Gryffindor House – Harry Potter Bath Bomb
It’s no secret how much we love Harry Potter, so this week we wanted to make a bath bomb for each house at Hogwarts. To kick things off on our newest Harry Potter Bath Bomb adventure, we started with our favourite, lightening bolt marked hero’s house, Gryffindor.
Homemade harry potter bath bombs
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When it comes to education I am a firm believer that with the right passion, interest and drive, anyone can learn anything. When someone is struggling with a lesson or concept, we need to change the way we are teaching until we find the way the student learns.
Chemistry is one of those subjects that offers us so much fun and amazing ways to learn concepts. From making candy or bread, launching bottle rockets, creating bioplastics or our very own DIY bath bombs, we have loved getting hands on with chemistry.
In this case, we are bringing in something else to really power up the passion to learn. Harry Potter!
I first read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1999 and I will admit to being obsessed ever since that iconic opening line. I couldn’t wait to share that love with my kids, and I can say we are now one very proud family of Potterites!
Gryffindor House Bath Bomb
So of the four houses we had to pick from to make our first Hogwarts House Bath Bomb, we decided to go with Gryffindor. Why? Because that is the house Harry chose, and in the words of one of the wisest and most noble wizards, Dumbledore, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
That is a quote from the very first book and when I first read those lines I had a flutter in my heart. A great story can move and change us. Harry Potter is one of those stories.
So our first Harry Potter Bath Bomb to celebrate a Hogwarts house, we chose Gryffindor.
Not sure which Hogwarts House you belong to? Make sure you check out our sorting hat inspired Harry Potter cauldron bath bombs to see which house is revealed!
Need a different house? Check out all our Harry Potter House Bath Bombs
Gryffindor – Harry Potter Bath Bomb Recipe
To make these bath bombs you will need:
2 cups baking soda
1 cup citric acid
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon polysorbate 80
10-20 drops each of clove and cardamom essential oil
Wine mica powder
Yellow-gold mica powder
Wine glitter *
Gold glitter *
Stainless steel bath bomb molds
Spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol
1 large mixing bowl
2 small bowls
1 microwave safe bowl or measuring cup
Disposable gloves (optional)
* A note on glitter In Bath Bombs
We prefer to use biodegradeable glitter whenever possible, but there are sadly a limited number of options available. Below I have linked to cosmetic glitter in the perfect wine and gold colours, plus some biodegradeable glitter which may not be as perfectly coloured but is better for our environment. Which you chose to use in making your bath bombs is completely up to you. You can also chose to leave out glitter entirely and it will not affect the recipe.
![Mica Powder Ultimate 25 Color Set [Huge 250g/8.82oz] Perfect for Epoxy Resin Color Pigment, 25 Essential Pigment Powder Colors, Soap Making, Bath Bomb Colorant, Slime Supplies, BIG 10g/.353oz Portions](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51fcow1s4LL.jpg)
HOW TO MAKE A GRYFFINDOR BATH BOMB
In the large bowl combine the baking soda, citric acid and cornstarch. Mix well, but be cautious. The citric acid does like to become airborne, especially with enthusiastic helpers pouring and mixing. And citric acid can be an irritant. If you are making these with your kids, make sure to prepare them in a well ventilated area and encourage kids to go slow and gentle.
In the microwave safe container add the coconut oil. Melt in the microwave in short intervals with lots of stirring until it is liquid.
Add the polysorbate 80 and essential oils to the coconut oil and mix.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix together well using your hands. Really work it all together and make sure any lumps are broken up. Once it reaches the consistency of wet sand and will hold a shape when you press it with your hand, it is ready. The more you work it, the better you will find this wet sand consistency.
Divide the mix into the two bowls.
In the first bowl add the wine mica powder and wine glitter (about 1 teaspoon of each to start). Mix it in really well with your hands (you may want to wear gloves for this part). Really work it through until the colour is evenly dispersed. If the colour is not dark enough for your taste, add some more mica powder, but go slow. A little goes a long way.
Repeat the process with the second bowl using the yellow-gold mica powder and gold glitter.
Once your colours are completely mixed, it is time to pack the molds. We wanted striped bath bombs, so we added the wine mix first, about a tablespoon, then the gold, then another layer of wine, until the first side was loosely heaped and piled. Then we repeated for the other side of the mold. You want each side to be nicely heaped up. Then carefully bring the two halves and press them together. Twist a bit to have any extra bits fall away. Then tap the ends and carefully pop the bath bomb out of the mold.
I shared a quick video of my process on Instagram.
These bath bomb molds do take a bit of technique and practice. If you are really struggling, consider using a silicone mold in a cool shape instead. These can be easier for kids to master.
Leave your bath bombs in a warm, dry place to harden for approximately 48 hours. It is very important you keep them away from humidity so they don’t prematurely erupt.
When they are dry and hard, they are ready to use. Simply plunk them in your bath and relax thinking about quidditch!
BATH BOMB SCIENCE
Now it might seem like a little bit of magic the way bath bombs erupt in the warm bath water, but it is actually a chemical reaction. When the acid (citric acid) and base (baking soda) are in their dry, solid state, they don’t react. They need water to trigger the reaction, which releases CO2 (carbon dioxide) gas, creating the bubbles you see in the water.
Remember though, you need nice warm water to really trigger the reaction. We learned that in our Bath Bomb Science Fair project!
Another bit of science in these bath bombs is the emulsifier, Polysorbate 80. As we know, oil and water do not mix, that is until you add an emulsifier. This is a very important ingredient in bath bombs, because without it, your oils will float on the top of your bath water and the mica colours will stick to everything, including you, creating a big old mess. And since we can magically clean up the mess, or have house elves to help tidy up, we want to make sure we use the polysorbate 80!
Enjoy your Gryffindor bath bomb my fellow Potterites!
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