Homemade Body Wash for Kids: DIY, Gentle & Non-Toxic

QUICK SUMMARY

Homemade body wash for kids is a simple, non-toxic bath wash made with organic unscented liquid castile soap, distilled or purified water, Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base or a carrier oil, vegetable glycerin, aloe vera, and optional age-appropriate essential oils.

The biggest reason to make your own children’s body wash is ingredient control. You can skip synthetic fragrance and unnecessary dyes while choosing a short ingredient list that fits your family. Historical testing did find formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in some children's bath products, but current FDA monitoring shows that 1,4-dioxane levels in cosmetics have declined substantially over time. (5, 7)

Because this DIY contains water and does not use a laboratory-tested broad-spectrum preservative system, it is not a shelf-stable commercial formula. Make a small batch with clean supplies, keep water from getting back into the bottle, use it promptly, and discard it if anything changes. Distilled water helps you start cleaner, but it does not preserve the finished wash. (9)

For children, essential oils should be diluted, age-appropriate, and used with wisdom. For infants and very young children, the simplest option is to make the recipe without essential oils rather than use the full essential-oil amount in the preserved recipe card. Peppermint should not be used on children younger than 30 months. (11, 12)

Bathtime can be such a fun experience for kids and parents alike! There’s nothing better than lathering up with a foamy body wash. We like to make bath time memorable in our home by using this non-toxic homemade body wash for kids. It smells terrific thanks to essential oils and has just as many bubbles as the store-bought kind. You might just find yourself reaching for the kid’s bottle, and I wouldn’t blame you!

Here’s the thing: creating a healthier home doesn’t have to be complicated. Biblical health starts with faithful, practical choices that help our families experience the abundant life God designed for us. Sometimes that looks like changing what we eat. Sometimes it looks like swapping out air fresheners, cleaning supplies, and personal care products. And sometimes it looks like making a simple bottle of kid-friendly body wash with ingredients you can actually pronounce.

This DIY body wash is bubbly, customizable, and easy enough to make with your children. It gives them the fun bath-time experience they love while helping you reduce the toxic burden in your home one product at a time.

And because this is a DIY body-care recipe, I want to get you to the formula quickly. The complete recipe card appears right after the Table of Contents, with the ingredient teaching, essential-oil options, step-by-step photos, storage guidance, and safety notes below.

Homemade Body Wash For Kids

Author Mama Z

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Quantity

2x4x6x

Ingredients

• ½ cup organic unscented liquid castile soap (use baby mild soap for infants)
• 2 tablespoons Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base OR your choice of liquid carrier oil*
• 1 teaspoon organic vegetable glycerin
• 48-64 drops essential oils**
• 1 teaspoon aloe vera [optional]
• Purified OR distilled water

Supplies

• 8-ounce PET plastic bottle with pump

Instructions

 

• Add all the ingredients to your dispenser.
• Fill the remainder of the container with distilled water.
• Put the lid on and mix to blend.
• Shake before each use.
• Apply with hands, washcloth, sponge, etc.

Notes

*No matter what allergies you may have, there’s a carrier oil that’s right for you. You can use any or a combination of these: Avocado, Fractionated Coconut, Grapeseed, Jojoba, Sweet Almond. These are our favorite carrier oils; to see a full list of options, click here.

**Best Combination of Essential Oils for Children

Using essential oils with children is very similar to using them with adults; however, you should pay more attention to properly dispersing and diluting the essential oils.  Here are some EOs I use with my DIYs for the kiddos that are a great place to start. 

Here are some safe essential oils for children’s DIYs:

• Cedarwood- Great for helping kids feel confident in social settings
• Citrus oils (lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc.) See the note about photosensitization below. 
• German chamomile- Can help little ones fall asleep quickly
• Lavender- The ultimate calming oil, very soothing to the skin
• Roman chamomile- Great for regulating sleep patterns
• Rosemary- Helps kids focus and is excellent at repelling lice

Some of my favorite EO blend variations to use with the body wash DIY include:

• Joyful Blend – equal parts orange and vanilla absolute, CO2 or oleoresin (My number one favorite blend for kids)
• Awesome Body – equal parts grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, and peppermint
• Gardener’s Blend- equal parts peppermint and rosemary
• Herb Garden Relaxation – equal parts lavender and peppermint 
• Sweet Sleep – equal parts lavender, Roman chamomile, and vetiver (another favorite for kids; use after a nighttime bath)
• Respiratory Support – equal parts eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, Roman chamomile

Whether I’m creating DIYs for kids or adults, I like to switch up the oils each time I make a new batch.  This way, I’m not using the same oils.  Keeping your oil combinations fresh maximizes the benefits and helps prevent sensitization. 

Safety Note About Citrus Oils:

One of my kids’ favorite pastimes is playing outside. If I let them, they would be outside all day! However, due to photosensitization, I always try to limit the usage of citrus oils in their DIY products during the warmer months. 

 Citrus oils can sometimes increase the photosensitivity of your skin.  When you leave these essential oils on the skin and then expose it to the sun, you’re increasing the effect of UV rays, which can lead to sunburn and skin irritation.  See a complete chart of citrus essential oils and their natural photosensitivity here.

To avoid this issue, you can choose oils that are not in the citrus family or just use products with citrus EOs at night. Alternatively, you can use citrus essential oils specifically formulated to avoid photosensitivity.

3 Reasons We Prefer Homemade Kids Body Wash

Manufacturers want one thing: your money. They get people to purchase products that aren’t always the best for them by making big claims. If you take a walk down the bath product aisle, you’ll see a lot of promises, including, “Changes the color of bathwater,” “Tear-free,” “Smells like bubblegum,” and “Extra bubbles.”

Those claims may sound fun, but we have to ask a better question: What is creating the color, scent, foam, and shelf life?

This is important because children’s skin is part of their God-designed barrier system. It is not something we want to overwhelm with mystery fragrance blends, unnecessary dyes, or harsh ingredients day after day. We don’t need to live in fear, but we do need to live with wisdom.

1. Synthetic Fragrances

Synthetic fragrance is common in kids’ body wash. Everyone wants to smell nice, but I would rather know what is creating that scent. FDA labeling rules allow fragrance ingredients to be listed collectively as “fragrance” instead of naming every component individually. Fragrance formulas can contain multiple natural and synthetic ingredients. (1, 2)

That means the single word “fragrance” may not tell you every fragrance chemical in the formula. For parents intentionally reducing synthetic fragrance exposure, that is reason enough to choose fragrance-free products or make a simple wash at home.

Fragrance is also one of the common triggers for allergic contact dermatitis. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that fragrance and nickel are among the common causes of allergic reactions from things that touch the skin. (3)

Reality check: A child’s body wash does not need mystery fragrance to work. Clean skin does not require a synthetic bubblegum scent. With a simple homemade body wash, you can use properly diluted essential oils for a natural aroma and skip the hidden fragrance formula altogether.

2. Artificial Dyes

Artificial dyes are what make children’s body wash look so appealing. Bright pink, neon green, and blue bath products may grab a child’s attention, but color does not make a body wash healthier or more effective.

Synthetic food dyes have been studied for potential neurobehavioral effects in some children. California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment reviewed human, animal, and cell research and concluded that consumption of synthetic food dyes can affect neurobehavior in some children. (4)

That research is about dyes children eat, not colorants rinsed off in body wash, so it should not be used to claim that a brightly colored bath wash causes the same outcome. My practical point is simpler: artificial color is not necessary for getting clean, so I do not need it in a daily bath product.

On a more practical note, certain colorants can stain carpets, tile, and tub surfaces. That’s not fun for parents!

3. Formaldehyde and 1,4-Dioxane

A 2009 Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report tested a limited sample of baby and children’s bath products and reported formaldehyde in 23 of 28 products tested for it and 1,4-dioxane in 32 of 48 products tested for that contaminant. (5)

That report is useful history, but it should not be presented as a picture of every children’s bath product on shelves today.

FDA says manufacturing changes have significantly reduced 1,4-dioxane contamination over time. In a 2018 FDA survey of 82 randomly selected cosmetics marketed to children that contained ingredients associated with possible 1,4-dioxane contamination, only 2 products, about 2%, tested above 10 ppm. FDA also notes that 1,4-dioxane is a manufacturing byproduct rather than an intentionally added cosmetic ingredient. (7)

Formaldehyde itself is classified as a human carcinogen, but hazard classification does not mean that every trace exposure from a rinse-off product creates the same level of risk. Exposure level, route, and duration matter. (6)

New York has taken an additional regulatory step. Personal care products sold in the state are limited to 1 ppm of 1,4-dioxane, and cosmetic products are limited to 10 ppm. Temporary waivers expired at the end of 2025. (8)

For our family, the takeaway is not fear. It is ingredient control. When a simple homemade wash works beautifully, I am happy to skip unnecessary fragrance, color, and complicated formulas.

Healthy Ingredients for Non-Toxic Body Wash

In all honesty, you could get by using just two ingredients, castile soap and water. That alone would create a homemade body wash that gets you clean, the natural way! If you enjoy extra bubbles and harnessing the power of essential oils, I’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know!

Organic unscented Liquid Castile Soap: This is what I use as the base in all of my DIYs that need soap! This effective solution is vegetable-oil-based and gives us the cleansing action and lather we need. Unscented castile soap is especially helpful for kids because you get to control the final aroma instead of layering essential oils on top of an added fragrance.

Distilled or Purified Water: I recommend using distilled or purified water if at all possible. Because this recipe contains water, cleanliness matters. FDA explains that cosmetics can become contaminated through water, raw materials, poor manufacturing conditions, or an ineffective preservation system. (9)

Distilled water helps you start with cleaner water, but it does not make this homemade body wash shelf-stable. This recipe does not contain a laboratory-tested broad-spectrum preservative system, so make a small batch, use clean supplies, keep bathwater from getting back into the bottle, keep the lid closed, and use it promptly. Changes in smell, color, clarity, or texture mean it should be discarded, but the absence of a visible change does not prove that an old batch is microbe-free.

Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base or Carrier Oil: If you haven’t tried my oil base, you’re in for a treat! Mama Z’s Essential Oil Base is a blend I created when pregnant with my oldest. It’s full of moisturizing oils that are wonderful for the skin. The recipe makes a huge batch, so you’ll have enough to last a while! If you don’t have time to make my oil base, you can use a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut, jojoba, sweet almond, or grapeseed oil.

Vegetable Glycerin: Vegetable glycerin is a humectant that helps give this body wash a smoother feel. The castile soap is doing most of the cleansing and lathering; glycerin helps the finished wash feel less harsh and more pleasant for little hands to use.

Essential Oils: Essential oils are what give our all-natural recipe its scent! I love using them to create a cheerful morning wash, a calming bedtime routine, or simply a fragrance combination my kids enjoy. The key is to choose oils that fit your child’s age and needs and use them at an appropriate dilution.

Aloe Vera: Aloe vera gives the wash a light, soothing feel, making aloe vera a lovely addition to a “Summer” body wash. A systematic review of clinical trials found that topical aloe preparations have been studied for maintaining skin moisture and supporting wound care, although those concentrated leave-on preparations are not the same thing as the small amount of aloe in this rinse-off body wash. (10) Be sure to look for a brand that contains no fillers!

Best Combination of Essential Oils for Children

Using essential oils with children is very similar to using essential oils with adults; however, you should pay more attention to adequately dispersing & diluting the essential oils.

Children do not need adult-strength aromatherapy. Less really is more! In The Essential Oils Diet, we teach that a 0.5% to 1% dilution is a useful conservative range for children and sensitive skin, with the exact amount adjusted for age, oil, route, and purpose. (11)

Johns Hopkins gives age-specific topical ranges that begin even lower for the youngest children: approximately 0.25% to 0.5% for ages 3 to 24 months, 1% to 2% for ages 2 to 6 years, and higher ranges as children get older. They also advise against undiluted topical use. (12)

Because this body wash is a rinse-off product, the exposure is brief, but I still like to keep kid blends gentle. Your goal is a pleasant, supportive bath-time aroma, not an overpowering essential oil experience.

Here are some generally safe oils for children’s DIYs:

• Cedarwood- Great for helping kids feel grounded and confident in social settings
• Lavender– The ultimate calming oil, very soothing to the skin
• German chamomile- A gentle option for quiet evening routines
• Roman chamomile– Great for calming bedtime blends
• Rosemary– Traditionally used for focus, scalp support, and hair-care blends; use extra caution with very young children
• Citrus oils (lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc.) See the note about photosensitization below.

Some of my favorite EO blend variations to use with the homemade body wash include:

• Joyful Blend – equal parts orange and vanilla
• Awesome Body – equal parts orange, grapefruit, lime, lemon, and peppermint
• Herb Garden Relaxation – equal parts peppermint and lavender
• Sweet Sleep – equal parts Roman chamomile, lavender, and vetiver
• Respiratory Support – equal parts eucalyptus, peppermint, Roman chamomile, and lavender

Whether I’m creating DIYs for kids or adults, I like to switch up the oils each time I make a new batch. It keeps bath time interesting and lets me choose a blend that fits the season or routine.

Rotating oils does not guarantee that sensitization cannot happen. Proper dilution, choosing an age-appropriate oil, avoiding overuse, and stopping an oil if it causes irritation are more important safety habits.

Kid-Safe Essential Oil Note:

For babies and toddlers, keep your oils very simple and very diluted. Johns Hopkins advises against peppermint oil for children younger than 30 months and warns not to add undiluted essential oils directly to bathwater because oil and water do not mix. (12) Tisserand Institute also explains that essential oils float on bathwater in tiny droplets and can irritate the skin when they are not properly dispersed. (13)

That’s why this recipe is not the same as dropping essential oils straight into the tub. Here, the oils are blended into a body wash formula and used in small amounts. Still, avoid the eyes, keep essential oils out of reach of children, and choose gentle oils when making products for little ones.

For very young children, I would skip the peppermint, eucalyptus, and rosemary blends and choose something like lavender, Roman chamomile, cedarwood, sweet orange, vanilla, or vetiver instead.

For infants: The simplest option is to make the preserved body-wash recipe without essential oils rather than use the full 48-64-drop essential-oil amount shown in the recipe card. The recipe itself remains unchanged, but infant dilution should be much lower than an older child’s blend. (11, 12)

Safety Note About Citrus Oils:

One of my kids’ favorite pastimes is playing outside. If I let them, they would be outdoors all day! I always try to limit the usage of citrus oils in their DIY products during the warmer months due to photosensitization.

Some citrus essential oils can increase the skin’s sensitivity to ultraviolet light, but not every citrus oil is phototoxic. The risk depends on the specific oil, extraction method, concentration, and how long it remains on the skin. Tisserand Institute notes that most phototoxic essential oils are expressed citrus oils, while distilled citrus oils contain far fewer furanocoumarins and are generally not phototoxic. (14) See a complete chart of citrus essential oils and their natural photosensitivity here.

This body wash is also a rinse-off product, so the exposure is different from a leave-on body oil. I still prefer to be conservative with phototoxic citrus oils in summer DIYs. You can choose a non-phototoxic citrus option, use the wash at night, or choose another kid-friendly oil entirely.

How to Make Homemade Body Wash for Kids

My body wash is such an easy DIY! It’s a great recipe to make with your children. Here’s what you do.

Step One: Add Ingredients

Add all the ingredients to a PET plastic bottle. These bottles work perfectly for slippery bathtubs.

Application: Let your child help choose the essential oil blend, count drops, or shake the finished bottle. Kids love being part of the process, and it helps them learn that healthy living can be fun, practical, and normal.

Step Two: Add Water

Fill the bottle the rest of the way with distilled water. Put a lid on your container and gently shake to mix. Shake before every use to evenly disperse all ingredients.

NOTES:

• Use this body wash as a shampoo too!
• Make small batches. Because this is a water-based DIY without a laboratory-tested broad-spectrum preservative system, use clean supplies, keep the lid closed, keep bathwater out of the bottle, and use the wash promptly. Distilled water is not a preservative. Discard the batch if the smell, color, clarity, or texture changes, and do not assume an old batch is safe simply because it still looks normal. (9)
• Avoid the eyes. Even gentle castile soap is still soap, and soap in the eyes can sting.
• For children with eczema, very sensitive skin, fragrance allergies, asthma, or a history of skin reactions, start unscented or patch test first.
• You may want to try my Detox Bath for Kids. It’s especially beneficial if your child is feeling under the weather.
• If you like this DIY, try my Homemade Detangling Spray. It works wonders on my daughter’s hair!

Homemade Kids Body Wash FAQs

What is homemade body wash for kids?

Homemade body wash for kids is a simple DIY bath wash made with gentle ingredients like liquid castile soap, distilled water, aloe vera, vegetable glycerin, carrier oil, and properly diluted essential oils. It is designed to clean your child’s skin without synthetic fragrance, artificial dyes, or harsh ingredients.

Is homemade body wash safe for kids?

Homemade body wash can be a practical option for kids when it is made with clean supplies and ingredients appropriate for the child’s age and skin. For infants and children with very reactive skin, the unscented version is the simplest place to start. The most important safety steps are proper essential-oil dilution, keeping the wash out of the eyes, preventing bathwater from getting back into the bottle, and making small water-based batches because this formula is not commercially preserved.

What is the best base for DIY kids body wash?

Organic unscented liquid castile soap is one of the best bases for DIY kids body wash because it cleans well, is simple to use, and allows you to customize the scent naturally. Choose unscented castile soap so you are not layering essential oils on top of an already scented product.

Can this homemade body wash be used as shampoo?

Yes! This homemade kids body wash can also be used as shampoo. Castile soap helps cleanse the hair and scalp, while aloe vera and carrier oil help make the formula feel gentler. For very dry, thick, curly, or tangle-prone hair, follow with a natural conditioner or detangling spray.

What essential oils are best for kids body wash?

Lavender, Roman chamomile, German chamomile, cedarwood, sweet orange, vanilla, and vetiver are some of the best essential oils for kids body wash. They smell wonderful and are generally gentle when properly diluted. For very young children, keep blends simple and avoid strong oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, and rosemary unless you know they are appropriate for your child’s age.

Can I make this body wash without essential oils?

Absolutely. Unscented homemade body wash is a wonderful option for babies, toddlers, children with sensitive skin, or anyone with fragrance allergies. Essential oils are optional. The castile soap, glycerin, aloe vera, and carrier oil still create a useful, non-toxic body wash without added scent.

How long does homemade kids body wash last?

Because this recipe contains water and does not use a laboratory-tested broad-spectrum cosmetic preservative system, I do not give it a long shelf-life promise. Make a small batch and use it promptly. Store it with the lid closed, avoid getting bathwater into the bottle, and discard it if you notice any change in smell, color, clarity, thickness, or texture. Remember that microorganisms can be present before you can see or smell them, so an old batch should not be kept indefinitely just because it looks normal. (9)

Why does homemade body wash need distilled water?

Distilled or purified water helps you begin with cleaner water, but it does not preserve the finished body wash. Water-based cosmetic products can support microbial growth, especially when the formula does not contain a validated preservation system. Clean water, clean bottles, small batches, and keeping bathwater out of the container are the practical safeguards we use for this DIY. (9)

Does homemade body wash lather like store-bought body wash?

Yes, this homemade body wash can lather beautifully. Castile soap provides the cleansing action and most of the lather. Vegetable glycerin acts mainly as a humectant and helps give the finished wash a smoother feel.

Can I use citrus oils in kids body wash?

Yes, but use them wisely. Sweet orange is a favorite for kids because it smells cheerful and blends well with vanilla, lavender, and cedarwood. Not every citrus oil is phototoxic. The main concern is with certain expressed citrus oils at sufficient concentration in leave-on products. Distilled citrus oils contain far fewer phototoxic furanocoumarins, and this body wash is rinsed off rather than left on the skin. I still prefer a conservative approach during sunny seasons. (14)

What should I avoid in store-bought kids body wash?

When shopping for kids body wash, avoid synthetic fragrance, unnecessary artificial dyes, harsh sulfates, and ingredient lists full of mystery chemicals. Also watch for ethoxylated ingredients such as PEG compounds or ingredients ending in “-eth,” because 1,4-dioxane can form as a manufacturing byproduct in some ethoxylated ingredients.

What is the easiest way to start non-toxic living with kids?

Start with one product your family uses every day. Body wash is a great first swap because it touches your child’s skin often and is easy to make at home. Once that becomes normal, move on to hand soap, shampoo, detangler, lotion, cleaning spray, laundry products, and air fresheners. Small faithful changes add up to a healthier home.

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