How to Make Bubble Bath
There’s nothing quite like sinking into a tub filled with soft, fragrant bubbles—and making your own bubble bath is easier than you might think! With the Stephenson 3-in-1 Bubble Bath Base, you can create luxurious bath products (like bubble bath, body wash, and hand soap) in just a few simple steps. No heating, no complicated recipes, just add your favorite fragrance, then bottle it up!
In this step-by-step tutorial, we’ll show you how to make your own bubble bath using the Stephenson 3-in-1 Bubble Bath Base. This versatile base produces rich lather, has a mild pH that’s gentle on skin, and a neutral scent that lets your fragrances shine. So, whether you’re making bubble bath for self-care, body wash for everyday use, or hand soap to match your candle line, this easy project is the perfect way to expand your product offerings—or simply treat yourself to a spa-like experience at home.
Let's get started!
You can use the same formula whether you're making bubble bath, body wash, or hand soap! All products fall under IFRA Category 9.
Additional items needed:
- Bath-safe bottle
- Glass or fragrance-safe container
- Paper towels
- Funnel
- Syringe or pipette
Make sure your tools and workspace are clean. We like to wipe everything down with isopropyl alcohol and a paper towel, but you can also use soap and water or a 5% bleach solution. To make clean up even easier, you can use a protective mat like the Black Silicone Work Surface Mat.
Directions:
Step 1: Sterilize your containers
To keep your bubble bath fresh and safe, always start with clean, sterilized containers. Spray your bottles and caps with rubbing alcohol and allow them to fully dry. This step can also be done the day before.
Step 2: Measure your base
The bottle we’re using here holds 240 g (8.5 oz) by weight. We'll be measuring all materials by weight for accuracy.
Place the funnel pitcher on a scale and press “tare”, this will set the scale to 0 and only measure what is poured into the pitcher.
Carefully pour 240 g of bubble bath base into the pitcher.
A tool like a syringe can help with accuracy.
Step 3: Measure your fragrance
We recommend using no more than a 0.5% fragrance load with the bubble bath base. Once you know how much base you’ll be using, use this equation to calculate how much fragrance to add:
(amount of base) x (% of fragrance) = amount of fragrance to use
For a bottle that holds 240 g of base, it will look like this:
240 x 0.005 = 1.2 g of fragrance oil
We're going to round down here. Place a glass container on a tared out scale and pour out 1 g of the Rice Milk and Oats fragrance oil.
You can see all of our soap-approved fragrance oils using the Fragrance Oil Finder tool.
Step 4: Combine base and fragrance
Pour the fragrance into the funnel pouring pitcher with the bubble bath base. Stir with a spatula for 5-10 minutes or until the base and fragrance are fully combined.
Take note of the volumetric measurement. Since bubble bath is a liquid product, it must be labeled by volume.
Step 5: Fill the bottle
Carefully pour the mixture into the bottle. You can use a funnel or syringe to make this step easier.
Once the bottle is full to its fill line, tightly secure the cap.
Step 6: Finishing touches
Your bubble bath is ready to enjoy! For an extra finishing touch (especially if you’re gifting or selling) consider adding custom labels or branding. Labels not only elevate the look of your product, but also provide important details like fragrance, volume, and directions, giving your bubble bath a polished, professional feel.
For more information on how to properly label liquid for US compliance, check out this article here.
Looking for the perfect labels? Check out our partners over at Avery WePrint!
Ready to expand your line? With the Stephenson's 3-1 Bubble Bath Base you can make not only bubble bath, but body wash, and hand soap as well.
Show off your bubble bath and other handmade creations with the CandleScience community by tagging us @CandleScience and using the #CandleScientist hashtag on Facebook and Instagram. We may feature you in our Stories or on our website!