Are Bath Bombs Safe? Read these Important Facts Before Your Next Spa Day

Bath bombs are beautiful, but are they safe?

It’s proven that spending at least 20 minutes in a warm bath can eliminate stress, so it’s no surprise that most women choose to take a bath when it’s time to wind down after a long day. From dropping in one of your favorite fizzies or delicious smelling bath bombs, to soaking in soothing bath oils while being engulfed by the mounds of pillowy bubbles, your bathtime options have become endless. But before you take your next bath, I suggest doing some research about the products you’re using.

That psychedelic rainbow bathwater is most likely filled with nasty chemicals that could leave you with some serious health problems. Luckily, there are plenty of safe alternatives that will only raise the bar to your bathtime experience.

What’s actually in those glittery balls of goodness?

Bath bombs appear calming and inviting on the outside. But, if you’re not cautious, they could leave you at risk for things like respiratory irritation, allergic reactions, and cancer. Take a look at the list below for some of the dangerous ingredients found in your favorite commercially made bathtime accessories.

• Fragrances — Terms like “fragrance,” “fragrance oils,” or “fragrance oil blend” can be found in our favorite smelling products, and the FDA doesn’t require companies to disclose the chemicals used in them. How crazy is that? Below are a few of the many possible chemicals that may make up a portion of “fragrance” in bath bombs. Some “fragrance” components have been listed on the EPA’s hazardous waste website.
  • Benzene derivatives
    • Dangers: Human carcinogen, hormone disruption, reproductive malformation, lower immune response
  • Aldehydes
    • Dangers: Respiratory allergies, liver disease, embryo toxicity, diabetes/hypertension, sclerosing peritonitis, cerebral ischemia/neurodegenerative diseases, and other aging-associated diseases
  • Phthalates
    • Dangers: Decreased hormone levels, low sperm quality, obesity, ovarian aging, can lead to cancer

• Talc — Although this ingredient isn’t extremely popular in bath bombs, it’s been found in products of our favorite brands. If you keep up with the news, I’m sure you’ve seen that talc has been associated with an elevated risk of ovarian cancer, so it’s not the sort of thing you’ll want to soak in.

• Glitter — Most bath bombs contain glitter or a vegetable oil based lustre.
  • Dangers: Since glitter is formed from small pieces of plastic, once it runs down the drain, it’ll never biodegrade. And remember, glitter and lustres don’t belong in the sensitive, pH balanced vagina. It can cause inflammation and infections such as UTI’s and yeast infections.

• Artificial Dyes — Your health is even at risk from the beautiful swirls of synthetic and artificial colors.
  • D&C Red 33: A dye derived from petroleum or coal tar (a known human carcinogen)
    • Dangers: Allergy-like reactions, ADHD in children, and some have even been linked to neuron damage and brain cancer

• Parabens — Preservative ingredients that extend shelf life of the products.
  • Dangers: Known to disrupt endocrine system and can lead to early puberty. They can trigger allergic reactions in the skin which leads to quick exposure to the body, especially if you’re soaking in the bath. Certain parabens have been associated with breast cancer.

Don’t worry, there are plenty of safe alternatives!

You might feel anxious after learning about those harmful chemicals you’ve been soaking in all this time, but don’t worry! I’ve found some safer options listed below.

• If you’re all about the smells, use scented candles or incense. You’ll still get that calming aroma and the soft light will set the mood for relaxing.
• If bubbles are your thing, you can find natural recipes for making bubble bath all over the internet. Here’s one from DIY Natural.
• Is it the eye-popping color that your crave? There are much safer options to consider than becoming a human easter egg. Try making your own DIY bath bomb with naturally colored powdered ingredients. The benefits of making your own are that you know exactly what you’re going to be soaking in!

With the bath bomb trend on the rise, knowing these facts will be helpful when deciding what you will put in your next bath. Will you lean towards a bare bath with candles providing the perfect amount of relaxing light and aroma or will you make your own ball of luscious natural ingredients?

Author Bio
Kayla Mackie is the Product Safety Investigator for ConsumerSafety.org. With her passion for helping others, she is able to research and provide consumers with the information they need to make smart choices about products of interest.