Ditch the toxins in most store bought products and make this super easy Homemade Body Wash instead.
It comes together super fast, smells luxurious, and makes a great gift too!
Today I'm sharing with you a new DIY product that I am loving--a Homemade Body Wash.
For years I've been trying to get toxins out of our home by either buying natural personal care and home care products or making my own homemade versions of them. I've made my own homemade hair spray, nourishing hair rinse, and eye makeup remover, but one of the things that eluded for a long time was a body wash.
I have always been more of a "bar of soap" kind of gal but recently I have really been enjoying using this homemade body wash in the shower.
Like I said, I've always used bars of soap or my Homemade Foaming Soap in the shower, but now I think I am sold on body wash.
Actually, I don't think the foaming soap cleans well enough in the shower, so I needed something new anyway.
I've never really liked showering. I think I held the record for the fastest shower taker when I lived with a household of 10 gals in college.
Something about the heat and dampness made me want to be done and out of the shower.
Perhaps it was that bathrooms are a breeding ground for mold since I am very very sensitive?
But since I've been trying to make my bathroom routine a little more "special", I've been enjoying showering more.
Maybe I'm a little cleaner as a result, hmmmm?
Maybe I should call this post "Why I Like Being In the Shower Now".
Anyway, a reader shared her recipe for homemade body wash with me. I needed to monkey with it a bit, but now you get to make this wonderfully smelling, luxurious body wash for yourself.
Move over, body shop stores.
Why Make Your Own Homemade Body Wash?
1. Avoid harmful chemicals - use only natural ingredients and artificial fragrances.
2. Reuse containers and reduce waste
3. Save money (one of my favorite reasons :-))!
I love the smell and texture of this wash and I hope you do as well.
My son said, after smelling it, "Boy, Mom. You make some really good smelling stuff! And some really good tasting stuff too!"
What a sweetheart!
More Natural DIY Personal Care Products
If you are interested in making your own body wash, you might like these other homemade personal care products too!
- Jojoba Face Wash
- Rose Water Spray
- "The Best" Eye Makeup Remover
- Easiest Deodorant Ever
- Simple Nourishing Hand and Body Lotion
- Nourishing Sugar Scrub
- Nourishing Lip Scrub
Recipe Notes
1. I used guar gum, but my reader used xanthan gum and said 1 tsp worked for her. 1 tsp guar gum made the mixture overly thick. I saw recipes online calling for 1/2 tsp xanthan gum, but I just didn't have xanthan gum in the house so I didn't try it.
2. You can buy most of these ingredients at Starwest Botanicals or at Amazon using the links in the formula.
3. For the essential oils, you can read this series to find out why I went with the company that I did. For more information on how I chose this company, see my series, "Which Essential Oils Company is 'Best'", or go to the end of the series here.
4. Please note that it is best to only make a small amount of this body wash at a time as it is water-based. Otherwise, please choose an appropriate broad-spectrum preservative. I will be writing about this more in the future.
What Type of Bottle Is Best?
There are all kinds of bottles you can use for this body wash.
The bottle in the photo is glass, which is great for a photo, and if you are trying to avoid plastic, but well, let's face it.
The photo isn't the best.
I actually had someone take these photos for me, and not sure why she chose a glass bottle, but she did.
Sorry about that! I didn't "approve the bottles" before the photoshoot.
I guess I'll have to shoot them again sometime in the future.
In the meantime, these bottles would be a great choice for the shower and they are easily washable.
These bottles are cuter, but the pumps will get contaminated with bacteria over time.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon shea butter
- 1/4 cup aloe vera gel
- 3/4 teaspoon guar gum or 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (See Notes)
- 3/4 cup soap base (liquid castile soap is a great option)
- 25 drops essential oils (See my Best Essential Oils Series to see how I chose this company) I used a mixture of citrus oils (orange, lemon, and lime).
Instructions
- Melt shea butter over low heat.
- Add aloe vera gel and warm together with the shea butter.
- Add gum and stir well with a whisk.
- Add the soap base. Mix well. I found I had to mix with my immersion blender or in a blender to get the gum completely distributed. It's not completely necessary, but makes for a more consistent wash. After blending, your wash will be quite foamy but it will settle in a few hours.
- After the mixture has cooled, add essential oils (if using).
- Pour into container of choice. A funnel comes in handy here. (I used a super eco-friendly recycled body wash container.)
What do you use in the shower--soap or body wash?
I must try this one and compare it to the other recipe I found. I found a recipe somewhere on the net for body wash which uses jojoba oil, water, Castile soap, vegetable glycerine and essential oil. The only problem I had is the small amount of shea and cocoa butter I put in (melted) solidified on the mix cooling. Any one got any ideas on how to minimise this? I have also done a batch up where I replaced the Castile Soap (because I ran out) with Soap nut liquid it actually foamed up nicely.
Maybe a slightly warmer temp and blending immediately? Sorry, but I don't know.
Love this! We just recently started using homemade products over store bought, so cannot wait to try this and add it to my collection of recipes!
I tried making this body wash today (in Rosemary Mint, smells wonderful!) and followed your recipe with the 3/4 tsp guar gum and subbed in extra shea butter for the cocoa butter. I used my blender to mix, and waited all day for the foaminess to settle - but it never did. Any ideas on what I did wrong? I guess I can still use it as an "already foamed" body wash, but I had meant to give it as a gift and it's a little strange that it's already foamy. Thanks!
I'm not sure - maybe the change in the oils?
I was wondering, do you think I could use coconut oil instead of the shea butter?
Yes, I do. Hope you enjoy it!
would like to try this recipe for body wash. I read one that required vegetable glycerine. How would I use the veg glycerine in your recipe?
I'm not clear on what you are asking. Sorry.
Do you have to use the gum? I have everything else for this recipe and would like to make it without having to buy another ingredient.
It just won't be as thick. You could try agar or maybe even gelatin if you have those.
Nice idea but the posts says "use only natural ingredients" but xanthan gum is typically genetically modified. That's not a natural ingredient.
Hey there. I didn't know xanthan was typically gmo so thanks for enlightening me. I assume you could get a non gmo one or use the guar or even gelatin or agar. Thanks!
I just want to say thank you for sharing this recipe! I made some a while ago and have been loving it. It feels so soft and silky on my skin, lathers very nicely, and does not seem to diminish in sudsiness or consistency over time, as some other recipes I've tried did. I even shave with the suds still on my skin sometimes, and it works as well as any shaving cream I've ever used! Planning to make some as gifts for family this Christmas, too. 🙂
Where do you get the bottles you use for this?
I wrote it's an old body wash bottle :).
So you did! Sorry I missed that.
no worries :).
love this body wash, in the summer you could use different essential oils. I thought it had great latherlather, this will always be my go to recipe!!
What EO would you recommend for a man? My husband likes body wash. I'd love to make this for him.
I would think bergamot, lime, clove, cinnamon, frankincense would be a nice mix. Maybe orange as well. Thanks! Hope he enjoys it.
This was my first experience with making a body wash or soap of any kind. My family and I are just switching DIY and orangic foods. So I thought this would be a good start. Replacing my st. ives shea butter body wash with this. I didn't add the essential oils. I found it to leave my skin tacky feeling and too runny. Did I do something wrong when I made it? It probably just needs a minor adjustment for me.
I'm sorry that happened. I love it and haven't heard that from anyone.....did you follow the ingredients perfectly? Good for you on making the change!
Thank you for the recipe! I just made this shower gel and used orange oil instead, because I already had it at home... Once I added the xantham gum, the mixture became very thick quickly despite me whisking it immediately and the final product has "lumps" on the bottom. I will use the electric whisker next time and more xantham gum.
How long does it need to be heated after the soap is added?
Just 'til it's well blended.
Hi Adrienne,
I made this last nite. I used 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum. the wash is very liquidy. I then added another tsp, still not thick. Followed everything, I used a hand whisk while adding the xanthan. I added it 1/2 before the castille soap. When it cooled, and still liquidy, I added 1/2 tsp. Then another 1tsp.
Hmmm... and I was thinking mine is too thick. I have no idea.
Way too watery here as well despite adding more gum, glycerine and even some salt. I wonder how it's possible people are getting such different results??? Going to try only 1/2 cup soap for the next batch.
I am not having issues w/ it being too watery. It tends to thicken a bit as it sits too.
Do you 'cook' it in your 'regular' pots? Would there be a problem doing that? Or do I need a separate pot that I don't put food in?
Thanks!
I wasn't worried b/c it isn't like soap that leaves a taste later. And it's all natural stuff. 🙂 It's up to you of course.
Can you substitute coconut oil for shea butter? If so, do I use the same amount? Thank you!
I would think so :).
Hi, I made this body wash and I absolutely love it.
I didn't use a lot of essential oils, so it doesn't have a smell but I will just use more next time. Could you tell me how long this body was would last in my bathroom?
Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
I can't make claims about shelf life but I have been using my smallish bottle since I wrote the post and it doesn't smell "off" at all. 🙂
I figured that's what it was....I ended up adding some water to it cuz it was the quickest way I could think of to liquefy it a bit more at least to get into the bottle I had for this concoction. I used it this morning and I'm actually pleased with it. It smells great and hubby agrees! Thank you!
I tried this recipe, I used lemongrass essential oil instead of citrus, which I find is more gentle on my skin. The other thing I did was use coconut oil and shea butter....
But, my body wash separated! Maybe it's the warmer temperature this time of year or the added oil. However it works great and smells yummy! I find it lathers a ton... Maybe next time I should add more xantham gum?? Thoughts?
Thank you!
I personally think that there is already a little too much gum so I don't think that's it. Maybe try again and heat on low heat and blend well? I am not sure. Sorry.
I made this last night and mine separated too. I used the wash this morning, love how it lathered and felt on my skin, but it didn't look nice before I shook it up. Do you keep it on low heat all the way through adding the soap base? I used 3/4 tsp xanthan gum, the mixture still came out more runny than I'd like.
I kept it on low the whole time - did you?
I was interrupted after adding the aloe, before the liquid soap, and had to turn the fire off. Then I think I reheated it on medium high to hurry up. Is that the problem? UGH!!!