DIY Foaming Hand Soap: All Natural Recipe

Whether you’re looking for a way to reduce plastic waste, or you want to start living more frugally, this DIY foaming hand soap recipe is for you.

Hand soap is something that you use every single day, but have you ever stopped to think about what ingredients go into it? Unless you’re making homemade soap or buying natural soap in stores, you could inadvertently be doing a lot of harm to your health, and to the environment. Potentially toxic ingredients to watch out for include: 

• Fragrances: you’ll see the blanket-term fragrance listed as an ingredient, which is dangerous because it means companies don’t actually have to list what’s in their product.
• Parabens: according to the EWG, parabens are strongly suspected to be endocrine disrupters. 
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): this is typically added to help get the foaming effect, even though it’s a well known skin irritant that is toxic to aquatic life. 
• Methylisothiazolinone: the FDA allows this ingredient to be used in cosmetics, even though it’s listed as a standardized chemical allergen.

Since there can be many hidden chemicals in store-bought soap, and it’s packaged with unnecessary waste, it’s best to make your own. We’ll show you how with this DIY foaming hand soap recipe. 

DIY Foaming Hand Soap: Step-by-Step

Part of the magic of foaming hand soap is having the right container for it. If you’ve purchased foaming soap in the past, you can rinse and reuse that container for your DIY foaming hand soap. If you would prefer to get a new one, you can find empty bottles in many drugstores, or buy a plastic-free alternative like a mason jar dispensers by Amolliar, available on Amazon**.

Ingredients: 

• 12 oz. distilled water 
• 2 tbsp liquid Castile soap 
• ½ tsp olive oil 
• approximately 10 drops essential oil(s) of your choice 

Instructions:

1. Fill the soap dispenser with water, leaving 1 inch at the top. 
2. Add 2 tbsp of liquid Castile soap to the water mixture.
3. Add the olive oil and essential oils.
4. Put the lid on the jar, and give it a light shake. 
5. Proceed to use as normal. 

DIY Foaming Soap Scents

One of the best parts about making your own soap is that you can customize the scents to your liking. Here are some excellent essential oil scent combinations you can use to freshen up your hand washing routine. 

• Eucalyptus Mint: 6 drops eucalyptus + 4 drops spearmint
• Summer Fresh: 5 drops rosemary + 2 drops lavender + 3 drops lemon
• Herb Garden: 3 drops basil + 3 drops lemongrass + 3 drops spearmint 
• Basil Lime: 5 drops lime + 5 drops basil 
• Squeaky Clean: 5 drops lemon + 5 drops pine 
• Detox: 5 drops lemons + 5 drops grapefruit 
• Floral Bouquet: 2 drops lavender + 2 drops geranium + 2 drops ylang ylang + 1 drop rose 

Note: When purchasing essential oils, be sure to look for ones that are 100 percent natural oil. This ensures that there are no synthetic components or carrier oils. It’s also worth spending the extra money and sticking with organic essential oils too — they’re better for the environment, and will also provide the strongest scent. 

Read more: 

• Distilled Water vs. Spring Water: What’s the Difference?
• Soapwort: How to Grow and Care for this Flowering Beauty
• Frugal Living: Meaning and Tips for an Independent Life

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Tags: Cosmetics Guide Natural