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Making your own homemade body wash is easier than you think. With this simple 4 ingredient recipe, I will show you how to make a natural body wash that is moisturizing for the skin and cost-effective.
Some of the products that we are using to keep our bodies clean can actually cause our bodies more harm than good. Have you revamped your daily grooming routine yet?
When I decided to “clean up” (pun 100% intended) my routine, I noticed that making my own natural body wash was going to be much cheaper than buying natural options from the store.
I guarantee you that DIYing your own body wash, natural shampoo, and natural conditioner is much easier than you are expecting. And the best part is that they require a lot of the same ingredients, so once you make one, you might as well make them all.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cost-effective: I already mentioned that making your own body wash is much cheaper than buying a natural body wash at the store, but it is worth saying again! I’ve saved so much money by DIYing my bath and beauty products. Once you buy the ingredients, they last for several batches.
- Moisturizing: When I’m choosing a body wash or homemade soap bar to use, one of my top priorities is how hydrating it is for my skin. I often struggle with dry skin and what I use in the shower can make all the difference. This body wash uses ingredients that will leave your skin soft, smooth, and well-moisturized.
- Gentle ingredients: I love that this recipe uses natural ingredients that I feel good about my whole family using! This body wash is gentle enough for all of my kids, even those with sensitive skin.
Materials Needed
- A foaming soap container: I purchase them online to use for body wash and foaming hand soap.
- Castile soap: Made with all-natural plant oils, castile soap is a moisturizing and effective cleaner. It’s also very gentle for sensitive skin, which is why I use it in my homemade baby wash and this recipe. You can buy it scented or unscented; I prefer unscented so I can add my own essential oils.
- Honey: Honey has antibacterial properties, making it great for natural skincare. Raw honey can help with blemishes and skin conditions and may even offer anti-aging properties, according to Medical News Today. When possible, find local, raw honey.
- Carrier oil: You can use any liquid carrier oil that you prefer. I like fractionated coconut oil, but it’s a good idea to try a few and find what works best on your skin. Check out my post on the top 10 best carrier oils for further reading.
- Vegetable glycerin: Glycerin is a vegetable-based, odorless, clear liquid. It will add thickness to the body wash and help it to lather more. Glycerin is a natural moisturizer and will help your skin to stay smooth and soft.
- Essential oils: You can use any of your favorite essential oils in this recipe! A few of my favorite oils to add are lavender, frankincense, tea tree, wild orange, and sandalwood.
- Water
How to Make Natural Body Wash
Step 1. Pour the castile soap, honey, carrier oil, and vegetable glycerin into the foaming soap container.
Step 2. Add your essential oils of choice to the bottle.
Step 3. Fill the foaming soap container to the top with water.
Step 4. Secure the lid and give it a gentle shake to mix the ingredients. The body wash is ready to use!
Expert Tips
- It’s a good idea to use warm water so the honey dissolves into the body wash more effectively.
- This natural body wash will last up to 3 months in a cool, dark place.
- Be sure to use a liquid carrier oil. Using cold-pressed coconut oil will not work as it can clog up your soap dispenser.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can. The ingredients in this natural body wash are gentle enough for your face. However, you may prefer a soap that is specifically formulated for the face. If so, try my homemade face cleanser gel or DIY face wash recipes.
You can use any essential oils that you like! If you aren’t sure where to start, I like to add anti-aging essential oils or essential oils for clear skin when I am making any skincare product.
It is always best to use pure essential oils that are not made with any added fillers. Because the FDA doesn’t regulate essential oils, you really have to do your own research. I use doTERRA essential oils in my home and find them to be very effective and pure. Learn more about why I choose doTERRA essential oils.
More DIY Bath Recipes
- DIY Shaving Cream Recipe
- Cold-Process Shampoo Bars for Hair Growth
- How to Make Homemade Conditioner
- DIY Shower Oil
- How to Make Rose Bath Salts
If you tried this Natural Body Wash or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
How to Make Natural Body Wash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.6 oz liquid castile soap, ⅓ cup
- 3.5 oz honey, ⅓ cup preferably local and raw
- 2.6 oz carrier oil, ⅓ cup I use fractionated coconut oil
- 0.5 oz vegetable glycerin, 1 tbsp
- 20-30 drops essential oils, optional
Instructions
- Pour all of the ingredients directly into the foaming soap container.
- Fill the foaming soap container to the top with water.
- Secure the lid and give it a gentle shake to mix the ingredients.
Video
Notes
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- This natural body wash will last up to 3 months in a cool, dark place.
- It’s a good idea to use warm water so the honey dissolves into the body wash better.
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- Be sure to use a liquid carrier oil. Using regular coconut oil will not work and it will clog up your soap dispenser.
I made the natural body wash and for some reason it’s not suddsing up. What can I add to it? I really want to use it.
Add a little vegetable glycerin.
I was wondering about the body wash recipe, can I put this in a squeeze bottle and how much water should I add? I’m not sure what size bottle I’m planning on using.
Thank you
Yes, you can! Depending on the opening of the bottle, you may not need to add any water.
Do I need a preservative with this recipe?
You can add an antioxidant like vitamin E antioxidant or rosemary antioxidant to help extend the shelf life of the product if desired.
How much of the antioxidants would you recommend adding ?
Hi ,how to increase the shelf life of this body wash ?which natural preservative is good for this product!
Is there anything else that I can use besides carrier oil and fractioned coconut oil? I have trouble finding them and have looked in multiple stores. Would Jojoba oil or Sweet almond oil work?
Yes, either of those would work!
Excited to try this recipe! Just a quick clarification about the steps, what do you mean by “ Top off the 12-ounce foaming soap dispenser with water.”
Do you add the mixture to the soap dispenser then top off with water?
Correct!
Hello! Super excited to make this recipe. I love the blend of the oils that you chose. About how many drops of each do you use? Is it 10 drops equally or do you use mostly lavender and a hint of the rest?
It is completely up to you! I prefer equal parts of each.
Which oils do you use for the body wash