One of the first things to do on your natural living journey is rid your home of toxic cleaners. There’s no need to have toxins around when natural ingredients get the job done! Did you know that essential oils can clean your body? It’s true! This homemade liquid hand soap is easy to make and uses simple ingredients. It will nourish the delicate skin on your hands and keep germs at bay. I keep this DIY in my cupboard at all times!
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3 Toxic Ingredients in Storebought Liquid Hand Soap
You might wonder why you should make your own body care products. Several great brands contain no toxins, but they can be expensive. When you start to DIY products, you save yourself a lot of money and time! You’ll know just what ingredients are going onto your skin, and you don’t have to waste time reading labels. One of the easiest ways to eliminate toxic elements from your home is to DIY simple things like hand soap.
Here are a few ingredients you’ll be avoiding.
1. Artificial Fragrances
Synthetic fragrance is in almost every hand soap on the market. There are over 2000 chemicals that fall under the fragrance label, and thanks to the FDA’s Fair Packaging and Label Act, it’s nearly impossible to know just what chemicals the manufacturer used. (1) What we do know is that synthetic fragrances cause contact dermatitis in varying degrees, from dry skin to skin rashes. These toxins can also cause cold-like symptoms and headaches.
2. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a toxin scientists use to preserve human bodies for research. You can only imagine how powerful it has to be! It’s a wonder they include it in beauty products. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen that has no place on your body! (2) It can also cause skin and eye irritations.I’d rather reduce the expiration date of my products than the length of my life!
3. Glycol Ethers
This toxin isn’t as widely discussed as fragrance or formaldehyde, but it deserves a spot on the list! Even short-term exposure to glycol ethers can cause kidney and lung damage. (3) Long-term exposure can lead to neurological issues. Yikes! Studies on animals have also shown that this chemical can cause reproductive problems.
Those are just a few of the many toxins you’ll find in liquid hand soap. The few minutes it takes to whip this recipe up is well worth the peace of mind you get from knowing your family isn’t exposed to toxins!
Must-Try Essential Oil Blends for Homemade Soap
Kicking synthetic fragrance to the curb is painless when you have endless essential oil blends! We often change our blends to fit our season in life or even the time of year! The sky is the limit. Enjoy your favorite combinations, or if you want to mix your own, try one of our family favorites.
- Christmas Blend – Fir needle (Balsam fir, Douglas fir, white fir), peppermint, and vanilla absolute
- Deep Breathing Blend – Cardamom, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree
- Focus Blend – Cedarwood, frankincense, sandalwood, and vetiver
- Goodbye Allergy Blend – Lavender, lemon, and peppermint
- Healthy Digestion Blend – Anise, caraway, fennel, ginger, lemon, tarragon
- Immune Boosting Blend – Cinnamon leaf (bark would be too strong in this recipe), clove, eucalyptus, rosemary, orange, and lemon
- Happy Blend – Orange, lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, and vanilla absolute
- Sleepy Time Blend – Roman chamomile, lavender, and vetiver
Homemade Liquid Hand Soap Ingredients
Each ingredient was chosen with care, so your skin is nourished as well as cleansed. Here’s what you need.
Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap: This brand I reference in many of my DIYs. This soap is entirely vegetable oil-based and toxin-free. Dr. Bronner’s soap is a fantastic multi-tasker that you can use to clean your home or body! I love how foamy this soap is.
Mama Z’s Oil Base or Carrier Oil: I recommend using my oil base whenever you can! It’s a lovely combination of carrier oils that provide maximum moisturizing benefits. If you don’t have a batch on hand, you can use your favorite carrier oil. I like using sweet almond oil in this recipe!
Vitamin E Oil: I add vitamin E to many of my DIYs because it has antioxidant properties! It also acts as a natural preservative, so it makes your soap last longer.
Essential Oils: Essential oils are the cherry on top of an already fantastic recipe! You can use any of the suggestions above or develop your own blend. I like making different blends and gifting this DIY to loved ones. It’s an inexpensive gift that anyone can use!
Supplies: To make this recipe, you’ll need a glass jar to mix ingredients and a glass liquid soap bottle.
How to Make Homemade Liquid Hand Soap With Essential Oils
This recipe is easy to make! I find that one DIY usually leads to another, so you might be interested in my moisturizing hand cream, which pairs perfectly with this DIY.
- ¼ cup Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap
- ½ tablespoon Mama Z’s Oil Base or your choice of carrier oil*
- ½ tablespoon vitamin E oil
- 20 drops essential oils
- Supplies:
- Glass jar with pump
- Slowly add liquid castile soap to the glass jar.
- Add your vitamin E, Mama Z's Oil Base, jojoba, or sweet almond oil and essential oils.
- Top the jar with a sealed lid and shake well.
- Fill your hand soap containers with half soap mixture and half distilled water to make it easier to pump out. This also stretches your mixture!
You can store the leftover homemade liquid hand soap (without water) until your containers need a refill; just remember to always shake well before using.
Step One: Add Castile Soap
Slowly pour the castile soap into the jar.
Step Two: Add Essential Oils
Add the vitamin E, Mama Z’s oil base or carrier oil, and essential oils. Top with a sealed lid and shake well to blend.
Step Three: Dilute and Use
When you’re ready to use, fill a glass jar with a half soap solution and half distilled water. This makes it easier to pump out. It also stretches your liquid hand soap!
