Starting a small business has its challenges, especially when you want to create products that are both high-quality and scalable. When I first launched my bath bombs, I used 3D printed hand molds—an affordable solution to “test the water”, so to speak. But as sales grew, I quickly realized that the effort needed to produce these was not going to be sustainable long-term. Today, I want to share the story of how I transitioned from using hand molds to creating my new Bath Blocks, and what I've learned along the way. 

The Beginning: Making Bath Bombs with 3D Printed Hand Molds

My early bath bomb production relied on 3D printed hand molds. The hand molds worked well initially—they allowed me to produce batches of bath bombs quickly and efficiently. The round shape was both iconic and simple. Most importantly, they helped me keep my initial costs manageable, and the ability to adjust my process as I learned what customers loved, which is critical when you're just starting out.

Customer Love & Early Success

One of the most encouraging aspects of my journey was the overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers. Many described my bath bombs as “better than LUSH,” which is a pretty significant compliment in the natural bath product market. They also emphasized how their skin felt soft and smooth after use, which reaffirmed that my ingredient choices—like jojoba oil, shea butter, and kaolin clay—were on the right track. The vibrant colours and the fact that the dye washed down the drain without staining the tub was a huge plus - I get the sense that very few people actually enjoy scrubbing out the tub. These qualities made my bath bombs one of the best-selling items on my shelf, giving me confidence in knowing that I was on the right path.

The Challenge of Effort & Sustainability

However, there was a downside. Using these hand molds required a lot of physical effort. Because everything was manual, the process was physically demanding—especially as sales increased. The repeated squeezing and pressing took a toll on my hands and overall stamina.

As my sales numbers grew, I knew I needed to find a more sustainable method for production. I wanted to scale my business without exhausting myself or sacrificing quality.

Investing in Machinery: The Dream and the Frustration

Last winter, I purchased this second-hand pneumatic press with a dream of producing bath bombs more efficiently. However, the reality was more complicated.
Instead of the smooth spheres I had imaged, often the bath bombs would break in half when I removed them from the mold. Other times, they’d hold together during production only to crumble apart during shipping or after being unwrapped. It was inconsistent, frustrating, and honestly, disheartening. Instead of being the time-saving tool I had dreamt about, I ended up pressing each bath bomb two, three, or sometime even more times before I managed to get one that held together.
The worst part was the unpredictability. Despite weighing ingredients to the gram, and tracking humidity and temperatures in my workspace, I just couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason why some batches turned out perfect and others didn’t. 

The Research Rut & False Leads

In my quest to perfect the process, I turned to research, yet kept coming up empty-handed. Some common suggestions included:

• Avoiding oils or butters: Some said that oils or butters could interfere with the structure, leading to breakage. But I knew from customer feedback that these ingredients were vital—they made my products feel nourishing and skin-friendly.
• Not using emulsifiers like Polysorbate 80: Others insisted that removing emulsifiers would do the trick, but this ingredient also is key in preventing slipperiness in the tub, as well as keeping all the beautiful colours flowing down the drain. As someone who does not enjoy scrubbing my tub after every single bath (let alone taking a tumble in a slippery bath tub), removing it was a no go for me.
• Humidity considerations: Some advised adjusting humidity levels in the workspace might cause issues, but controlling humidity at the level needed would require costly HVAC modifications, making it impractical.

Most frustrating was the inconsistency. Some batches pressed perfectly; others made me want to throw the press out a window. I was becoming increasingly stressed as one of my best-selling products literally crumbled in my hands.

An Unexpected Inspiration: Listening to My Son

On of the great things about running a family business is getting inspiration and ideas from my kids, from new products and designs, to picking music for social media content, and inspiring their own entrepreneurial aspirations. Last summer, my son asked if I could make bath bombs in the shape of cubes—like blocks from his favourite game.

I decided to experiment with different shaped molds that my pressed could use - cubes, discs, hearts, and even clouds. What I found was eye-opening: shapes with flat bottoms, like cubes and discs, held together much better than the spheres. They also didn’t roll off the counter, making handling and packaging much easier.

It was a small change, but it had a big impact. The more I experimented, the more I realized that these shape adaptations could solve many of the problems I faced with stability and consistency.

The Breakthrough: Creating Bath Blocks

Encouraged by this discovery, I made the decision to pivot from traditional round bath bombs to a new product I call Bath Blocks. The only difference? Their shape. They are still the same size, still packed with the same nourishing ingredients.

One of the joy and challenges of being an entrepreneur is the ability continually re-evaluate and evolve to make my small business as successful as it can be. I am so grateful for the feedback, both good and not-so-good, from customers who have trusted me with their hard-earned time and resources.

I also want to create something that works with, instead of one that competes with, my life outside the business. Whether that means exploring a new skill or change to my manufacturing process, creating new products, or discontinuing one that had become too expensive as the prices of ingredients and supplies increase, thank you for joining me and my family on this fun adventure!

While you're here, take a moment to explore all of our bath bombs! From bright and bold, to subtle and sophisticated, I hope you can find something you'll love!