I started making my own personal care and cleaning products a few years ago in an effort to better regulate the toxins and chemicals I was bringing into my home. If you’d liked more information on why I made this change, check out this post, 6 reasons to make your own personal care and cleaning products.
It took me a bit of trial and error to find a homemade body wash I love. I used to combine equal parts coconut milk and castile soap for a body wash, but I didn’t love the feel of that combination. It didn’t lather as much as I appreciate in a body wash and I found the coconut milk wouldn’t keep for long. I prefer not to make new batches every few days or even week.
I finally landed on this simple 3 ingredient recipe combining honey, castile soap, and a carrier oil.
Honey helps your skin absorb and retain moisture as well as having antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Castile soap is nontoxic, made from natural plant based ingredients and 100% biodegradable. It is a great choice of soap for sensitive skin. The carrier oil benefits vary depending on your choice but basically all act as a natural moisturizer for your skin.
Natural Body Wash to Make at Home
This basic recipe has popped up all over the internet. I’ve seen some combination of these ingredients to make body wash on almost every natural DIY blog I follow. I believe the first time I saw it was on Mommypotamus. One thing I do differently in my recipe is use far fewer drops of essential oil. Pure essential oils are very strong and a little goes a long way. I also keep it simple with fractionated coconut oil as my carrier oil ingredient.
What You Will Need:
- glass container with a pump nozzle (at least 8 oz)
- 1/3 cup honey (I use raw)
- 1/3 cup liquid castile soap (unscented if you’d like to create your own scent)
- 1/3 cup fractionated coconut oil (I use organic)
- 10 – 15 drops of essential oil (optional)
I add the equal parts honey, castile soap, and coconut oil to my jar and mix them gently to avoid bubbling up the soap.
Then I add my preferred essential oils to the top and mix again.
Lavender is always a great go to for bath products to create a calming relaxing experience. Lately I prefer peppermint and tea tree for their stimulating and soothing respiratory properties. Sometimes I add a couple of drops of eucalyptus as well. It’s fun to experiment with different combinations each time I make a batch.
The ingredients will separate between uses. Just shake the container to remix before applying it.
This recipe lasts me 10 to 14 days.
Notes:
I have seen recipes that call for up to 60 drops of essential oil, which seems like a lot for this 1 cup total volume. You can always add more drops if you feel the scent isn’t strong enough. I use essential oils regularly throughout my day in personal care products, roller bottles, and my diffuser so I prefer to add small amounts to each product to avoid sensitization.
Now that I’ve fallen in love with this body wash, I make a double batch whenever we need more. It fits perfectly in a pint size mason jar with a soap pump lid. That way the amount lasts us at least 3 weeks.
Other Recipes I Use These Ingredients For:
- I consume raw honey to help with seasonal allergies among other health benefits. In the cold season, I use it in a tonic with spices and apple cider vinegar to ward off illness.
- I use castile soap as a dish soap and also as an ingredient in my homemade shampoo.
- Fractionated coconut oil is my go to carrier oil for any of my roller bottle blends. I use these to help allergies, for sinus relief, to ease menstrual cramps, and to aid sleep. Lately I’ve been using fractionated coconut oil as the base for my husband’s beard oil.
Resources:
6 Reasons to Make Your Own Personal Care Products
Beginning with Essential Oils: A Basic Guide
Modern Essentials: The Complete Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils
Do you made any of your own bath products? What are your favorite scents?
