The Healthy Home Collection: Natural Body Wash

10/1/20262 min read

I know, I know… DIY hygiene products can sound a little questionable. But when you look at how simple the basic ingredients in many body washes actually are, making your own isn’t quite as strange as it sounds. The difference is that you get to choose the ingredients and keep them simple.

This recipe uses just castile soap, raw honey, and a nourishing carrier oil. Essential oils can be a nice touch if you're looking to add some flavor.

What You’ll Need

  • ⅔ cup liquid castile soap — I use the light blue baby formula

  • ⅔ cup raw honey — as pure and minimally processed as possible

  • ⅔ cup carrier oil — sweet almond, jojoba, or fractionated coconut oil (I used jojoba)

  • 60–120 drops essential oil — optional; I skipped it

This will make exactly 2 cups.

A Note About the Honey:

Pure, unadulterated, minimally processed honey can be surprisingly thick and may naturally crystallize over time. That’s actually one of the things I look for when buying real honey.

Because mine was quite thick, I gently warmed it using a double boiler, just enough to make it easier to mix. Be careful not to overheat it, as high temperatures can affect some of honey’s naturally occurring nutrients and compounds.

How to Make It

  1. Combine the castile soap, honey, and carrier oil in a large glass measuring cup or bowl.

  2. Stir gently until everything is well combined.

  3. Pour into a 16–24 oz glass soap dispenser or squeeze bottle.

  4. Give it a gentle shake before each use.

Because we’re not using synthetic emulsifiers, some separation is completely normal.

The mixture may also thicken a little over time. If that happens, simply run the bottle under warm shower water to loosen it back up.

Don’t add water. Water can significantly shorten the shelf life of a homemade formula like this.

And there you have it... a Simple Shower Swap!

What I love about this recipe is how uncomplicated it is. Three basic ingredients, a few minutes of your time, and you have a nourishing body wash with complete control over what goes into your bottle.

Stored properly and kept free from added water, I would aim to use it within about a year, or according to the shelf life of your carrier oil. Jojoba oil is particularly shelf stable and can last 2–5 years when stored properly.

Simple ingredients. Less clutter. A little more intention.