Goatsmilk, Shea and Oat Bath Fizzies Recipe

These Bath Fizzies (aka Bath Bombs) are coloured with natural clays and have Colloidal Oatmeal to soothe your skin after the fizz, whilst you soak in a warm, soothing bath. The Shea Butter helps soften and moisturise your skin.

Glucotain® Plus is a surfactant (surface – active - agent) and helps the fragrance disperse, as well as keep the ingredients (including the Shea Oil and/or Butter) dispersed in the water, and it helps to allow the colour, (in this case clay) easier to remove and wash from the surface. Polysorbate 80 is traditionally used in Bath Fizzies but I have been refining the process and surfactants used as many people want to avoid PEG’s. This formulation uses either Hostapon SG Paste (for Palm Free) or Glucotain® Plus instead of the PS80. The quantity of liquids in bath fizzies varies a little depending on the atmospheric conditions (ie humidity, rain) and on the moisture within the mixture itself.

As you gain experience in hand made Bath Bombs you will learn to judge when there is enough liquid in the mixture without it being too wet or activating. If you are just starting to learn to make Bath Bombs these are things that experience will teach you, and you may need practice to learn to judge when they are ready to mould and the tipping point of moisture. A useful tip is that when the temperature begins to drop suddenly (you can feel this through thin gloves) do not add any more moisture.

Customising:

• I tried Organic Shea Butter in this recipe during trials, but if you have Liquid Shea on hand, I prefer it in this project and the outcome will be the same
• The surfactant in this recipe is Glucotain^® Plus. This can be substituted with Polysorbate 80 (also contains palm oil) or you can substitute with Hostapon SG Paste for Palm Free though the latter is not as effective.  If you use Hostapon you will need to warm it before adding to the mixture as it is very thick at room temperature and below

Ingredients:

•    1kg Bicarbonate of Soda
•  500g Citric Acid
•  100g Colloidal Oatmeal
•    40g Organic Shea Butter or Liquid Shea Butter (Oil) - Trolley items include Organic Shea Butter
•    40g Polysorbate 80* See note above 
•  100g Goats Milk Powder
  
• 1 - 3 tsp Mediterranean Clay Caramel
• 1 - 3 tsp Mediterranean Clay Chocolate
• 12 - 25g Cashmere Silk Fragrance or your favourite Essential Oil Blend
  
• 2 x 10 packs Bath Bomb Sphere Moulds

Equipment:

• 3 x medium mixing bowls or jugs
• Sieve, helpful but optional
• Scales, preferably digital
• Spatulas, spoons etc
• Disposable gloves for hand mixing
• Spritz Bottle with distilled water, spring water or Witch Hazel
• 2 droppers or 2 x Disposable Pipettes

Instructions:

• Place a sieve over a large bowl and add the dry ingredients, except the clays.

• Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, push the dry ingredients through the sieve to eliminate any lumps.

• Divide the mixture into 3 portions – remove approximately a quarter of the mixture into each of the smaller jugs, leaving half (50%) of the mixture in the mixing bowl which will remain white (uncoloured).
• Add half of the allocated clay, one colour to each of the two jugs, if you want darker colours you can use more clay.
• Stir the coloured clays through the mixture in each jug.

• If using Organic Shea Butter, gently melt until liquid - if you are using Liquid Shea Oil this can be added at room temperature.
• Combine the wet ingredients including the fragrance in a beaker or glass jug.
• Stir the liquid ingredients well with the spatula and set aside.

• Now is the time to put on your gloves!
• Begin to drizzle some of the liquid mixture into the first of the jugs, and begin working it into the powder with your hands.

• Add approximately 1 tablespoon or the oil mixture into the first of the clay jugs, mix through well with your hand and set aside.
• Repeat for the second clay colour, and then for the uncoloured white portion.

• Now is time to check for moisture and squeezability!  Squeeze the mixture tightly in your hand and if it looks dry but holds its shape when you open your hand it is ready to use.  If this is not the case, add a little more of the oil mixture to each until you feel they are ready.

• Now begin packing the spheres – I used a soap mould to hold them whilst I work, but an empty egg carton works well too! 
• Tightly fill layers of the clay mixture and uncoloured mixture pressed down as firmly as you are able. 
• Leave a small mound in each mould, ensuring that there is no powder in the seal portion of the mould.

• This graphic shows how much is too much!  Once packed you just need a slight mould, not a big spoonful!
• Then fill the other half and press together firmly – the mound will compress and they will seal tightly and stay sealed.  If you have overfilled them you will see them pushing apart, or if there is mixture in the seal, you can see immediately if you need to adjust the quantity and clean the seals.

• The white half is flat, and the caramel clay half has a slight mound.

• Press the two halves together and set aside.
• Continue for the rest of the mixture.
• Done!  Pop on the lid and make a swing tag or label  

Note:  Trolley items include Organic Shea Butter (not Liquid Shea Oil) but does not include Witch Hazel if you want to use that instead of spring water.