When I played soccer in high school, I spent a lot of money on fancy body wash products (and fancy personal care products in general). I bought into all the claims that these products would make my skin softer or tighter, smell great, help with acne, etc. I even had several different body washes I mixed and matched to get the scent and effect I wanted (chemical cocktail, anyone?).

I don’t use most conventional products anymore and usually default to using bar soap. When I want the skin-softening, great smelling benefits of natural body wash, I make my own. This DIY natural body wash recipe contains ingredients that provide added benefits to your skin without harsh chemicals.

Why Use Natural Body Wash?

There are lots of benefits of using a natural homemade body wash.

First, this body wash recipe is super simple and will only take minutes to put together if you have the ingredients. If you don’t have a specific ingredient, you can use substitutions. You could even get your kids involved in making this with you.

This recipe is versatile. There are many great combinations for you to choose from using your favorite essential oils. It’s fun to match your skincare product scents with the seasons, a holiday, or even your current mood. Plus, you can make different variations for everyone in your family if you want.

Although you might need to buy ingredients the first time you make this DIY body wash recipe, you will get lots of batches of body wash out of these ingredients. This will save you money in the long run. If you want to give a homemade gift to your friend or family member, this body is a great choice; and you will save money on gifts too!

Unlike store-bought skincare products, homemade body wash doesn’t contain chemicals or artificial fragrances. With this recipe, you can whip up a natural preservative-free, hydrating body wash in minutes! Using these natural ingredients for your body wash will still give you a great lather, so you won’t be missing out on any of the suds you get from store-bought body washes.

DIY Body Wash Ingredients

This natural body wash combines several of my favorite natural skincare ingredients. Each one offers unique benefits to your skin.

Raw Honey

I’ve posted before about how honey is a great skincare ingredient on its own. Did you know honey is also excellent for wound healing (and even used in hospitals)? In this recipe, honey helps soften your skin and is naturally soothing & antibacterial. When possible, I use local, raw honey. If I can’t find any honey locally, I use organic raw honey (like this one).

Natural Oils

Natural oils are great cleansers for our skin. I use the oil cleansing method to wash my face each day, and my skin has never looked better. This recipe uses natural oils to accomplish some of the same benefits as oil cleansing for the whole body. And using natural oils in your body wash will help hydrate dry skin. Natural oils also work as carrier oils for the essential oils included in this moisturizing body wash.

I use a mixture of castor oil and olive oil, but you can use whatever oils you might have on hand, such as jojoba oil or sweet almond oil. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants and would also be a good choice. If you want to use coconut oil, you could try fractionated coconut oil. It would work nicely since it stays in a liquid form. Regular coconut oil hardens when it gets cold, so it might not work well with this recipe.

Liquid Castile Soap

This gives the body wash the cleansing ability. I use Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild, which is unscented so that I can customize the scent with essential oils, but any scent of organic liquid castile soap will work. Keep the scent of your castile soap in mind when selecting your essential oils to make sure the smells blend well together. This ingredient gives your homemade body wash great suds!

Essential Oils

Essential oils are a great way to customize it. There are so many combinations of scents you could use! You could even change up the oils you use seasonally or based on the holidays. I buy organic essential oils in bulk for recipes like this and other homemade care products.

Some of my favorites are lavender and chamomile essential oils for a calming body wash, peppermint essential oil for an invigorating body wash, and ylang-ylang and lavender essential oils for a stress-relieving blend. Keep in mind that if you have sensitive skin, you might want to stay away from certain essential oils.

Pump Bottle

Since essential oils don’t store well in plastic containers, it’s best to keep your homemade body wash in a glass container. If you use one with a pump, you can put it on a shelf in your shower so that your body wash is always easily accessible. I like to use a pump bottle that also foams my body wash, so I get extra suds, but you can use any soap dispenser. Another option is to use a mason jar and a dispenser lid. If you aren’t a fan of using glass in the shower, there are some excellent silicone and stainless steel options available too.

Notes: I use a natural sea sponge (like this one) with this body wash, and it foams up really well. If you don’t have a sea sponge, a washcloth will work well too!

Shelf life: Since all ingredients in this recipe are shelf-stable, it seems to last a long time, though I still make it in small batches so I can customize the scent to my ever-changing favorites.

4.38 from 67 votes

Moisturizing Natural Body Wash

This body wash combines skin-softening ingredients to create a lavish, chemical-free cleanser.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Yield:

Author: Katie Wells

Materials

3 TBSP castile soap (liquid castile soap works best)
3 TBSP raw honey
2 TBSP oil (I used 1 TBSP each of castor oil and olive oil)
10 drops essential oil of choice (or more for your preferences)

Instructions

Carefully mix all ingredients by hand with a spoon in a glass liquid measuring cup. Do not use a blender, whisk or hand mixer as this will create bubbles and make it impossible to get into a container.
Pour into a (preferably glass) container and use in the shower as a body wash. I use this homemade body wash with a natural sea sponge for easy use.

Notes

This homemade hydrating body wash will last for several months at room temperature. Customize your scent with your favorite essential oils, and enjoy the lather of your preservative-free wash.

Other Uses for DIY Body Wash

This body wash is so versatile! If you need to shave, it works great as a shaving product. You can also use this homemade body wash as a face wash or hand soap. If you are traveling, take a small silicone container with you, so you don’t have to pack as many toiletries since it covers several bases.

Need a gift for someone who loves all things natural living? This body wash is a great homemade gift to give to someone special. You can customize the scent to their personality too. Wrap it up with a natural sea sponge, and you have a thoughtful, customized gift! You can also gift this to someone who usually buys store-bought shower gel and show them how amazing homemade body wash can be!

What do you use for moisturizing body wash? Or are you a bar soap type of person? Weigh in below!

This homemade body wash combines natural ingredients like liquid castile soap, honey, oils and essential oils for a skin nourishing recipe that works.

Sources

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

287 responses to “Homemade Natural Body Wash”

Clara Harris

November 24, 2015

My husband is diabetic and he thinks there should be no honey in his body wash because he is scared of it messing with this sugar levels and I say it should make no difference but I don’t want to harm him. Can I add honey to his body wash?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  November 25, 2015
  
  I don’t think it will absorb into his skin, but if he is concerned he can ask his doctor to make sure it is safe for him to use. It is better to err on the side of caution.
  
  Reply
Krissy

November 9, 2015

Is it okay to use plastic soap pumps when using essential oils? I made a bunch of homemade body/hand wash for gifts and I am giving them away in a decorated mason jar. Is the EO diluted enough as it will not effect the plastic straw in the dispenser or do I need to make sure that I instruct people to have a certain type of pump on their glass or stainless steel dispenser?

Reply
clara

November 8, 2015

hello,

is there a body wash you make for your kids? mine’s been having a bit of a problem with eczema on the back of his arms and his legs get really dry, so I’m trying to find something more nourishing for him.

thanks!

Reply
alice

October 1, 2015

Have you tried this recipe with Branch Basics instead of Dr. Bronner’s? I’m debating on adding water since Branch Basics is so concentrated.

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  October 1, 2015
  
  Yes, I’ve used BB in a foamer on its own as a body wash too
  
  Reply
Angela

September 8, 2015

Katie,

The link for your sea sponge is not there. Can you tell me where you purchase your sea sponge?

Thank you!
angela

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  September 15, 2015
  
  Strange… the link is work for me. I use this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00842FL5A/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=wellnessmama-20&linkId=fb4a4031792aed3d3ca0f86f2318e0be&language=en_US
  
  Reply
Deo

September 2, 2015

Very sensitive down there and this recipe works GREAT!!! Even with the glycerin added (which makes it lather)!! I have not had any breakouts or problems down there since. I even moved to using pure coconut oil (virgin) as a moisturizer down there with no adverse problems or breakouts. Thanks Katie!!

Reply
Rosaria

August 17, 2015

Hello! How long does the sponge last before you have to replace it? Thanks!

Reply
Gina

August 4, 2015

You have wonderful recipes. Do you need to add preservatives to your homemade body care?

Reply
Melissa

June 10, 2015

Interesting piece, one query, where do I get best quality castille soap?

Reply
Alisa Jo

June 4, 2015

Hi katie,
All are awesome home made body wash recipes. It helps me a lot. I usually used coconut oil to remove my make up.you are right Honey is really a great ingredients for all types of skin but its best for dry skin. I used honey all season.It keeps my skin smooth and bright.

Reply
Aleya

June 1, 2015

Hi Katie- I have a question for you. I have been making body wash mixing unscented castile soap, different oils and essential oils. Many people have been asking me to sell it to them and am thinking of potentially creating a brand. My question is – can I use a ready- made castile soap if I’m doing this? Or do I have to make the castile soap from scratch? Also, I was told by different people that in order for the soap to be
“good”, I need to saponify all the oils rather than just adding different oils to castile soap. Are you able to advise on this? Any advice would be super helpful! Many thanks. A.

Reply
Eve

May 29, 2015

I have a wallmounted soap pump and I was wondering if this soap would work with this? Would I have to shake it every time?

Reply
John

May 28, 2015

To the person that said oils will null the cleansing properties of the soap I would suggest reading the recipe for Dr. Bronners.

I found the addition of oil confusing because castile soap is made with I think olive oil as well as other oils. But I just picked up my last ingredient to make this recipe so I can report back. I drink a lot of water and eat plenty of good fats and my skin and hair and beard are always dry as a bone. Hoping this helps a bit.

Reply
Jenn

May 20, 2015

Upon making this, it came out really thin. Can I add regular or grinded oatmeal to thicken it?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  May 21, 2015
  
  I don’t see why not… Would add a nice, exfoliating touch too!
  
  Reply
lisa

May 15, 2015

Hi katie..salute to you for sharing this best homemade organic body wash..now no tension of budget.thanks

Reply
Nick

May 13, 2015

Couldn’t you also use this as a facewash?

Reply
Delz

May 5, 2015

Hi Katie. I stumbled upon your blog this week and have been absolutely fasinated by all of your creations. I am feeling inspired as my husband and I move forward in trying to create a more natural and healthier lifestyle for our family.
I would love to give your body wash a go. Our two littlies (3 yrs & 2yrs old) have had eczema all their little lives. Thankfully not a particularly bad form but it always sticks around all year long. We use very expensive body washes that are gentle on their skin (and lotions) but we’re finding that it’s becoming rediculously expensive buying this stuff regularly. Do you feel that your body wash will be suitable to use on their skin? I am planning on making your eczema bar as well.
You’re an inspiration. Thank you.

Reply
1. Mona
  
  December 10, 2015
  
  I have a granddaughter that has the same problem. I use baby liquid castile soap mixed with coconut milk and it seems to help alot. She still has to have lotion but if you look at the ingredients of the generic and compare to the expensive ones you’ll find a cheaper solution. Hope this works for you.
  
  Reply
  1. Mona
    
    December 10, 2015
    
    I forgot to say, It’s all fragrance free!!!!
    
    Reply
chantel

April 26, 2015

Can you use branch basics soap?

Reply
Emma

April 12, 2015

Hi I’ve newly started my switch to natural living. I can’t seem to find much of an answer. Coconut oil has so many uses, but I live in a very hot climate so it’s never solid, which makes it tricky to use with most recepies. I was wonder if there is a way to thicken solidify it, or if there are any Australian blogs like this one that may have recipes that cater for the climate?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  April 12, 2015
  
  It’s totally safe to keep it in the fridge if you have space…
  
  Reply
Moriah lee

April 11, 2015

I made this body wash about a week ago and was so excited to use it. Unfortunately, I found that it had separated. I’m not sure what to do since it is already in the glass bottle. (Thankfully, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, my husband still has quite a bit of store bought body wash so I’ve been using that.)
I didn’t have raw honey, just what I bought at SAMS(costco) and a good majority of it had crystallized. I also used only olive oil instead of two different oils.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Reply
1. Nick
  
  October 15, 2015
  
  Adding 1/2 tsp (.7%) xanthan gum to 360 ml (3 batches of this recipe) will bind all ingredients together Wikipedia says .8% xanthan gum in a mixture will provide a thick stable emulsion but an emulsion can be formed with as little as .1%. Adding xanthan gum will also thicken the mixture full thickening effect will be seeing after 24h. You need to mix xanthan gum with oil or vegetable glycerin before adding to your body wash.
  
  Reply