Fun with Foam!
Bubbles in the bath - endless fun for kids, luxuriously relaxing for the adults, everyone loves them. And now there are ways to make your own bubbly creations using natural surfactants instead of the sulfates and other nasties found in store bought bubble bath.
First up is the good old traditional-style liquid bubble bath. It is really as easy as blending gentle natural surfactants with water. Try this ultra gentle bubble bath suitable for smaller children. I’ve left the amounts in percentages so you can decide how much to make.
Gentle Kiddies Liquid Bubble Bath
65% distilled water
25% coco betaine, or a combination of coco betaine and decyl or coco glucoside
1% Geogard 221 (preservative)
Essential oil of choice, try chamomile or geranium (optional)
5% citric acid solution to adjust the pH
Blend the surfactants together and add the glycerine. Add the preservative to the water, then add the surfactant mixture to the water, stirring gently. Blend in any child friendly essential oils and add in the citric acid solution to adjust the pH and you’re good to go. Add a dash or two of bubble bath to the running bath water and let the fun begin!
A simple alternative for adults which can be made 2 minutes before running your bath:
30ml lauryl glucoside
15ml OliveM 300
any essential oils of choice
In a cup, simply blend everything together - it will make a smooth paste. Run your bath and hold the cup under the tap until the mixture is used up. Let the bubbles flow!
Next up is a foaming bath powder. This can be made extra fun with the addition of colour. Have a look at DIY Natural Colourants for inspiration.
Foaming Bath Powder
70g baking soda
60g citric acid
50g powdered SCI
30g cornstarch or arrowroot powder
A few drops of essential oil of your choice (optional)
You can adjust the quantities of this recipe to make your desired amount.
The SCI comes in flake form but you can easily power it in a grinder or manually by placing the flakes in a bag and then bashing them up with a meat tenderiser.
Mix the citric acid, baking soda, arrowroot powder and SCI powder together in a bowl. To use, run a bath and throw a handful of the foaming powder in. Slosh the water around with your hands to develop the best bubbles.
