Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate USP) is an alkaline salt. In addition to making cakes rise, sodium bicarbonate is found in over-the-counter antacids, toothpaste, fire extinguishers, and many other products. Sodium bicarbonate is used to treat or prevent excess acid in the blood or urine. It also can reduce stomach acids and, therefore, can be used as an antacid to treat heartburn or indigestion and is used to relieve sour stomach or acid indigestion by neutralizing excess stomach acid. When used for this purpose, it is said to belong to the group of medicines called antacids. It may be used to treat the symptoms of stomach or duodenal ulcers. Also, since the 1930's, it has been taken by some athletes to increase the speed and recovery in relatively short events, those lasting from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Toiletries applications: Pure baking soda can be used as an all natural tooth powder and can be diluted in warm water to gargle. It’s used as an additive in bath salts and body scrubs. It’s used as a body deodorant and as an ingredient in body powders. It’s one of the main ingredients in fizzy bath bombs (see basic recipe below). Other applications: Food & food processing, beverages , pharmaceuticals, animal foodstuffs , household cleaning products, rubber & plastics foam blowing, fire extinguishers & explosion suppression, effluent & water treatment, flue gas treatment, oil drilling, and industrial & chemical processes. Dry Ingredients: 1 cup baking soda _ cup citric acid _ cup corn starch Optional: 1/3 cup Epsom salts Wet Ingredients: 2 _ T. light vegetable oil (almond oil or sunflower) 3/4 T. water 1/4 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of essential or fragrance oils 1/4 teaspoon borax (emulsifier ) mica or other natural colorant if you wish Sieve the first three dry ingredients together until you get a smooth blend. After sieving, add the sea salts or epsom salts if you have decided to use them. Epsom salt adds a bit of sheen to the fizzy, might make for a more vigorous fizzing action and does shorten the drying time. Set aside dry ingredients while you prepare the wet. Measure and combine all the wet ingredients and borax in a small clean jar or ziplock bag and shake vigorously. Slowly and carefully drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring constantly with your other hand to prevent the reaction from starting. Make sure you mix in all of the wet ingredients. You will find the mixture will be very dry and crumbly. It has to be packed into the molds quite firmly to keep the shape. The mixture should just start to hold together when pressed in your hand, like very slightly moist fine flour pressed together. Make sure it is well mixed and try to work quickly so that it doesn't dry out too much before you mold it. There’s usually no need to oil the molds. If using a round mold, such as a hanging ornament, pack each side of the mold promptly then sprinkle some loose mixture on top and press the halves together as hard as you can without twisting. Smooth the seams and remove any excess material. Molds should be clean and dry. .