Do you go through a lot of body wash in your household? Between the four of us in our family, we go through a lot. Spending money on lots of body wash adds up. Plus, many of the most popular brands contain synthetic ingredients that can accumulate in your body and may eventually cause harm.

Given all of this, I’ve started making my own natural body wash that’s safe for kids and adults — even those with sensitive skin. It saves me money, and it’s toxin-free since I control the ingredients.

Body wash not only cleanses the skin but can also provide nourishment if it contains the right ingredients. Body wash scented with essential oils is a lovely way to wake up your senses in the morning or calm them down at night. Read on to learn how to make your own DIY natural body wash.

Vegetable Glycerin, Fractionated Coconut Oil, and Castile Soap,

This recipe uses all-natural ingredients, and each plays an important part.

Vegetable Glycerin is a clear, odorless liquid derived from plant oils. It helps to lock moisture into the skin and makes the body wash thicker, creamier, and bubblier. Please note that the amount of lather in the recipe below won’t be as much as non-natural brands which use synthetic ingredients which is used to create a lot of lather.

Fractionated Coconut Oil is coconut oil that stays in liquid form. It’s different than coconut oil that’s used in cooking which solidifies at room temperature. Since we want our body wash to stay in liquid form, makes use you get the fractionated kind.

Castile Soap is a versatile natural vegetable-based soap free from animal fats and synthetic ingredients. This nontoxic, biodegradable soap is the base of our body wash recipe. Make sure the liquid castile soap you get is unscented since you’ll be adding in your essential oils.

Essential Oils to Use

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s flexible regarding which essential oil scent to use. I used lavender oil because it’s calming. I want the kids to feel relaxed, not wired, before bedtime. If you take showers or baths in the morning, you can still use lavender to feel calm before heading out to work or school. Or try citrus essential oils like orange, grapefruit, and lime which are uplifting. Minty essential oils like peppermint are great for helping with focus and invigorating the senses.

Since we want this recipe is to be toxin-free, it’s important to use essential oils that are 100% certified pure and transparent about their ingredients. I use dōTERRA essential oils because they are certified to exclude synthetic fillers and toxins.

Unlike most other oil companies, dōTERRA goes through the extra step of testing each batch of oil produced. The company uses third-party labs that have no affiliation with dōTERRA to ensure its purity. You can even find out each bottle’s test results online. Learn more about essential oils and purity HERE.

To learn how to get dōTERRA essential oils in your home, scroll down to the bottom of this post for more details.

Containers Safe to Use With Essential Oils

It’s important to use the correct kind of container, or pump when using essential oils. Some essential oils contain compounds that can leach into plastic. To be safe, use containers made of glass, metal, or high-quality plastic called HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene).

For this recipe, I used HDPE containers with a pump that I found on Amazon.

You can use either a foaming or non-foaming pump. Once you make the body wash, just give it a few shakes between each use as the ingredients will separate.

DIY Natural Body Wash

Ingredients

8 ounce glass pump bottle or HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) plastic pump bottle
½ cup unscented castile soap
4 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
3 tablespoons fractionated coconut oil
10 drops of your favorite essential oil

Instructions

Combine ingredients into pump bottle.
Add desired essential oil(s).
Shake to combine. Make sure to shake before each use as ingredients will separate.

Notes

Vegetable glycerin will help the body wash to be thicker, creamier, and lather better. Recommended oils: For an uplifting body wash, try Citrus Bliss®, Peppermint, Grapefruit, Lime, or Eucalyptus.

For a relaxing body wash, try Lavender, doTERRA Serenity®, Bergamot, Geranium, or Roman Chamomile.

How to Get Essential Oils in Your Home

If you’d like to learn more about dōTERRA essential oils and how to get them into your home at a 25% discount every time, please contact me via this easy 5-question contact page HERE. or you can email biculturalmama@gmail.com.

Another option is to purchase doTERRA essential oil directly through my doTERRA-certified site by CLICKING HERE. Full retail prices are listed, but when you checkout it’ll give you the option to get products at a 25% discount by becoming a wholesale member (similar to a Costco, BJ’s, or Sam’s Club membership). If you don’t want to do this, that’s fine. You can still get the products but just at retail price.

CLICK HERE to Find More Food & Personal Care Essential Oil Recipes