The best part about homemade body washes is that you can customize the recipe. You can make them more moisturizing or play with fragrances. Moreover, they are completely natural and safe for your skin. Homemade body washes are easy to prepare, and the ingredients are easily available. Here, we have shared DIY homemade body wash recipes for all skin types. Scroll down and check them out.
Ingredients For Making A Homemade Body Wash
1. Glycerin
This is a very common ingredient in most of the soaps and body washes available in the market. Glycerin (or glycerol) is a humectant that bonds with water to keep your skin moisturized and hydrated. Glycerin is excellent for treating dry skin conditions such as xerosis and atopic dermatitis (1). It nourishes your skin, heals it, and enhances its appearance.
2. Coconut Milk
Coconut milk possesses antibacterial properties and is beneficial for oily and acne-prone skin. It does not clog your pores and gently removes dead skin cells. It contains high levels of vitamin E, which is crucial for fighting against aging (2). It contains high levels of vitamin A, which is crucial for maintaining your skin’s elasticity. It also contains copper that reduces age spots and prevents the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is incredibly soothing for sunburnt skin due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
3. Essential Oils
These oils are cold pressed and available in their purest form that contains the essence of the herb/ingredient they are prepared from. Essential oils are extremely beneficial for your skin. They not only reduce inflammation but also keep your skin healthy by getting rid of harmful free radicals. Some essential oils also have anti-aging benefits. Some essential oils also have anti-cancer benefits and help treat skin infections (3).
4. Honey
Honey is a natural moisturizer that keeps your skin nourished without drying it out. It is an antibacterial agent that reduces inflammation and maintains the elasticity of your skin (4).. This is why honey is perfect for dry, damaged, and itchy skin. It also has humectant, emollient, and soothing properties and helps prevent wrinkles, keeping the skin youthful (5).
5. Olive Oil
Olive oil is often used in body washes and soaps for extra moisturization. This oil has anti-inflammatory properties that nourishes your skin and reduces oxidative damage (6). If your body wash has olive oil, you do not have to apply moisturizer after taking a shower.
6. Castile Soap
You will need liquid castile soap for making the body wash froth without adding any other chemical foaming agent. You can use unscented or scented castile soap. If you are using scented castile soap, skip using essential oils.
7. Almond Oil
Almond oil not only nourishes your skin but also makes it glow. Its moisturizing properties loosen the dead skin cells and make it easier for you to clean your skin. Historically, it had been used to heal dry skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis (7). The oil can be a good alternative to hydrate your skin because of its high levels of fatty acids (8).
8. Castor Oil
Castor oil contains essential omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, along with vitamin E and other proteins. All these components are good for your skin. This oil is known for its antibacterial properties and restores the moisture content of your skin.
9. Shea Butter
The moisturizing property of shea butter is unparalleled, but it is also known for its healing properties. Shea butter soothes skin allergies, sunburn, and rashes and promotes wound healing (6). It acts as an emollient and moisturizer and provides sun protection. Topical use of this ingredient has shown anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory properties on animals (9). Now that you know all about the ingredients and what each of them does to your skin, let’s check out the homemade natural body wash recipes.
10 Homemade Natural Body Wash Recipes
1. Homemade Body Wash With Castile Soap And Glycerin
½ cup liquid castile soap 2 tablespoons fractionated coconut oil 2 tablespoons glycerin 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon vitamin E oil 20-30 drops citrus essential oil (you can use lemon, orange, or grapefruit oil)
Essential oils and olive oil usually have a shelf life of 2 years. However, glycerin has a shelf life of about a year. So, it’s better to use your body wash within a year.
2. Homemade Body Wash With Coconut Milk
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk ⅔ cup unscented liquid castile soap 3 teaspoons jojoba oil 2 teaspoons glycerin 1 teaspoon raw honey 5 drops tea tree essential oil (optional) 5 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
Jojoba oil hardly ever goes rancid as it is not exactly an oil but the wax extracted from the jojoba tree. It has an indefinite shelf life. However, glycerin and essential oils have a shelf life of 1-2 years. So, try to use this body wash within a year.
3. Homemade Body Wash With Essential Oils
1½ cups liquid castile soap 4 teaspoons glycerin 10 drops peppermint essential oil 10 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
Note: You can use any essential oils of your choice for making this body wash. Some oil combinations that you can use are lavender, rose, melissa, jasmine, geranium, and cucumber seed. This body wash has a shelf life of 1 year.
4. Homemade Body Wash With Honey
½ cup liquid castile soap ½ cup raw honey 2 tablespoons castor oil 2 tablespoons olive oil 10 drops of an essential oil of your choice
When stored in a cool and dry place, castor and olive oils can last for 1-2 years. This body wash should be used within a year.
5. Homemade Body Wash With Olive Oil
⅓ cup castile soap ⅓ cup raw honey ⅓ cup olive oil 30-60 drops essential oils (use a blend of oils such as sweet orange, vanilla, and lavender)
The homemade olive oil body wash has a shelf life of about a year.
6. Homemade Body Wash With a Soap Bar
6 cups distilled water 3 soap bars of your choice.
Use this body wash within a year.
7. Homemade Body Wash For Dry Skin
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2 cups unscented castile soap 3 tablespoons almond oil (you can use sweet almond oil) 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 cup rose water 15-20 drops lavender essential oil (you can even use citrus essential oils if you want)
When stored in a cool and dry place, lime juice lasts for 1-2 years. Rose water can last for up to 2 weeks (if prepared at home), and if it is store-bought, check the expiry date on the bottle. Sweet almond oil has a shelf life of 6-12 months. So, try to use this body wash within 2 weeks (if you are using homemade rose water). Otherwise, finish it off within 6 months.
8. Homemade Body Wash For Oily Skin
6 cups distilled water ½ cup castile soap 2 tablespoons neem leaf extract (boil the leaves and then extract the water) ½ cup coconut oil 1 tablespoon bentonite clay 15 drops lavender essential oil
Use the body wash within 6 months to 1 year.
9. Homemade Body Wash For Sensitive Skin
½ cup shea butter ½ cup almond oil 1 cup liquid castile soap 10 drops rose essential oil
This body wash has a shelf life of 6 months to a year.
10. Homemade Body Wash Without Castile Soap
1/2 cup distilled water 1 tablespoon glycerin 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil ½ teaspoon guar gum 5 drops lavender oil 5 drops tea tree oil ¼ cup African black soap
The shelf life of this body wash is about a year. Are handmade soaps worth it? Yes. Handmade soaps are devoid of any chemicals and are pure. They cleanse and hydrate your skin without stripping its healthy oils. You can customize the ingredients and try different recipes according to your skin needs. How do you thicken homemade body wash? To thicken homemade body wash, add 2% salt water solution to the base. Adding more than that may make the body wash runny. What is a substitute for castile soap? You may use goat’s milk soap, coconut soap, and marseille soap instead of castile soap.
