Do your hand dry out during the cool winter months of dry air like mine? We love lotion, but with many of us in the house, and an alternative for my boys that do not prefer the lotion, we have found a way to help eliminate some of the use by making our own soaps. For several years I have had the privileged of making our own bar soap. We simply just take a few days throughout the summer months to make long tubes (PVC) of bar soap and slice as needed. It is so nice to have the lathery soft soap that leaves your skin nice and smooth. However, at the sink my kids still prefer the pumped hand soap. Realizing not everyone makes homemade soap, I would love to share a recipe that ANYONE can make in their home.
Start with 1 Cup of distilled water. Carefully AND slowly add 1 Cup of castile liquid soap. (If you just dump it together it will bubble and you will loose some suds.)
Next add 2 Tablespoons of Vitamin E oil, followed by 3 Tablespoons of jojoba oil. ( This can can be substituted, with almond or olive oil- but it does make a different overall soap- but still effective in the element of cleaning purposes.)
Add 30 Drops of tea tree oil and 20 drops of lavender essential oil. Now for this, it can be substituted with herb infused oil. FOR EXAMPLE, my boys soap instead of adding the lavender essential oil, I will often use my herbs infused oil. (Which is high density lavender and calendar.) It makes beautiful and moisturizing hand soap. Feel free to play with the scents a bit too. If lavender is too strong for you, add a few drops of the lemon essential oil or orange, it makes a very refreshing soap as well.
After your oils are together, place cap on your large dispenser and shake. Squirt a little into your hand and place next to your sink for future use. Remember castile soap is a vegetable base so it will not “mix” or blend well. If it sits a long while, it will separate, just shake before use and viola!
Just a couple notes. The Vitamin E and oil are the moisturizers, yes they can be omitted or exchanged. However, just keep in mind it will change the texture on your skin. As far as the essential oils, they can also be omitted or exchanged. However, if experimenting and you have children, keep in mind peppermint and “strong” oils can be harsh on sensitive and young skin, so please avoid them. If you are looking for a scent that is to “wake you up” or refreshing, try a lemon or an orange essential oil, etc.
Happy Soaping & Happy Homemaking!
P.S. This can be mixed in a large bowl, a 5 gallon bucket or in a single use dispenser. It mixed triple batched wonderfully in the clear OJ containers and allows you to make less often and just funnel or refill your household dispensers, depending on the size of your household. Penny’s to make, without all the harsh chemicals on your family, so nice! Don’t forget, you can also make hand pumps out of mason jars or you can purchase them online– and with a little creativity, they do make beautiful gifts too!