Are Bath Bombs Bad for Your Hair?

Bath bombs are all the rage right now with big retail stores carrying multiple scents, colors, and even glitter added.  There are also a ton of “how to” for making your own bath bombs if you are more of the DIY person.  But, are bath bombs bad for your hair? In this blog post, we will provide an answer to that.

Being in the hair business (and having a teenage daughter who is obsessed with bath bombs) my first thought was, “What do they do to your hair”. Here’s what I’ve found…

Bath Bombs Ingredients Overview

I think the simplest way to do it is break it down by ingredients.  Most bath bombs contain some if not all of the following ingredients:

Baking soda – would be similar to a baking soda rinse for your hair if your hair tolerates them.  However you would probably want to follow up with a lemon juice or ACV (apple cider vinegar) rinse.

Citric acid – not the healthiest pH to leave on your hair so you may want to rinse with cool water or simply shampoo your hair after the bath.

Salt – Could strip color from your hair if you have color treated hair.

Food coloring – If your hair is dark this may not be a problem for you but if your hair is blonde or even salt and pepper grey bright food colorings may stain your hair and depending on the porosity of your hair it may take a few shampoos to get out completely.

Essential oils – most essential oils are not harmful for your hair.  Depending on quantity and quality (are they pure essential oils or an oil blend) it may leave hair greasy feeling.

Bath Bombs: Our Verdict

Bottom line, bath bombs are more about the experience of the fragrance and relaxation and less about function, so it is probably best to still follow your normal hair care routine after bathing. This ensures that you maintain the health and vitality of your hair, as bath bombs are not designed to address specific hair care needs.

If you love bath bombs and would like to try them, we have a DIY bath bomb recipe with natural ingredients that won’t harm your hair. It’s an affordable and hair-friendly alternative to store-bought bath bombs.

How to minimize the risk of bath bombs damaging hair?

To keep your hair in good shape while indulging in bath bombs, consider these tips:

• Limit your use of bath bombs
• Choosing bath bombs with fewer harsh ingredients such as salt and citric acid
• After using a bath bomb, make sure to rinse your hair thoroughly
• Applying a leave-in conditioner after using a bath bomb

Curious to learn more about hair care and cosmetology?

We covered all of the hair care and other cosmetology techniques in our comprehensive and practical cosmetology program based in Iowa, designed for all aspiring beauty experts.

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