FAMILY FUN
HOW TO MAKE
CONVERSATION HEART BATH BOMBS
SPREAD THE LOVE WITH THESE
OUT-OF-THE-ENVELOPE VALENTINES
BY LINDSAY PONTA
T his Valentine’s Day, you could give
your kids a traditional box of tiny
cards to pass out to their friends at school.

Or you could work together in the kitchen
to make the most creative valentines in the
class: conversation heart bath bombs!
Given the hefty price tag of store-
bought versions, bath bombs may seem like
complicated concoctions. Actually, they’re
shockingly simple and affordable to make at
home, and the activity provides the perfect
opportunity to teach your kids about mixing
colors, measuring ingredients and what
happens when you combine citric acid,
baking soda and water. (Hint: It fizzes!)
When you’re finished, you’ll have larger-
than-life conversation hearts that look
good enough to eat but are best enjoyed at
bath time.

INSTRUCTIONS 1
5 2
6 3
7 In a small bowl, mix baking soda and
Spoon mixture into the heart baking
citric acid. Use flour sifter to break up
mold, packing it down tightly. I
any clumps. For scented bath bombs, mix in recommend overfilling the mold and then
fragrance oil.

pressing mixture down with the back of a
spoon, adding more as needed until flat.

In four separate bowls, add assorted
food coloring to a spoonful of baking
Flip mold over and gently bend and
soda and mix with fork or whisk, breaking
tap to release bath bombs onto a
up clumps. Aim for bright, saturated color. flat surface. Let them dry overnight,
Note: Be sure the newly colored baking flat-side down.

soda is dry before moving to next step to
Note: If hearts crumble when released
prevent fizzing.

from mold, return mixture to a bowl, spritz
with witch hazel, mix and repeat Step 5.

Divide the baking soda and citric acid
mixture from Step 1 evenly among the
When bath bombs have dried thoroughly
four bowls of colored baking soda. Mix each
and are hard to the touch, you can paint
bowl thoroughly with fork or whisk.

words on them. Mix a pinch of pink mica
powder with a few drops of vodka or rubbing
Add about 1/2 teaspoon of almond oil alcohol. (Alcohol evaporates more quickly
SUPPLIES to each bowl and mix thoroughly. The than water, which will prevent bath bomb
FOR THE BATH BOMBS
texture should feel dry but resemble damp from activating early and fizzing up.)
❤ 1 cup baking soda, plus 4 extra spoonfuls sand and hold its shape when squeezed.

❤ ½ cup citric acid (available in the grocery
Too dry? Spritz with witch hazel and
Write on surface of each bath bomb
store canning section)
continue to mix. Spray a little at a time to
using mica mixture and a very thin
❤ 10-15 drops cotton candy fragrance oil avoid setting off the chemical reaction!
paintbrush. Test a small dot first. If dot
(optional) Too wet? Add more dry ingredients at a fizzes, your mixture has too much liquid.

❤ Water-based food coloring in four or ratio of 2 tablespoons of baking soda to 1 Add more mica powder or wait until a bit of
more colors
tablespoon of citric acid and mix.

the alcohol evaporates off.

❤ 2 teaspoons almond oil
❤ Witch hazel in small spray bottle
Let words dry for at least two hours
❤ 5 small mixing bowls
before packaging bath bombs in airtight
❤ Flour sifter
containers or bags.

❤ Fork or whisk
❤ Spoon
Please share pictures of your conversation
❤ Heart baking mold
heart bath bombs on social media with
the hashtag #washingtonfamilymag
FOR THE LETTERING
so we can see your creativity. Happy
❤ A pinch of pink mica (available
crafting, friends! ■
online or some craft stores)
Lindsay Ponta created the DIY and lifestyle website
❤ A few drops of vodka or rubbing alcohol
Shrimp Salad Circus in 2009 to inspire busy women
❤ Thin paintbrush
4 8
9 12 Washington FAMILY FEBRUARY 2020
to live perfectly imperfect creative lives. Find easy
DIYs and recipes at shrimpsaladcircus.com.