Sell bath bombs online, from fizz to front door

1. 01

   Photograph the fizz

   Show the bomb dry, a photo of it fizzing in the water and the water color afterwards, so buyers know whether it tints the tub or leaves petals to scoop out. Share the fizz clip on social media and link to the product.

2. 02

   Make scents and sizes options

   List each design once, with scents or sizes as options and stock for each. Bath bombs lose fizz over time, so keep stock to what you can sell while they’re fresh.

3. 03

   Say what it leaves behind

   List the ingredients and weight, and say whether it contains oils, petals, glitter or colorant that could mark grout or towels. Parents and renters both ask before they buy.

4. 04

   Pack against damp and knocks

   Shrink-wrap or bag each bomb to keep moisture out, then pack them snugly in tissue or crinkle paper. Weigh a full box so your fixed shipping rates cover it.

5. 05

   Build boxes for the big days

   Box sets sell best for birthdays, Mother’s Day and the winter holidays. Add a few themed boxes ahead of each one, with their own stock, and put your posting cut-off date in the description.

6. 06

   Take favor orders as requests

   Baby showers, weddings and parties want bombs in their colors with a tag. Offer custom favors as “price on request” and ask for the date, quantity and colors in the form.

• Bath bombs are cosmetics

  In the US that means FDA cosmetics rules, including MoCRA registration and listing unless a small-business exemption applies. In the EU and UK it means a Responsible Person, a safety assessment and CPNP or SCPN notification before sale. Check what applies to you.

• Colors and glitter

  In the US, colorants in cosmetics must be FDA-approved for that use, so buy cosmetic-grade micas and colors from suppliers who state their status. The EU is phasing plastic glitter out of cosmetics, and many makers now use mica or plant-based glitter.

• Shapes that look like food

  Bath bombs shaped like cupcakes, donuts or sweets can fall under UK and EU rules on products that imitate food, because a child could mistake them for something to eat. Check before you make dessert shapes.

• Toys inside

  A bath bomb with a toy hidden inside, or one made for children, may also count as a children’s product with its own safety rules. Check the rules where you sell before you add one.

General information to help you get started, not legal advice. Rules differ by country, state and product, so check the ones that apply to you.