This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
These DIY bubble bath bars are easy to make and so fun to use! They are made with natural ingredients that soothe the skin and make for an enjoyable, relaxing bath time.
If you love homemade bubble bath, you are going to love these fizzing bubble bath bars! This simple recipe will quickly become a favorite with the kids!
You can make them with relaxing essential oils and add them to the bedtime routine to help your little ones wind down before bed.
But don’t worry, these aren’t just for the kids! Adults can greatly benefit from these DIY bubble bath bars, and they’ll certainly enjoy them just as much!
If you are new to making your own home products, learning how to make bubble bath bars is relatively simple.
These bars are made with baking soda and citric acid, and similar to homemade bath bombs, bubble bars will fizz and bubble when they hit the bathwater.
With the added mango butter, bubble bars are more soothing to the skin than bath bombs.
I am also using pure sodium lauryl sulfoacetate. Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate is made from coconut oil and palm oil and is the ingredient that is responsible for the bubbles!
Why You’ll Love Them
- Fizzy bubbles: While bath bombs mostly offer fizzing, and bubble bath only offers bubbles, these bubble bath bars do both! They make baths so much fun.
- Relaxing aroma: The addition of essential oils in these bars gives your bath additional aromatherapy benefits! They can be incredibly calming and soothing.
- Easy to make: This recipe is simple and fun to whip up! You can even get the kids involved.
Ingredients
- Baking soda: The baking soda mixed with the citric acid will make the bubble bar fizz when it hits the water.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch’s main job is to lengthen the time the bubble bath bar lasts in the water. It does this by slowing down the reaction when in the water.
- Citric acid: Citric acid is an acid found in citrus fruits, most commonly from lemon and limes. I use it in my relaxing bath bombs and my homemade toilet bombs, among other cleaning products, because of the fizzing it causes when exposed to water.
- Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (SLSa): This is how we get good frothy bubbles! Check out the section below to learn more about it.
- Mango butter: Some type of butter or oil is needed to hold the bubble bar together. In my bath bomb recipes, I use coconut oil. I decided to use mango butter to make these bars more moisturizing for the skin.
- Essential oils: Add them to get a lovely scent and aromatherapy benefits! My favorite oils for this recipe are citrus and florals, especially wild orange and lavender.
Variations
- Cornstarch — You can use arrowroot powder in an equal amount instead of cornstarch.
- Mango butter — Feel free to swap it out with cocoa butter, shea butter, or tallow.
- Essential oils — You can use any skin-safe essential oils you like or even combine multiple into a blend (I share some ideas later on in this post)! If you prefer an unscented bubble bath, you can also omit the essential oils entirely.
Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate Natural?
You may be wondering what Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (SLSa) is and if it’s something you want in your bathwater! SLSa shouldn’t be confused with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), an ingredient many prefer to avoid.
SLSa is a natural ingredient that is derived from coconut and palm oils. It serves a similar purpose to sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a synthetic surfactant that is often found in beauty products, dish soap, and toothpaste.
SLSa is gentle on the skin and will help to cleanse the skin. It also gets very sudsy in water, which is how we are getting the bubbles from these bubble bath bars. Most people do not have any issues with this ingredient, but if you do, you can still make a bubble bar without SLSa.
Tools Needed
- Cookie cutters or silicone molds
- Parchment paper or wax paper
- Double boiler or make your own with a small glass bowl placed over the top of a saucepan of water.
- Rubber gloves
How to Make Bubble Bath Bars
Step 1. Start out by melting mango butter in a double boiler. Once melted, allow it to cool slightly; you want it to be warm to the touch. Mix in the essential oils.
Step 2. In a separate small glass bowl, stir together dry ingredients.
Step 3. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the melted mango butter. Stir well. The best way to do this is with your hands. Put on a pair of rubber gloves first and knead for about 5 minutes until it becomes a thick, dough-like consistency.
Step 4. Pack the mixture into silicone molds. Alternatively, you can use cookie cutters (see notes).
Step 5. Allow the bubble bars to dry overnight before using and storing.
Expert Tips + Notes
- Rather than using silicone molds, you can cut the dough into shapes with a cookie cutter. Begin by rolling out a piece of parchment paper and place the dough on it. Spread it out in an even layer that is about a 1/2 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut the bubble bath bars out, then let them dry overnight.
- Make sure your bars are completely dry before removing them from the molds. If they are still damp, they will crumble and break.
- I just used regular circular molds, but you can have a lot of fun with different-shaped silicone molds! There are so many unique shapes, like the flower molds I use in my homemade turmeric soap.
How to Store Bubble Bath Bars
Once the bubble bars are completely dried, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months. They will hold together pretty well, but it is important to be careful with them.
If they break, that is OK. They will still work, they just won’t look as pretty. I store mine in a Tupperware with a snap lid.
How to Use DIY Bubble Bath Bars
Fill your bathtub with warm water. As the tub is filling, place the bubble bath bar under the water and watch it fizz.
You can use the whole bar at one time, or you can break off a small piece at a time. Then swirl the water around to help the bubble bar pieces dissolve and make bubbles.
If the bar feels like it is dried out or rough on the outside, rub it together in your hands to loosen it up before adding it to the water.
Depending on your bubble bar’s size, you may not need the whole bar at one time.
Place the bar under the water until you get the amount of bubbles you want!
Essential Oil Blends
Relaxing
- 10 drops lavender
- 6 drops geranium
- 4 drops copaiba
Uplifting
- 10 drops wild orange
- 6 drops lemon
- 4 drops bergamot
Soothing
- 10 drops peppermint
- 6 drops lavender
- 4 drops ylang ylang
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can add mica powder to the mixture to make the bars any color you want. You can even make them layered by separating the mixture into separate bowls and coloring each a different color. Pack the mixture into the molds one layer at a time, then allow them to dry.
If stored properly, these bars will last at least 6 months. Just be sure to keep them dry in an airtight container.
There you have it! Making bubble bath bars is really that simple! I hope you love adding these to your bath routine.
And if you are looking for more great bath and beauty recipes, try out one of these favorites below!
Related Recipes
- Homemade Tropical Bath Bombs
- Homemade Bath Bombs for Kids
- DIY Bath Truffles
- DIY Bath Oil Recipes
- 3 Herbal Bath Tea Recipes
If you tried these DIY Bubble Bath Bars or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
DIY Bubble Bath Bars
Equipment
- Rubber Gloves
- Small mixing bowl
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups baking soda
- 1 cup citric acid
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup sodium lauryl sulfoacetate*, (SLSa)
- 1 cup mango butter
- 20 drops essential oils, optional
Instructions
- Start out by melting mango butter in a double boiler. Once melted, allow it to cool slightly; you want to be warm to the touch. Mix in essential oils.
- In a separate small glass bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the melted mango butter. Stir well. The best way to do this is with your hands. Put on a pair of rubber gloves first and knead for about 5 minutes until it’s a thick, dough-like consistency.
- At this point, you can either cut the bubble bars into shapes with cookie cutters, or you can put the dough into silicone molds.
- If cutting into shapes, roll out a piece of parchment paper and place the dough on it. Spread it out in an even layer about a 1/2 inch thick.
- Using a cookie cutter, cut the bubble bars out.
- Allow the bubble bars to dry overnight before using and storing.
Notes
- For visual guidance, I’ve included the complete step-by-step video tutorial in the recipe card!
- Store these bubble bars in a cool, dry area.
- Rather than using silicone molds, you can cut the dough into shapes with a cookie cutter. Begin by rolling out a piece of parchment paper first and place the dough on it. Spread it out in an even layer that is about a 1/2 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut the bubble bath bars out, then let them dry overnight.
- Make sure your bars are completely dry before removing them from the molds. If they are still damp, they will crumble and break.
- I just used regular circular molds, but you can have a lot of fun with different-shaped silicone molds! There are so many unique shapes, like the flower molds I use in my homemade turmeric soap.
- *SLSa is a natural ingredient derived from coconut and palm oils, not to be confused with sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which is a synthetic ingredient.
what do you use for coloring that is safe and non toxic?
Skin-safe coloring or mica powders
Slsa do you wear a mask. I heard it makes you cough?
I had no issues, but you can wear a mask if you prefer.
Is there anything I can substitute for mango butter? I have had trouble finding. This recipe sounds great and fun!
Yes, cocoa or shea butter would work too!
Hi Laura, my daughter is allergic to coconut,what can I use instead sodium Laurel sulfoacetate?
Ps I love your recipes,very often watch you on YouTube. All the best
Jo
Thank you so much! The sodium laurel sulfocetrate is what makes it bubble and foam.
Thanks Laura…these sound fun and I have everything to make them!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
You’re welcome!
I am allergic to arrow root and my kids are allergic to corn starch…do you think tapioca starch or something else would work instead? Thanks for the recipe, looks awesome, can’t wait to try!!
Yes! Or you can do 1/4 cup more baking soda and eliminate the cornstarch.
I was looking for a bubble bath recipe but bars sound so more interesting I will make these
instead. (less mess ) Since we almost out of bath bombs your recipe is perfect timing!!!!
Thank you
Yvonne
You’re welcome!! These are so fun!