This Foaming Body Wash recipe was born after I tried a popular mainstream brand of shower wash that makes ‘natural’ claims. It feels and smells lovely, but has a price tag of about $8 per bottle and contains quite a few ingredients, some of which I am suspicious of.
I believe simplicity is best when our bodies are concerned, especially when new research is emerging all of the time on chemicals ‘they’ once thought was safe. A perfect example is triclosan in antibacterial hand washes and the recent news that big Australian manufacturers will be removing it from their products by the end of 2017.
Remember to make your own decisions and do your own research though; your body, your choice.
So, back to the recipe… A variation on my standard foaming wash, it’s easy to change up the essential oils to suit your intended purpose or mood… So simple!
Foaming Body Wash
Makes: 200 g Prep time: < 5 min.
Ingredients
- 65 g liquid castile soap
- 15-20 drops of essential oils
- 135 g water (see recipe notes)
My Choice of Essential Oils
My favourite essential oils in this recipe are peppermint and orange, but don’t be limited by my suggestions. Use oils that fit your budget, or those that you already have in your collection. Read here for more information on essential oils.
Special Container Required
Soap bottle (with foam dispenser)
Method
1. Add castile soap and essential oils into soap bottle and swirl to combine.
2. Add water and shake until combined.
To Use
Massage 1-2 pumps of foam over body. Rinse with warm water.
Recipe Notes
Water should be distilled, purified or pre-boiled and cooled to extend shelf life.
14 Comments
Love your site and blog! I need to acidify this recipe for my skin. I typically use lactic acid to do this in my liquid recipes. Any reason you can think of to not add lactic acid here? Thanks!
Thanks 🙂 I’ll be honest, this is not something I have done so I am hesitant to give you advice on it, sorry!
Hi, I’m struggling to find a good size foaming pump container in plastic (also not a fan of glass in shower with small children). Any ideas where to find them?
Hey, heaps of these suppliers stock them! https://krissyballinger.com.au/sourcing-diy-ingredients/
Do we need to add preservative?
If yes, what are “safe” one to use?
I talk about my take on preservatives here > https://krissyballinger.com.au/blog/preservatives-shelf-life-and-safety-information/
My kid and I make this all the time as a science experiment. it’s fun trying different essential oil combinations. We love orange rosemary too. Lavender and mint is another favourite.
Hi Is there a particular foaming pump bottle you recommend? As I’ve read it’s best to use glass bottles with essential oils but don’t want to use glass in the shower.
Thankyou
Essential oils in the ratios that I use are fine in plastic containers. When we are told not to store in plastic, it is referring to undiluted or potent ratio’s. Think about the products sold by major essential oil companies, such as shampoo and cleaning concentrates – they’re often in plastic packaging. The type of plastic matters also, and PET (no.1) and HDPE are the safest. While I always prefer glass, sometimes it isn’t the most practical. Krissy x
Hi Krissy, I’m planning on making this body wash but need to ask, (probably silly question) do you use the peppermint and orange oils together or is it one or the other? Thank you.
There are honestly no ‘rules’. I use them together, but either on their own is fine too!
Love this recipe! So refreshing and super easy to make. ❤️
I’ve always heard glycerin should be added to this recipe so your skin doesn’t dry out. What are your thoughts? Thank you.
Go for it if you like, I find no need personally 🙂