Bath Fizzies

http://www.homemademamas.net/2011/01/easy-bath-fizzies.html?m=1

Easy Bath Fizzies
We are back from our little break and are feeling refreshed! We hope you all had a great holiday! We don't know about you, but after all the holiday excitement we are definitely ready for a little relaxation and pampering. We came across this recipe for Easy Bath Fizzies that fit the bill perfectly! While there are many similar recipes out there, we like this one because it does not contain citric acid, which can sometimes be tricky to find. This one uses things you probably already have on hand!

What You Need:

1/2 cup baking soda
4 drops essential oil (we chose peppermint!)
4 drops lemon juice
8 Tbsp. witch hazel
spray bottle
silicone molds (ice cube trays are a great size)

First, put your baking soda in a bowl and set aside. Then mix your oil, lemon juice, and witch hazel in the spray bottle (this allows you to better control the amount of moisture you add). Spray the witch hazel mixture onto your baking soda, stirring as you go. Keep adding more until the baking soda starts to sticks together (about the consistency of wet sand).

Press the baking soda mixture into your mold. We chose beach-themed ones - what's more relaxing than the beach?

Carefully pop your new Bath Fizzies onto a plate. Many of ours broke during this step, so if that happens for you simply scoop the mixture up and press into your molds again. We found that simpler shapes worked better. Let them dry for several hours or overnight. Then drop one or two into your bath and enjoy some much-needed relaxation!

http://www.marthastewart.com/280275/how-to-make-bath-fizzies?center=307035&gallery=274943&slide=280275

All it takes to make delicately scented tablets is a little mixing, some gradual spritzing, and a few minutes of molding. When you're finished you'll have dozens of effervescent treats in a variety of shapes and colors that will scent and soften bath water as they bubble. Stuff stockings with cellophane bags filled with stacks of the colorful blocks. They make great gifts for all the ladies on your list, including mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and grown-up nieces. Experiment with colors and scents; mix yellow and red to make orange, for example, and try blending lemon with lavender.



Tools and Materials

Baking soda
Cornstarch
Citric acid
Spritzer bottles
Food coloring
Glass bowl
Essential oil
Baking molds

How-To
1. Sift 1 3/4 cup baking soda, 1 cup citric acid, and 2 cups cornstarch through a sieve to remove chunks. To make different tints, fill small spritzer bottles with water and add about 6 drops of food coloring to each.

2. Pour 1 cup of powdered mixture into a glass bowl. Lightly spritz, stirring after each spritz, until powder is desired color. Add water slowly, so mixture does not fizz. If mixing two tints, alternate colors as you spritz. Check the consistency of powder with your fingers; when it can be tightly packed or shaped, stop spritzing (this may take a little while).

3. Select an essential oil. Add 5 drops if it's one of the stronger scents (peppermint, lavender), 6 if it's a weaker one (lemon, grapefruit). Mix well. Firmly pack mixture into small baking molds. We used 1/4 cup for each fizzy, which is good for one bath. Allow mixture to set for 2 hours, then pop out carefully. Repeat with different tints for remaining powder.