How To Make Bath Bombs Harder – Get Them Dry Faster

Are you tired of the fragrant and relaxing feel of a bath with a bath bomb lasting for a short while? Feelings like these already seem to last for mere moments, and with a softer bath bomb, well, I can’t help but sympathize with you. After a long and hectic day, there are only a few things that can give you an exhilarating and relaxing feel that will wash away all the exhaustion and stress. You deserve that pampering and that relaxation, and you deserve that to last long.

There are ways to make your bath bombs harder and hence extend your fragrant self-pampering session. You can easily make the bath bombs harder than they usually are and make them last significantly longer in your bathtub. That assurance alone might have sent a wave of relief through you, right? Don’t wait longer; go through the mentioned three easy ways to make bath bombs harder.

How to Make Bath Bombs Harder

1. Decrease the Number of Wet Ingredients

If a bath bomb turns out to be softer, chances are you have used an excessive amount of wet ingredients in the recipe, more than what’s required. The right quantity of ingredients is crucial to make bath bombs harder. Ingredients like water, oil, or witch hazel are responsible for a soft and puffy bath bomb if used too much. To counter the extra amount of these moist ingredients, increase the quantities of dry ingredients as well for a balanced turnout.

If the area and climate around are moist and humid, you need to decrease the number of wet ingredients even further. Moisture in the surroundings can also make the bath bombs softer. However, make sure not to be careless about using dry ingredients either; too many dry ingredients can make the bath bomb crumble and crack. While using wet ingredients, preferably use those that evaporate quickly, drying the bath bomb. Like alcohol evaporates more rapidly than water, so it’s better to use that.

2. Keep Them Away From Moisture

Another way to prevent bath bombs from getting soft and puffy is to store them away from moisture, as far away as possible. Keep them in airtight jars or plastic bags to seal away the moisture—store them in a cool and dry place and at room temperature. Preferably storing them out of the bathroom rather than in a cabinet or basement is a good place.

You can also use silica gel to prevent moisture from softening the bath bombs while storing them. Silica bags are little bags with small crystals. They commonly come with different products for a similar purpose, to suck in moisture. Put a silica gel bag into the container or bag with a bath bomb. The silica gel will absorb the moisture in the air preventing it from entering the bath bomb. But make sure you don’t drop it into the bathtub with the bath bomb; it can be harmful to the skin.

3. Air Dry or Blow Dry Them

This one is a no-brainer; leaving the bath bombs in direct contact with air is bound to make bath bombs harder. Leaving the bath bombs overnight to air dry is the easiest and most reliable way to harden them, so is blow-drying. Air drying overnight does take time, though; you need to wait 12 hours, if not more. This is a long time to wait if you are in a business and have to ship them, or even if you have to use them within this duration.

Blow drying is also one of the easiest and quickest ways to make bath bombs harder. This method is particularly reliable and useful when you are looking for a quick fix to blow away moisture from a bath bomb. Use your blow dryer, and the direct warm air will dry away from the moisture from the bath bomb quickly and completely, leaving it dry. Though make sure you don’t over-dry; a few minutes are enough; otherwise, the exposure to direct air for too long will leave it brittle and crumbly.

FAQs

Why does my bath bomb have lumps, warts, or bumps on the surface?

Lumps, warts, or bumps in a bath bomb can be because of the clumps in the dry ingredients that you used in the mixture or because of not mixing the fragrance oil properly in the mixture. Baking soda is most likely to have clumps; make sure to sift it properly, so the clumps are completely broken down. This applies to other dry ingredients as well; make sure they are smooth before adding in wet ingredients. Mixing the mixture properly is the key to solving many such problems like bumps and warts; incorporate wet ingredients with dry ones properly.

Why are my bath bombs crumbling?

Bath bombs are likely to be crumbly when you have used dry ingredients in excessive amounts, and the mixture has turned out too dry. With a dry mixture, bath bombs cannot be molded firmly, and so they crumble. To fix this, add more wet ingredients like oil or water to add some moisture and leave the mixture for some time after mixing them. Be careful not to moisten it overly, though.

How long should bath bombs stay in the mold?

Ideally, you should leave the bath bombs to stay and dry out in a mold overnight. That way, there will not be chances of puffy or crumbly textured outcomes if there’s nothing wrong with the mixture, of course. A few hours are also enough to harden bath bombs. You can dry them in the oven as well, that will save you a lot of time.

Why are my bath bombs not getting hard?

There are a few possible reasons why your bath bombs are not getting hard. One reason could be that you are not using enough binders, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, which helps the bath bombs hold their shape. Another reason may be that you are not allowing the bath bombs to dry completely before taking them out of the mold. Finally, you may be using too much liquid, such as essential oils, which can prevent the bath bombs from hardening.

Conclusion

The methods to make bath bombs harder mentioned in this article are the absolute fixes for you if all your patience is tested while trying to make and keep them dry, but with futile outcomes. I have mentioned some quick methods to harden the bath bombs as well, along with some preventive measures and tips. There is the FAQ phase, where I have addressed some of the most common problems you might be facing while making and molding bath bombs. Hopefully, after reading this, you will face any problem with bath bombs and enjoy the lasting refreshing feeling that they provide.