Do Bath Bombs Expire and How Long Do They Last?

The general rule of a basic bath is to get yourself clean and feel fresh. But you can have a more luxurious bath experience.

Using a bath bomb allows you to enjoy bathing benefits as they contain essential oils like lavender, rose, and chamomile, salts and powdered clays, fun additives like flower petals and glitter, skin softening and nourishing oils like cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut oil, and almond oil.

After a long day, your body needs to relax; what better way to do it than getting into your tub with an aroma-filled bath bomb to relieve stress.

Most bath bombs are made with dead sea salts, Himalayan salts, or Epsom salts; these bath salts have a very long shelf life.

Can Bath Bombs Expire?

As with food products, bath bombs too have ingredients with an expiration date and a recommended shelf life. The shelf life of bath bombs refers to how long you can store them, and they still maintain full effectiveness. A bath bomb has an average shelf life of about six months.

Common bath bomb ingredients include citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). While baking soda and citric acid both have long shelf lives, citric acid starts losing its potency as time passes. However, you can easily preserve the potency of the citric acid by storing it in a tightly sealed container.

When they are exposed to water or moisture, bath bombs tend to create an acid-base reaction. If they are exposed too much to the moisture in the air, they might not fizz anymore and would begin to lose their effective properties.

The fresher your bath bomb is, the faster they fizz, and the better they work. You can utilize tight bulk bath bomb containers to store your fizzies for a long time, and they'll still be usable, but they cannot work effectively as compared to fresh ones.

You should store bath bombs in a cool and dry place such as basements or cupboards. If you like in a humid environment, you can ensure your bath bombs are properly stored with a dehumidifier.

What Is The Shelf Life Of The Separate Bath Bomb Ingredients?

Just as with other products for your beauty and self-care, your bath bombs can stay in the bathroom cupboard, but they are going to be exposed to moisture and steam. It is important to consider that fizzies contain fresh ingredients like natural oils and petals. Typically, this is a list of the individual shelf lives of some common bath bomb ingredients;

• Olive oil lasts for about two years

• Coffee butter can last for one year.

• Coconut oil lasts for more than one year

• Castor oil can last for up to a year

• Canola oil lasts between one to two years

• Apricot Kernel oil can last from six months up to a year

• Avocado oil can last for up to a year

If you want to purchase wholesale bath bombs, you can discover the different ingredients and shelf life from the distributor. Now that you know you can have expired bath bombs, it is key to know that freshness is essential to keeping its longevity. Avoid exposing bath bombs to excess moisture as whether they deteriorate or not depends on this kind of factor.

How Long Do Bath Bombs Last Exactly?

Bath bombs lose their fizzing effect after about six months but are still considered safe. Most bath bombs have expiration dates that fall within the one year range. 

Ingredients like flower petals, oatmeal, fresh fruit extracts, or essential oils can make bath bombs grow mold. It is advisable to store bought bath bombs in bulk bath bomb containers.

Natural bath bombs such as lush bath bombs have a fast degradation process and may start to break down around six months. If you store lush bath bombs in an airtight container, you might be able to slow down this process.

A bath bomb's shelf life is the same as its composite ingredient with the shortest shelf life. It is a general rule that applies to any product. When this ingredient expires, the bath bomb expires.

Bath bombs have a best before date, and after that point, it stops fizzing. The chemical reaction between baking soda and citric acid is what makes the bath bomb fizz and move around the bathtub, so when these ingredients are no longer potent, the bath bomb will stop fizzing.

How Do You Tell If A Bath Bomb Is Expired?

No one wants to use expired bath bombs on their sensitive skin as it could bring about irritation. An expired bath bomb will show signs like discoloration, having a rancid smell, or significant mold growth. Old bath bombs also lose their ability to effervesce when dropped in the tub as they lose carbon dioxide gas.

If you notice any of these signs, you should not use them as you run the risk of skin irritation. Bath bombs stay good with proper storage, but even with that, it still has an expiry date.

So, these are the ways to tell if you have an expired bath bomb;

• Smells: Old bath bombs that have passed their expiration date might begin to have a chemical smell or have that rancid smell. If it has a weird smell different from its natural fragrance, then you should halt using it.

• No Fizz: An old bath bomb will lose its fizz as its ingredients like baking soda and citric acid constantly lose a bit of their effectiveness as time passes and would not have the same reaction. The constituents mentioned are the real reason a bath bomb fizzes. If your bath bomb doesn't have any fizz in it, it is likely that it doesn't work as well as it should. So, don't use it to avoid being disappointed.

• Discoloration: With time, bath bombs are known to change their shade or fade in color. The more faded your bath bomb looks, the more you are certain it has gone past its expiry date. It is important to note that you should not use a bath bomb that has really faded as it can irritate your skin.

• Mold: Can mold grow on bath bombs? The short answer is yes. Mold growing on your bath bomb is a great sign that it is way over its expiry date. Most people don't know that it is dangerous to use bath bombs with mold on them. Bath bombs with natural ingredients like milk, butter, and oatmeal are more likely to be moldy. This can also happen if your bath bomb has been exposed to oxygen, mold spores, or water.

Use an expired bath bomb at your own risk. It is generally not a good bet to use any product that has gone bad as you don't know the chemistry behind their production and how it could impact your health if you do end up using it.

For more information on usage check our post on what are bath bombs and how to use them.

How To Properly Store Your Bath Bombs To Extend Their Shelf Life?

Since bath bombs are a compacted mix of ingredients, it is imperative that they are stored properly. Warm temperatures and high humidity are known to shorten the shelf life of bath bombs.

Since they work better when they are fresh, you have to learn how to store bath bombs and and increase their lifespan as much as possible.

Follow these steps to ensure that the vital ingredients of your bath bombs are not harmed;

• Ensure it is cool and dry: To keep your bath bombs safe from harm, you should store them in a drawer or cupboard (away from humidity). The worst place you can store bath bombs is under direct sunlight or close to other heat sources. Humidity control is optimal to keep your bath bombs' fizz ability for a longer time.

• Store similar scents together: The best way to store your collection of different bath bombs is to have those with a similar scent packaged together. This will help you avoid intermingling and maintain their aromas. For example, you should keep all the floral scents together and the citrus fragrances in another container. This is an optional tip, but it isn't one you should discard.

• Keep it airtight: To lock out the excess oxygen and moisture, you should store your bath bombs in Ziploc bags with no additional air, plastic containers with tight-fitting lids, or an airtight container like a mason jar.

Can You Use Expired Bath Bombs?

Bath bombs expire, and they can be detrimental to your skin. Remember that an expired bath bomb loses most of its properties, so you have to be careful with them.

There is a possibility that you release dangerous compounds into your system if you utilize these expired products.

You can still use a bath bomb that is past its expiry date, depending on how long it has gone over the mark. The longer it stays, the more harmful it could be to your skin. You don't suppose an old bath bomb would have all its features intact.

A simple rule of thumb is never to use bath bombs that are way over one year old. You definitely don't want to use them if they have been sitting in a humid and damp place for over six months beyond their expiration date. Experts advise people to drop any bath bomb that has a faded color, smells rancid, or has mold on them.

Body & Earth offers some of the best luxurious bath bombs for sale. We use organic ingredients like shea butter and a blend of organic essential oils so you can get maximum benefits from our products. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Do bath bombs lose their smell?

The fresher a bath bomb, the more fragrant it is. For the best results, you are expected to use up your bath bombs mere weeks after you buy them. Once they sit for up to a year, bath bombs tend to lose their soothing scents and popular fizz. You shouldn't just throw your bath bomb out because it has lost its smell as it can still be used.

2. Can bath bombs grow mold?

Mold and bacteria can grow in products that consist of water, like scrubs and lotions. There are ingredients in bath bombs that should not be exposed to moisture, and when this happens, mold has the perfect opportunity to grow. Adding preservatives cannot stop fresh ingredients from growing mold, which is why you are advised not to let your bath bomb get wet if you are not ready to use it.