Bath bombs are easy to make, although you'll have to leave them to cure for a day before exploding them in your tub!

You'll need:

1 1/2 cups bicarbonate of soda
1/2 cup citric acid powder (use fine grade, available from chemists or ask a pool-supplies shop to order you some)
Sieve
Sweet almond oil (from chemists)
An essential oil such as peppermint, lavender, geranium
Potpourri or herbal teabags such as chamomile, lemon, rosehip or peppermint
Food colouring
Rubber gloves
Moulds from craft shops

Here's how:

1. To make the base mix, sieve together the bicarbonate of soda and the citric acid powder in a large dry mixing bowl. This is enough to make about 4 bombs, depending on the size of the moulds.

2. Transfer 1/2 cup ONLY of the base mix into a medium bowl and stir in the contents of a herbal teabag or other dry ingredient. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine 6 drops of your chosen essential oil with 1/2 teaspoon of sweet almond oil and 8 to 12 drops of food colouring. Pour this mixture into the 1/2 cup of base mix and stir quickly with a teaspoon so things don't start fizzing!

4. Wearing rubber gloves, continue to combine the ingredients with your fingertips until they start to stay together when compressed in your hand. It's essential you do this with your fingertips, not a spoon, so the liquid is distributed evenly. The mix is now ready to go into a mould.

5. Wipe a little sweet almond oil inside the mould. Fill the mould with the mixture, packing it in firmly. Make your other bath bombs with the remaining mixture, working with 1/2 cup at a time. Leave the bath bombs to set for at least 24 hours (36 hours is even better). Turn each mould over and bang it firmly once on a flat surface, then gently ease out the bath bombs

Tips

• Aromatherapy buffs say different essential oils have different effects on your emotions - lavender brings a sense of calm and comfort; peppermint re-energises your body and clears your mind; and geranium uplifts your mind and spirit.
  To make sure your bath bombs are easy to remove, stick to simple moulds such as heart and star shapes.
  To give your bombs a pretty, textured look, sprinkle extra herbal tea or potpourri into the moulds before you press in the mix.
  Remember, hot water activates the fizz in the bombs - cold water doesn't work.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens August 1999