Bombe de Bain: the bath bomb business that’s making a splash

Steam rises from the test tubes on the shelf. Plastic cups and dye-filled pipettes come together in chaotic harmony, breathing life into the white Ikea tabletop in front of me. It’s this very table that serves as Irmgard Richel’s worktop. The creative lab – the term the 30-year-old amateur chemist uses to describe her dining table – is the birthplace of brightly coloured bath bombs. The air is laced with the scent of innovation. Or maybe that’s just the smell wafting from the overflowing cat litter tray in the corner. My nose isn’t quite sure yet. Time to find out.

Irmgard, although your start-up is still getting off the ground, I’m still seeing prominent figures in the world of social media posing with your products under the hashtag #BathtimeIsTheBomb on the daily. Seems genuine to me. How do you handle all the hype?
Irmgard Richel, CEO, CFO, COO and CMO of «Bombes de Bain»: It can be hard to relax within the cold, tiled walls of a bathroom. We – my vision and I, that is – want to help our customers create an oasis of well-being. One that appeals to all the senses. Given the extremely positive feedback we’ve received from our paid partnerships, we’re sure we’ve been successful in that. It’s mind-blowing.

I’m pleased for you guys. What sets «Bombes de Bain» apart from other start-ups?
We love what we do. And we do it in harmony with Mother Nature. Our products are vegan. And a significant number of them are green. Of course, we do carry other colours as well.

How do you feel about people who prefer to shower because it’s more convenient?
It’s important not to judge anyone for their lifestyle choices. But such hectic lifestyles shouldn’t go unquestioned. In the long-run, living like that just isn’t healthy.

But it also saves water.
We often hear that argument, but I think the showerhead lobby is behind it. How else do you explain that the studies we’ve commissioned have produced totally different results? But I’d rather not comment any further on that. These tiles have ears.

As an investigative journalist, that sets my alarm bells ringing. Are we talking about a conspiracy here?
Let me share some confidential stuff from my Telegram archive later.

Thank you. I’m always on the lookout for trustworthy sources. Let’s get back to our main topic: what’s that smell?
That’s the smell of our two bestsellers. Two exquisite fragrances we add to our bath bombs: «Fruits d’Amour» and «Pinède». The bath bombs created in our laboratory are, in a way, the fruits of our love for chemistry. We wanted to express that in the «Fruits d’Amour» fragrance. «Pinède» or pine forest, on the other hand, is the antithesis of this. It’s kind of gloomy; melancholic with a hint of mustiness.

Some claim that your approach to colour mixing is unique. Do you take the same view?
I wouldn’t go that far. My approach is minimalist. I can get a lot out of a little. All I need is yellow, pink and blue. The magic lies in the mixing process. It’s like dancing a frantic tango into the unknown. I never know where the next steps are going to take me.

Let’s talk about design: you seem to have a knack for innovative shapes.
The shapes we work with really are unique, just as the aspects of nature that inspired them are: starfish, shells, flowers and rainbows. Our bestsellers – the round bath bombs – owe their shape to the moon. I got the idea by looking at the night sky. With their hectic daily lives, our customers appreciate simplicity.

What’s your typical process when creating a bath bomb?
As soon as I have a concept for a new collection, I put on my gloves. Most of the time, anyway. I then add unsullied doses of water and fragrances to baking soda, before adding some secret powder (that comes from a packet with a little warning label on it). Highly complex chemical processes and a little dye follow. Finally, I pour the mixture into our homemade moulds. Three to four hours later, the bath bombs are ready to be gift wrapped.

Sounds like child’s play.
Ha! Try it yourself first and we’ll see what you have to say then.

Craft sets

EUR37,08

Sentosphere Bombes De Bain

111

Craft sets

EUR37,08

Sentosphere Bombes De Bain

111

This make-your-own bath bomb set was given to me as a Secret Santa gift by my teammate Laura Scholz. The goal? To write as creative an article as possible on it. In my case, a fictitious reportage. Want to read the articles my teammates wrote about their Secret Santa gifts? Here’s one by my colleague Michael Restin.