What Is Essential Oil Body Wash? + Easy Recipe To Make At Home

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Looking to make your own essential oil body wash? With this easy recipe you can make your body wash at home using natural ingredients.

So you’ve cut down the junk food, exercise regularly, removed all chemicals from your cosmetics, and wonder what’s next. Hint: Look in your shower toiletry. Lurking behind your shower curtain is most likely a body wash that contains potentially toxic chemicals and unnatural scents.

If you’re thinking natural soap, and even making the soap yourself, sure that’s one way to do it. However, if you’re like me and want little something to squirt on a bath pouf and get a lush lather, this article, my friend, is for you.

People think DIYs are challenging to master hence avoid them, even if it means paying more money to buy something natural. Well, fortunately, this DIY Body Wash with essential oils is easy-peasy even if you’re a beginner at it.

Follow the recipe below, try it as it is a few times, and once you master it, merely experiment and play with it as you wish. I’ll even list several other oils you can swap for those in the recipe later on, so you know what’s good to include and what’s not. Ready? Let’s get to it then:

About the Ingredients

Honey

I know you might not expect it in your body wash, but it’s the ingredient that makes all the difference.

I’m sure you know all about its benefits for the body, inside and out, so you’re familiar that it helps your skin retain moisture and elasticity without drying it out.

Honey is perfect for mature, dry, itchy, or damaged skin. It can also help speed the healing of the blemished skin.

Instead of making the body wash sticky; honey makes it nice and smooth.

I recommend using raw, unfiltered honey for the best quality. I like this honey from Amazon.

Liquid Castile Soap

While you don’t want all those chemical foaming agents, you do want your body wash to create a nice lather. This is why using liquid castile soap is mandatory.

I recommend unscented simply because with the addition of the essential oils you’ll be creating your own magical smells.

Dr. Bronners Castile Soap is a favorite of mine.

Carrier Oil

You know well that after showering with conventional shower washes and gels, you need to apply a moisturizer because they can dry out your skin.

Well, with your own homemade body wash it doesn’t have to be like that. Instead, add an oil that is easily absorbed by the skin which will moisturize it as well.

You will see there’s no need to apply additional moisturizer after using the body wash.

Best choices for the oil are jojoba, almond, and grapeseed. Get your carrier oils on Amazon (make sure to look for cold-pressed, organic oils).

Vitamin E Oil

While you’ve already added a carrier oil for moisture, a little bit of additional vitamin E oil won’t hurt. It is an antioxidant that can also help elongate the shelf life of homemade personal care products.

Vitamin E is perfect as an addition to products during the summer or winter months when our skin may be more stressed from extreme temperatures because it’s repairing and moisturizing.

This is the Vitamin E oil I use.

Essential Oils

Now we’ve arrived at the fun part. Essential oils aren’t only added for their sweet smells, but for their therapeutic benefits.

Namely, essential oils are perfect for troublesome skin conditions. In fact, even if you don’t have any particular skin problems, they are useful for prevention and nourishment.

Soothing, repairing, healing, disinfecting, or deodorizing the skin are only some of the benefits of the essentials oils I’ve mentioned in the list below for you to include.

I buy all of my essential oils from Rocky Mountain Oils, and you can read why here.

If you want to purchase your oils on Amazon, I recommend the brand Plant Therapy.

Homemade Essential Oil Body Wash Recipe

Now that you know the reason why you’re including the listed ingredients, here are the amounts of each you’ll need:

• ¼ cup raw honey
• ⅔ cup liquid castile soap
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
• 50 – 60 drops essential oils

How To

The making of it is as easy as combining all the ingredients in a bottle and mixing by shaking well. Then, before each use, shake again and add to your washcloth, bath pouf, or directly to your body.

This bottle will fit your DIY body wash (look for a 250 ml dark glass bottle with a pump).

Pro Tip

If you’ve managed to find raw honey you’ll see it’s really creamy and thick. To mix it well with the rest of the ingredients, you will need to put it in a cup and let the cup float in hot water. This way you’ll warm the honey and liquefy it without the risk or boiling it and damaging its nutrients.

Shelf Life

This wash mix is expected to have up to a year shelf life – but I’m sure it’ll be long gone before that (wink wink).

List Of Essential Oils for Your Body Wash

You can use one or two essential oils that have similar scents or blend several and have fun with it. However, if you’re having a particular skin issue, keep in mind the problem and try to combine a soothing blend along with a pleasant smell.

Note: Babies are only allowed to use chamomile or lavender essential oils, while children can use a body wash with half the suggested amount of essential oils.

• Chamomile (German and Roman): Great for dry and sensitive skin, acne, eczema, and dermatitis.
• Geranium: Great for oily complexions, acne, mature skin, eczema, dermatitis, and other problematic skin conditions. It also brightens and revitalizes dull skin.
• Grapefruit: This essential oil tones the skin and is extremely cleansing for oily skin.
• Lavender: Very gentle and good for all skin types, including very sensitive skin. Perfect for mature skin, acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Effective in the soothing itchy skin.
• Palmarosa: Stimulates new cell growth, moisturizes skin, and regulates oil production.
• Patchouli: Antimicrobial, astringent, fungicidal, and deodorant. Great for acne, cracked and chapped skin, eczema, oily skin, and mature skin.
• Peppermint:  Since peppermint is very strong, use only half the amount recommended in the recipe (or less). Cooling, refreshing, and stimulating. Has astringent properties, making it perfect for acne-prone (Note: Avoid during first 4 months of pregnancy.)
• Rosemary: Rosemary is stimulating and restorative. Useful for acne, eczema, and dermatitis. (Note: Avoid during pregnancy. Do not use if you are epileptic or have high blood pressure.)
• Sandalwood: Useful for acne, dry, cracked and chapped skin. Also great for wrinkles and mature skin.
• Sweet orange: One of the only citrus essential oils that are not phototoxic, sweet orange is helpful for dull or oily skin.
• Tea tree: This antibacterial oil can be nicely blended with others like lavender and peppermint. It may be useful for acne, oily skin, rashes, and inflamed skin. Using too much may actually create a drying effect. You may need to experiment a little to find the right amount for your skin.
• Ylang ylang: Great for general skin care, irritated skin, oily skin, or acne. Since this oil is a strong scent, add a few drops at a time until the desired aroma is achieved. (You will need much less than the amount suggested in the above recipe with this essential oil.)

What is your favorite body wash scent? Let us know in the comments how this recipe works for you, and if you have any questions. 

To Your Nourished Skin,

Monika