Seven tips for starting a bath bomb business

If you’re looking to set up your own business making and selling bath bombs, your dreams can be a reality as long as you put in the time and research. 

We’ve outlined the basic initial steps you need to take to kickstart your bath bomb business. 

Decide on your target market

There are a huge variety of bath bomb designs and styles that can be made, so you’ll need to find your niche or your Unique Selling Point (USP) which will appeal to your target market. Bath bomb makers are creating designs which are more than just basic spheres that fizzle and dissolve. 

There are a variety of different markets out there that you could target, ranging from kids to health and beauty fanatics, to those with body pain and aches. The possibilities are endless, so make sure you narrow down what your niche is and do your research.

Create product ideas

Once you’ve decided on your target demographic, you can then focus on the type of bath bomb you want to make. If you choose to go down the route of kid’s bath bombs, you may want to create products that have some sort of gimmicks, such as a rainbow trail in the water or a shaped bath bomb to resemble a cartoon character. 

You should focus on the colours and scents of your products too. Different audiences will prefer different scents, so choose wisely when creating your initial ideas. For example, if you choose to focus your products around aromatherapy, it’s probably not the best idea to use very artificial smelling scents or extremely bright colours. 

Consider what ingredients you will use

Once you’ve established what kind of products you wish to produce, you should look at the types of ingredients you wish to use. In general, most bath bombs are made up of baking soda, citric acid and cornstarch. However, the possibilities for colour, scent and shape are endless. If you have created a rough plan of your product ideas, you should have a decent idea of what ingredients you’ll need such as any essential oils, scent oils or colourants. 

Remember to research the ingredients before you buy them. High-quality oils may be more expensive than other oils, but it will mean you provide your customers with high-quality bath bombs. You will also need to think about different shapes of moulds too. 

Think about your packaging

Ideally, your packaging should have your business’s brand style across the exterior. This can be as simple as your brand name, colour scheme or even patterns and designs. One thing you are required to have on your packaging is a label containing ingredients, hazard pictograms, allergen information and supplier information. 

Having a label containing the above will keep you CLP compliant, which is mandatory if your bath bombs contain essential oils. You must ensure that you are following cosmetic safety guidelines so your products are safe for human use, especially if you are creating products for young children or those with skin issues. 

Look into getting a Cosmetic Safety Report. This is made up of a series of tests that check a product’s toxicity, stability and shelf-life and preservative efficacy. Trading standards may ask you to produce this document, so it’s important you have it to hand. 

Get a licence 

In order to sell your products, you will need to obtain a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR), which is required for all products that come into contact with the skin. 

Get insurance 

It is vital you have your bath bomb insurance covered by comprehensive craft insurance policies. You should be getting both Public Liability Insurance and Product Liability Insurance in order to be protected against claims against you or your business. 

If your product causes some form of harm to either a member of the general public or third-party property, you could be held liable for it, which is why it’s so important to have an insurance policy in place to protect you should a claim be made. 

Decide where you want to sell your products

So you’ve created your product line, you’ve got a licence and insurance, making your bath bombs and they’re ready to be sold. Your next step should be establishing where you want to sell your products. Many bath bomb makers sell their products online using sites such as Folksy, Etsy, Depop and Not On The Highstreet. Selling online is easy, but you may have to take into consideration any seller fees.

Alternatively, you could set up a stall at craft fairs. It’s great exposure and allows you to talk to customers who may not be comfortable buying products online. Just remember, if you plan on going to craft fairs, you will need to have craft fair insurance in order to sell your products. 

Creating bath bombs can be relatively low cost, but the customisation opportunities are endless which is why many have already turned creating bath bombs into a viable business. For more information, read CraftCover’s Guide to Starting a Bath Bomb Business.