money & have fun. All of the recipes have been devised for ease of use & compliance with EU legislation in exactly the same way as big brand bath & body products.

For 2011 our aim is to capitalise on demand at a nationwide level by developing a team of fully trained ambassadors. A team who share our vision & have the expertise to help our customers learn the skills they seek. Nothing beats a hands on demonstration - the opportunity to “have a go” when learning a new skill.

Our team will share their expertise & love of creating bath & body products with a wide range of individuals in a variety of settings; from Mums at home to schools, community groups, enterprise events & beyond.

Winning would enable us to recruit, train & manage our team whilst enhancing our range. "

Looking forward to your comments & appreciating you sharing this one around ... hopefully we'll be asking for your support with this again very soon!

Potential investors/mentors/partners wishing to see our full proposal are of course welcome to contact us

Facebook "Likes" Competition Winner

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:37:00 +0000

As you've seen we've closed the Likes comp here, as we've flown past the 600 likers mark. Facebook isn't allowing photo upload at the moment so here goes...

The wonderful Jane returned to work today after being off none too well for a while, and it's fabulous to have her back with us. So who better to draw the winner? All names were put in an organza bag (no hats around today!) and this was the result...

CONGRATULATIONS CAROLINE!!

One Bumper Bath Bomb Kit will be winging its way to you shortly :)

And a HUGE thank you to you all for taking part in the competition & for joining in both here & on our FB page x

600 Facebook "likes" Give Away

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:59:00 +0000

We have so many lovely fans on Facebook; a great many of you share your stories and photos with us, post questions about ingredients/recipes and provide us with some great feedback. It's wonderful!

Having the Facebook page also helps us to be sure that our business is going in the right direction for you; without our fans we'd be working in a bubble (so to speak!!) and that would be a lonely place to be.

(Thanks to www.zazzle.co.uk - customise it!)

Fan numbers have grown steadily; now that we've passed the 500 mark (I think it's safe to say) it seems a good time to take things up a level and see just how many more people we can reach. There are so many fantastic small businesses and a whole host of talented crafts people now showcasing what they do on Facebook that it would be lovely to have even more input. If you are a page owner, I am sure you too are discovering that networking in this can be both enjoyable and effective.

So! Competition time - Giveaway time - Our-Chance-To-Say-Thanks time...

Facebook rules mean that we cannot run give aways/competitions directly from the business page. So we're posting a simple challenge right here.

All you need to do is leave a comment here, telling us why you "like" us.

When we get to 600 "likes" we'll put the names (here) in a hat and draw a winner. The quicker we get to 600, the faster one lucky person will get their prize so please keep recommending our page and keep joining in with discussions & photo posting. Follow this Blog too so that you can watch our progress.

And the prize? One lucky recipient will enjoy one of our "Bumper" Bath Bomb Kits - minimum value £49.99 and delivered FREE to their door (sorry, uk only for this one).

AND if we receive over 25 comments from individual people here we'll add a *special* second prize to the draw!

So, don't forget to share this post and our Facebook page with friends,

www.facebook.com/bathbomb.biz

Let's go!

PS Don't forget - when you "like" a page, if you're a business page owner then you need to sign into your personal profile to "like" other pages. If you don't, the like won't be counted as a number on that pages profile. The easiest way to switch between your personal and business profile is by clicking the Account link at the top right of the page and selecting "switch back to (your name)

PPS!! Don't forget that you will need to "like" the Facebook page to get your name in the prize draw. (Oh yesss I am checking lol)

Again, it's important that you do this logged in as your personal profile if you have a business page - that' the only way you show up in the counted numbers on the page :) Thank you :)

What is Cosmetic Safety Assessment?

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 14:21:00 +0000

So you want to sell your hand made (Bath/Body) products? Then it's likely that you've come across the terms "Safety Assessment" "Certification" and "Cosmetic Safety Assessment".

Sound complicated? What does it mean? Well, within the EU, the law states that before any cosmetic/toiletry product can be sold, it must be "tested" for safety by a suitably qualified individual or body (lab, company, etc) and it is this process that is referred to as Cosmetic Certification, Cosmetic Safety Assessment, Certification, Cosmetic Testing, or similar.

For the small scale producer it is not necessarily the case that the actual items you make will have to be physically tested. If you are making Bath Bombs, M&P Soap, Lip Balms, Body Butters and similar low risk well recognised products, you are unlikely to be asked to send a sample for testing. (If you make Cold Process Soap, or Lotions with a water phase for example, then your assessment will differ)

Assessment for Cosmetics & Toiletries involves a suitably qualified cosmetic chemist or laboratory analysing your recipes, ingredients/ratios and methods. Even if you are making relatively simple alterations to toiletry "base" products, the resulting "new" products will still need an assessment; you've altered the formulation therefore the product is now something new and requires assessment in its' own right.

A number of conditions and rules must be satisfied before it is deemed safe to sell a cosmetic or toiletry product in the EU. These conditions are contained within the EC Cosmetics Directive (76/768/EEC) put in place in order to protect the public from harm. Guidance from the Department of Business Inovation and Skills on the Cosmetics Regulations can be found here - and is very useful! Within that document are further links to helpful sites and we recommend that you save it for future reference.

So how do you go about obtaining Assessment for your products?

1) Contact an individual assessor and advise them of the products you make, the ingredients and method that you use. The CTPA (Cosmetics Toiletry & Perfumery Association) will provide a list of independant assessors.

2) Purchase an assessment package to cover the type of products you wish to sell. Packages are available that are either stand alone (ours are) - you are free to source your ingredients wherever you wish provided they conform to EU law or that tie you to buying a particular retailer's ingredients.

Manufacturing experience is needed for both options; that is to say you should already know how to make products safely, be confident with the regulations surrounding ingredient use and be able to keep accurate records whilst adhering to good manufacturing practice.

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) and Allergen data must be available for your ingredients and those ingredients must of course be approved for use in the EU (US regulations differ, therefore ingredients sourced from the US may not comply with EU regulations and vice versa). You will also need to familiarise yourself with EU law regarding labelling and weighing your products for sale, batch numbering and record keeping.

The consolidated EU cosmetics directive can be viewed here

Safety assessment packages can be viewed here

We hope that we've answered some of your questions but welcome your comments & questions.

Comment below or email us.

Top Ten Tips for Making Bath Bombs

noreply@blogger.com (www.bathbomb.biz) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 01:43:00 +0000

1) Select your Citric Acid carefully; Super fine granules (table salt size) are best. Powder is too volatile, whilst coarse granules have a lumpy appearance and may "bobble" as your bath bombs dry out.

2) Be fussy about your Bicarb! Fine food grade Sodium Bicarbonate is best. Technical grade may contain unwanted impurities and granular varieties will result in a coarse looking bath bomb.

3) Want smooth bath bombs? Use Cornflour (Cornstarch) as 10-15% of your dry ingredient content. Cornflour also helps control the fizzing reaction between the ingredients as you are mixing.

4) Dry Ingredients = food grade. Some of the ingredients such as Bicarb, Citric & Cornflour can be sourced in food stores.

5)Wet ingredients = cosmetic/toiletry grade. Fragrance, colours, etc should be purchased as cosmetic/toiletry grade. Essential oils should be pure or blended with base oils.

6) Don't use water. Really, don't. Using water to bind your mix causes fizzing & expansion in the mixing process. Fact. Result = stressful and unattractive mad panic to get the mix to stick and mould without turning into a fizzing flop. (You can do it - but why?!) Vegetable Base Oils (Sweet almond, Grape Seed etc) or Witch hazel work well. Witch Hazel speeds the drying time so that your bath bombs can be safely handled/removed from their moulds within minutes.(depending upon the size of the mould)

7) Spray your "wet" ingredients onto the mix. If using Witch Hazel to bind, always spritz from a fine mist "finger" spray. Oil can be "dripped" into your mix or sprayed on with the aid of a trigger type spray (the sort you get on a Febreeze bottle). Spraying helps distribute the oil more evenly and therefore there is less risk of some premature fizzing in the bowl.

8) Wear gloves and mix with your hands. You will learn to detect the correct consistency for making the perfect bath bombs, but believe me you will get there faster by using your hands as opposed to a spoon. Simply spray or pour with one hand whilst mixing with the other.

9) Ensure your moulds or containers are dry. Keep them away from the bowl when mixing/spritzing to avoid wetting them accidentally. Sound obvious? Hmmm well we've been there. Wet moulds = stuck & stranded creations! If this happens and you cannot remove your bath bomb - run the whole mould under the tap - it's preferrable to breaking the mould. Alternatively, I've taken an entire-mould-stranded-but-otherwise-perfect bath bomb into the bath before. (Waste not want not as my Gramma said.)

10) Don't over wet your mix; aim to achieve the same consistency that is needed to make really good sandcastles. Damp enough to hold together but not sloppy. You can always add more moisture but if you've overdone it, it's almost impossible to recover your mix and adding more dry ingredient rarely helps.

11) Avoid steamy kitchens! Set your creations aside to dry in a damp free atmosphere. If you've cooked a roast, rustled up some bath bombs and set them aside in your kitchen you may find when you return to admire them later that they've developed "bobbles". This is simply the damp in the air and can be avoided.

We hope these have been useful tips...We'd love to hear your experiences, so please do comment below :)

PS... ok so there are 11 top tips. Things don't always go to plan.... a bit like making bath bombs! Perhaps the best things in life are meant to be a little harder to achieve? Philosophy aside, if you'd like a few more free recipes, hints and tips - why not sign up to our newsletter?