I started making my own foaming hand soap pretty early in my switch to a more natural lifestyle. With concerns over antibacterial ingredients in many hand soaps and potty-training little ones who found the need to wash their hands/arms/the counter with soap a thousand times a day, I needed a healthy and frugal option.

Thankfully, there is a natural, homemade and incredibly simple option that works just as well and doesn’t cost $3.59 a bottle like the foaming versions at the store.

The recipe itself is literally so simple that I now have my six year old refill the bottles and it takes just seconds to make. I keep the few simple ingredients on hand and we never have to buy hand soap or worry about running out…Surprisingly, this foaming version also makes a decent shaving cream in the shower…

Before you begin, you’ll need a foaming hand soap container. I originally ordered this pretty but pricey foam dispenser online before I realized that there was a much more frugal and inexpensive option: Buy a bottle of foaming hand soap, pour it out if it isn’t natural, and reuse after the soap is used up.

4.11 from 67 votes

DIY Foaming Hand Soap Recipe

This easy foaming hand soap contains only water, organic liquid castile soap, a moisturizing oil, and optional essential oils for a simple and frugal homemade soap.

Prep Time5

Author: Katie Wells

Materials

12 oz water (distilled or boiled is best if not being used within a few weeks)
2 TBSP castile soap
½ tsp olive oil (or almond oil)
essential oil (optional)

Instructions

Fill the soap dispenser with water to within about 1 inch of the top.
Add at least 2 tablespoons of liquid castile soap to the water mixture. NOTE: do not add the soap first or it will create bubbles when the water is added.
Add the oil and any essential oils if you are using them.
Close and lightly swish to mix.
Use as you would any regular foaming soap.

Notes

You will need a foaming soap dispenser for this soap. Either buy one online or reuse the bottle from a store-bought foaming soap.

Do you make your own soap already? If not… will you start now? Share below!

This easy foaming hand soap contains only water, organic liquid castile soap, a moisturizing oil and optional essential oils for a simple and frugal homemade soap.

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

292 responses to “DIY Foaming Hand Soap”

Shannon

June 17, 2017

Hi! I didn’t use your exact recipe but I made a very similar hand soap using lemon essential oil just a couple of days ago. There are small particles of what looks like possibly mildew? I don’t know but it looks icky. I think I also put vitamin e oil and aloe Vera gel, but no almond oil. What do you think it could be? I’m worried about my hand made soaps growing mold and. Acteria and making everyone sick! Thank you!

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Christine Clarke

June 13, 2017

I have just made this and it smells and foams up wonderful. I put in 6 drop of Geranium Rose oil. Thank you for sharing your recipes.

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Jessica

January 11, 2017

I have been making foaming soap for a while now. I use Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Baby Castile soap with water and essential oils. I have found that the oil in the soap and in the essential oils cause it to either settle on the bottom or float, creating a stringy appearance, like something is in my soap. I tried to troubleshoot it by adding 1 T of everclear alcohol as a preservative and I’ve also tried glycerin as an emulsifier but these did not work. Has anyone else encountered this and is there a solution?

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Denise

September 22, 2016

I tried making the soap with out oil and with out essential oil. Washed my hands once and oh my gosh my hands are so dry now 🙁

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Cheryl

August 3, 2016

My understanding is if not used in a few weeks a preservative is necessary, even using distilled water. Can you recommend one?

Thanks
Cheryl

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Robin

July 25, 2016

How many drops of essential oils should I be adding to this recipe? Thank you in advance 🙂

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  July 25, 2016
  
  I just use a few but you can add or subtract depending on your preference.
  
  Reply
Sophie

July 14, 2016

Hi can I share this recipe in the newsletter again or whatever you can let me share it’s non profit, these are the newsletters and I’m doing a series to help people refill single use plastic bottles and cut down on their usage of single use plastic. Thanks Sophie

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  July 15, 2016
  
  I don’t allow my blog posts to be duplicated or republished in their entirety anywhere else. However, you can link to an article, quote from (less than 10% of total article), or share on social media, as long as all links remain intact and full attribution is given and you link back to the original article.
  
  Reply
Christina

July 4, 2016

How long will the soap last if using distilled water? And what is your method of washing the reusable containers after each use to keep away bacteria and mold?

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Mohit

June 29, 2016

I made this yesterday with JR Walker Pure Castile Soap, but it seems to not get too foamy once I rub my hands. Should I add more soap? I am not getting that overall foamy feeling when I am washing my hands…anyone? any ideas?

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Susan Scott

May 24, 2016

Is it safe to add food colouring? Or would you recommend another way to add colour to the foam soap?
Thanks!

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Brittany

April 20, 2016

This is great! I have a lot of Dr. Bronner’s that I bought for face wash and body wash, but it always seemed like I was using too much. This is a great way to make a LOT of soap! Thanks!

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Danette

April 5, 2016

I was wondering if I could use Sunflower Lecithin to this soap to make a more creamy version to use in my old typical soap dispensers I want to reuse. Is it just as easy as adding then giving it a shake? Or is there a heating process to go through? I also made my own body wash and shampoo with steeped chamomile tea, Dr. Bronner’s castile soap and just a little organic blend of several oils, like jojoba, olive, etc for my family but it’s so thin, they waste a lot with it running off their hands. Do you think I can just add lecithin?
BTW, made this for my foaming dispenser and it was great. Very moisturizing 🙂

Reply
Mini

March 12, 2016

Shouldn’t filtered/distilled water always be used. If the mixture will not be used up in a short amount of time, it will need a preservative of some sort or someone could get sick.

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Courtney Ellis

December 23, 2015

Awesome recipe, thank you! I just made a batch for each of our bathrooms. Quick question: can this recipe double as a shower wash? It would make life so much easier to have one recipe for our hand and body cleansing needs.

Reply
Betty

December 16, 2015

Do you use Branch Basics when making any of your natural cleaning products?

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Niharika

December 9, 2015

The liquid hand soap I made using a couple of spoons of Bronner’s liquid soap does not lather well and is also thin and watery. Any suggestions to get a thicker consistency which would also lather a little bit? I am using an ordinary soap dispenser; is that a reason? Should I use only a foam pump?

Reply
Lox

November 11, 2015

Hah! I recently decided to try Dr Bronner’s castile soap, and after re-reading this specific face routine I realized I needed a foam dispenser, not foaming face wash (which is just a sudsy lather, not a foam). Using diluted castile soap in a foam dispenser makes perfect sense. I’ve been splashing it on my face and hoping for the best, but I may be in danger of using too much by doing it that way.

I believe oil was used as a shaving lube by Egyptians. History had a way of repeating the oil/no oil/tweezing process. So for castile soap as your foamy shaving lube, it makes sense.

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Elisabeth McClellan

November 6, 2015

I just made this and turned out great- thank you so much for the tip!

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Arif

October 3, 2015

I also made one. I bought a hand wash after one year. In this time I made my own foaming hand soap. Thanks for your tips.

Reply
Ellen

September 23, 2015

Try liquid lecithin. It is the stuff in egg yolks that makes mayonnaise emulsify. They usually extract it from soya so it is a natural product. Don’t get it on your hands though as it sticks!

Reply

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