Citric Acid: fizz, freshness and a pH helper
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Citric acid is bicarb's partner in crime. Put the two together and add water, and you get that satisfying bath-bomb fizz — but it's a genuinely useful ingredient beyond the bath too.
What it does
It's a mild, naturally-occurring acid (the sharp bit in citrus fruit). In bath bombs it reacts with bicarbonate of soda to fizz. In water-based products like toners and lotions, a tiny amount is the formulator's tool for nudging the pH down to a skin-friendly level, which helps products feel comfortable and work as they should.
How to use it
- Bath bombs: 1 part citric acid to 2 parts bicarbonate of soda
- As a pH adjuster: a very small pinch dissolved in the water phase, checked with pH strips
Keep it dry and airtight, and pair it with my Bicarbonate of Soda for your bath-bomb kit.
Steph x