The trickiest part of making bath bombs is safely getting the bombs out of their molds. You need these fizzy products to hold their shape and not crack or crumble before they hit your bathwater. Keeping your bath bombs solid depends on two factors: recipes and molds.
The recipe needs to be dry enough to avoid going flat … but wet enough to hold the ingredients together. And when you can’t find bath bomb molds at your local store, you may have to jerry-rig a substitute. So here are some ideas for your bath bomb molds DIY project.
1. DIY Buzzfeed Bath Bomb Molds
If you routinely use bath bombs, it helps to have a selection of recipes you can choose from. That way you’ll never get bored. And you can make them in bulk to save even more money! This video has five recipes you can try. As for bath bomb molds, the first recipe uses cupcake liners placed inside a cupcake pan to help the otherwise flimsy liners hold their shape.
2. Paper Liner Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Paper cupcake liners also make great bath bomb molds (DIY). And just like silicone liners, you’ll need to place them in a muffin pan to help them retain that shape. Otherwise, the paper liners may slip or fold and end up crumbling your bath bombs. Leave bath bombs in their mold as long as you can before popping it out. They set faster in the fridge so try that.
3. DIY Oreo Cookie Bath Bomb Mold
This DIY Oreo mold is meant for shaping homemade Oreo clones. But it can also be a helpful solution for your DIY bath bombs. The mold is on the flatter side, so it’s more of a bath fizzy or shower steamer. And it’ll be rather flat and compact. But you can make the mold deeper if you want a denser puck-shaped Oreo bath bomb. Or just press two Oreo molds together.
4. Muffin Tin Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Metallic muffin tins aren’t as common as they used to be. You might have some older ones lying around that you’ve stopped baking with because they’re scratched and rusty. Convert them into DIY bath bomb molds! You could even raid the junkyard, garage sale, or flea market for muffin tins. You’ll get them at a few cents (or even free!) if nobody wants them.
5. Ketchup Cup DIY Bath Bomb Mold
We’ve all had take-out, so you probably have those little condiment cups lying around the pantry. Some have lips while others have widening creases. These make ideal bath bomb molds (DIY) so now you have an excuse to order in! You can buy similar plastic puck containers at any craft store. You can also use small ice cream cups so grab some soft serve!
6. Buggy Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Any shallow cake pan can work as a DIY mold for bath bombs. But if your family is particularly science-y or if your kids have a bug fetish, this one is perfect! It’s metallic, so it will retain its shape as your bath bombs dry. Metals are excellent conductors, so whether you air dry or bath bombs or pop them in the fridge, they’ll dry faster in greased metal molds.
7. Muffin Pan Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Silicone muffin pans are a good way to help paper or silicone liners stay sturdy as they dry. But you can still use the muffin pan even if you don’t have cupcake liners. Put the mixture directly into the silicone pan, using it as a DIY mold for your bath bombs. If you like, you can pour a little carrier oil inside the mold. This makes it easier to pop them out once they’ve set.
8. Traditional Cookie Cutter Bath Bombs
In some ways, using a cookie cutter as a bath bomb mold (DIY) is easier than using dedicated molds. Typical bath bomb molds come in two halves that you tap to separate. And that often causes cracks. With a cookie-cutter, you can pack it on a flat surface then lift the cookie cutter to slide it off the bath bomb. Spritz the cookie cutter with cooking spray to make this easier.
9. DIY Cookie Cutter Bath Bomb Molds
Traditional cookie cutters might be too shallow for bath bombs. So you can make DIY cookie cutters by bending and twisting bits of aluminum flashing. But you can also take two egg rings – as shown in this video – and tie them together with a hot glue gun, silicone caulk, or tape. You won’t need to put them in the oven (just in the fridge) so any adhesive is fine.
10. Ice Cream Scoop DIY Bath Bomb Molds
If you have embeds in your bath bombs, you could use soda caps to shape them. But for the main bath bomb, you need a larger DIY mold. Ice cream scoops work well. And if you have some at home, you’re used to packing them tightly and dragging them through frozen treats, so you’re familiar with the technique. As always, a spritz of oil helps loosen the bombs.
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11. Meatball Scoop Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Do you routinely make meatballs at home? Then you might have one of these lying around. If not, you can order one online for a few dollars. And while they’re customized for meatballs, you can also use them for cookies, cakes … and bath bombs! The scissor-like handles make it effortless to press your bath bombs together. And they’re stainless steel so they’re less sticky!
12. Soapy Meatball Bomb Molds (DIY)
When you’re making bath bombs at home – whether it’s a gift or a small business – packaging is everything. So if you’re using your meatballer as a bath bomb mold, go the extra mile and ‘serve’ your bath bombs in bolognese! You can use shredded soap as pasta. Or you can just use recycled paper from the shredder. Or manually slice some printing paper.
13. Scooping Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Meatballers and ice cream scoops are both perfect as makeshift bath bomb molds. But expect the outer surface to be ridged and bumpy because you have to release the mixture instantly and it won’t have time to set. But that can take the pressure off since you won’t be trying to keep the outer surface neat. A clever packaging tip is to ‘serve’ the bombs in stiff cake cups.
14. Silicone Heart Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Generally speaking, silicone molds are used for candy and mini cakes. Especially if they come in a fancy shape. But whether it’s a puck or a heart, these silicone molds are good as last-minute substitutes for a bath bomb mold. Wiggle the mold to see how sturdy it is. Some are too soft to hold bath bomb contours. If they’re not stiff enough, they need extra setting time.
15. Cookie Cutter Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Yes, cookie cutters make excellent bath bomb molds (DIY). But you’re probably fed up with sudsy flavors leaching into your baked goods. So get your kids to make a set of designated cookie cutters specifically for your soap work. These are made by cutting up plastic bottles so they’ll learn about recycling. But don’t leave them unsupervised with all those sharp edges!
16. Hockey Puck Bath Bomb Molds (DIY
Cupcake tins have tapered sides. So if you use them as emergency bath bomb molds (DIY), the sides of your bath bombs will be slanted. They might have cupcake ridges or be smooth like muffins. But if you want hockey-puck symmetry, use a round silicone mold. They’re shallow but their sides are straight, so the top and bottom have identical circumferences.
17. Ice Cream Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
When you’re making ice cream bath bombs, you don’t want a smooth unbroken surface. You want that rough, chapped look to mimic scooped ice cream. This is a blessing because you know how tricky those bath bomb edges can be! So try using your ice cream scoop as a DIY mold then plunking your bath bombs onto ice cream cones. Keep the cones out of the bath!
18. Starfish Ice Cube Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
The quickest way to set homemade bath bombs is to pop them in the fridge or freezer. So ice cubes are a natural alternative to store-bought bath bomb molds. These ice cube trays can be metal, plastic, or silicone – just use whatever you have at home. Silicone ice cube trays are easier than plastic or metal ones though because they pop out easily even when ungreased.
19. Measuring Spoon Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
When you watch recipe videos – whether they’re for DIY soap products or pizza – you’ll always notice those cute measuring spoons. Some are round, some are copper, and some have abstract shapes. Some are plain and industrial or glossy and grown while others are playful and cheery. Those measuring cups and measuring spoons make awesome molds!
20. Plastic Ice Cube Tray Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
You won’t see many plastic ice cube trays these days. The ones that come in your fridge might be plastic though, so use that. Or check through those knick-knack bins at charity stores or flea markets. These plastic ice cube trays have harder sides so your bath bomb will retain its shape. But it takes more twisting and wiggling to extract the bombs after they set.
21. Measuring Cup Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Measuring cups work as bath bomb molds for the same reason that measuring spoons do. It’s easy to densely pack them with your bath bomb mixture and you can use the spoon handle to tap the bombs out after they set. If you’re frosting your bath bombs, you need to keep them away from curious kids (or adults with a sweet tooth!). They’re so realistic!
22. Silicone Ice Cube Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
Technically, this is a recipe for buttery bath melts made with moisturizing body butters or melted coconut oil. The mixture is molten when it goes into the mold, so ice cube trays are efficient options. But you can use those same ice cube trays for bath bombs. You’ll just spend a few more minutes pressing your damp bath bomb mixture into the tray to keep it compact.
23. DIY Doughnut Bath Bomb Molds
Candy-themed bath bombs are popular. You can use edible sprinkles and soap frosting. A lot of this garnish contains powdered sugar, and that’s perfectly safe if it dissolves in the bath. Or if the kids accidentally lick it … but don’t let them eat the whole thing unless you’re washing out their potty-mouth! Doughnut silicone molds and a glycerine glaze will do nicely.
24. Christmas Ornament Bath Bomb Mold (DIY)
This concept for makeshift bath bomb molds should probably be higher up the list because it’s the most common! You might have fillable Christmas baubles left over from the holidays. They’re clear, come in two halves, and snap together. If you don’t have any at home, you can find them at your local craft store or order some online. They’ll only cost you a few dollars.
25. Sand Castle Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
The next time you’re sifting through a box of assorted chocolate or unpacking one of your kids’ new toys, look carefully at the plastic packaging. They often have grooves and stencils that would look amazing on bath bombs, so the packaging makes a good substitute. Beach toys are equally effective because bath bomb mixtures aim for that wet sand consistency.
26. Easter Egg Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
What does your family use for Easter Egg hunts? Maybe you use hard-boiled eggs or blown-out eggshells. But most stores stock plastic eggs for the season. Look for the kind that you can screw open or click shut. They’re made of light plastic, just like Christmas baubles. So it’s fairly easy to slice them in half, but holding the shape is harder with a sliced egg or bauble.
27. Dollar Tree Bath Bomb Molds (DIY)
When you see them on the shelf, you may not think they’ll work for bath bomb molds. But these themed silicone molds only cost a dollar so you can buy as many as you like! Holiday themes like Halloween or Thanksgiving are common. But you can also find themed molds based on popular movies, books, or legends. The bath bombs will be smaller though.
28. Dinosaur Egg Bath Bomb Molds
Kids love those dinosaur egg trinkets that have secret toys inside. So if you ever buy them for your kids, hold on to the egg. It makes an apt alternative for bath bomb molds. And they’re cheap enough to order – cheaper than buying an actual bath bomb mold! Order the ones that can click back shut (as opposed to the ones that disintegrate or crack and ‘hatch’ in water).
29. Cake Frosting Molds for Bath Bombs
Unless you’re in the baking space, you probably get quite impressed by those realistic flowers you see on fancy cakes. You might even wonder how they make them! Well, they sometimes use detailed molds that you can buy in any baking supply store. They’re perfect DIY substitutes for bath bombs molds. And they’re easier than cutting plastic ornaments in half!
30. Mooncake Press Bath Bomb Molds
Mooncakes are traditional Chinese pastries shared during the Fall Festival in celebration of the moon. But modern mooncake presses also make effective bath bomb molds. The spring mechanism makes it easier to pop out the bath bomb. And the price of a mooncake press is lower than buying a commercial bath bomb mold. You might even make edible mooncakes!
31. Cake Fondant Molds for Bath Bombs
For this final video, the tips show you how to use molds when you’re working with fondant or modeling chocolate. The video shows you how to pack your fondant tightly into the mold, and the same tricks work for bath bombs. Frosting molds can be stiff or jiggly, so experiment with what you have, or buy different types and try them. You get more shapes that way!
What are your favorite bath bomb molds (DIY)? Show us what you used in the comments!
