When you first started making bath bombs you probably started with the classic round shape. I think most of us start there. It is, afterall, iconic. And instantly recognizable. And arguably essential to the bath bomb game.

Once you really get in the groove of making bath bombs though, you’re likely to fall into a rut and begin seeing round, spherical fizzies as a boring ball and chain keeping you from exploring a world of exciting shapes. Even if you’ve tried spicing things up by topping your rounds with salts and sprinkles or finishing with a splash of mica, the urge to pursue other designs is almost irresistible for most bath bomb makers.

The biggest question is what molds will give me the most bang for my buck? In other words, what are your must-have molds? The molds I suggest today aren’t necessarily the most versatile, we’ll cover that in another article. They aren’t necessarily the fanciest, splurge-worthy molds either, although we do have some suggestions for that in an upcoming article as well. Nope, these are what I would consider the essential, must-have mold SHAPES that every maker should have some version of. 

By some version I’m alluding to the fact that I don’t feel that these molds need to be brand-specific. I don’t think it matters whether you choose a metal tin mold, plastic vacuum form mold, or 3D printed mold as long as you have one of these shapes hanging around somewhere in your workshop. With that in mind, go for a design you like, in a material-type you prefer, within a price range you can afford! You don’t need to have them all, but this is a great foundation and will get you through almost every holiday!

  1. Unicorns! If you want a mold that is ALWAYS popular, then a unicorn mold would be my first suggestion! It really doesn’t matter if you have a baby unicorn, adult unicorn, full body unicorn, or just the unicorn head. A unicorn bath bomb will sell all year long and hit so many demographics depending on how you label and decorate it! 

2) Hearts! Valentine’s Day is one of the few holidays that I don’t mind “over producing” for. Not only do I get to indulge in all the pretty things, there’s the added benefit that heart-shaped items will sell all year long. It’s up to you if you choose a flat heart, puffy heart, heart bombshell, or any of the numerous variations on this shape that exists, the fact of the matter is–you need to have a heart!

3) Clouds! While cloud molds aren’t personally my “go-to” molds, for many makers they are! You can leave them white, make them colored, fill them with embeds or even explore the fun of rainbow embed bars with this shape. There are several styles of cloud mold out there and they either feature a flat bottom or a curved bottom, so depending on your plans you might want to think about that as you search for a good fit for your needs. 

4) Eggs! The first year I ventured into shaped bath bombs I thought I could get away without having an egg mold, and found myself hunting for one at the last minute. It seems crazy that such a simple, seemingly limited shape could be so important, but Easter and spring almost always marks an uptick in sales and having an egg on hand is key.

5) Donuts! I almost feel like it’s cheating to have Donut molds listed here when I know they also belong on the list of the most versatile molds. Whether you choose to make plain donuts, iced donuts, or those fancy donut bath bombs with a toy on top, this is definitely one you have to have!

6) Skull! Hear me out–skulls are appropriate all year! Ok, while that might not be popular opinion, skulls are a great mold to have even when it’s not Spooky Season. They are really versatile and a lot of people love the way they look when salts or botanicals are added.

7) Lips! I think it’s safe to say that lips are a really common motif for bath bomb makers. When I scroll through posts from other makers it’s pretty rare to not see some lip mold of some kind. Whether it’s a classic pucker-up, a sassy kissy mouth, or a pouty vampire yap trap, you should definitely have a lip mold of some kind! 

8) Stars! Like so many of the other molds listed, a star mold can be used year round and has a lot of appeal to both kids and adults. It can be dressed up, or kept simple, but it’s worth having one of these molds around. 

9) Shark! The appeal of shark bath bombs seems to parallel that of unicorns. You can have one without the other, but it’s even better if you can keep both on offer year round. Yep, I said year round! They make great gifts for kids of all ages and their sales aren’t just limited to summer. 

10) Waffle! Whether you choose a round waffle, square waffle, large waffle or a mini waffle, but you need to have yourself a waffle mold of some kind. Not only can they be dolled up in a myriad of ways, they are super popular with customers! In fact my Breakfast For Dinner Set remains my best (and fastest) selling set to date. There’s just something about having a waffle mold!

“But wait!” I hear you saying, “you didn’t suggest any molds for the winter holidays!” That’s right, I didn’t. The winter holidays mean different things to different people depending on your cultural and religious beliefs. And while this article will have a follow up MOST VERSATILE MOLDS, I encourage you to also think about the versatility of these molds. 

For example, donut shaped bath bombs are commonly used to make snowglobes during the holidays. I used a waffle mold to make Santa bath bombs, and a star to make Rudolph. I also used my unicorn mold to make “zombie unicorns” during fall, and my egg mold acted as a base to paint the Tiger King at the start of 2020. While I know that painting Joe Exotic might require skills outside your wheelhouse, the point is that with even a few of these Must-Have molds you’ll be set up for almost any season!