DIY Homemade Body Wash: Oatmeal infused for a soothing touch.

Homemade body wash is so simple to make, and gives you a chance to take control of what’s going on your skin and into your body! I particularly love this exfoliating body wash because it’s simple to make, it’s cheaper than store-bought, and it has some nourishing ingredients to keep my skin moisturized and happy. As we head into the colder months this becomes super important for my dry skin.

The Problem with Most Commercial Body Washes

Ever turn a bottle of commercial body wash over and look at the ingredient list? It’s usually long and full of unpronounceables:

Alpha Hydroxy Acid
Salicylic Acid
decyl poliglucose
ammonium laureth sulfate
disodium cocoamphodiacetate
sodium benzoate
cocamidopropyl betaine
glycolic acid
acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer
triethanolamine
methylparaben
propylparaben
urea
phenoxyethanol
triclosan
polysorbate 20, etc.

To be clear, just because something sounds big and scary on a chemical ingredient list, doesn’t mean it’s always bad. After all, “Acqua purificata” is merely purified water. BUT, plenty of the above ingredients DO make me leery of the product and are harsh on the skin. Some of the ingredients are just down right scary. You can find these toxic chemicals in name brands such as Aveeno.

These products claim to contain natural extracts but when you look behind the curtain and you will find ingredients like sodium laureth sulfate. Sodium luareth sulfate (SLS) has known to cause itchy, skin rashes and can be harmful to your skin. SLS has been dermatologist tested to reveal 1 in 7 people observed contracted a skin irritation. Best to avoid it all and create your own homemade body wash where you know exactly what’s going in it.

So what goes in this homemade body wash?

Simple, all-natural ingredients designed to clean your skin AND provide a soothing and moisturizing experience. Winner winner.

The base of the recipe is pure liquid castile soap. I prefer to use the baby mild kind (like this) because I have a history of sensitive skin. I also feel good using this body wash on my toddler because of that, too.

Let’s look at the other ingredients in this homemade soothing body wash and what they bring to the party. (Because, OBVIOUSLY, homemade natural body wash is always a Par-tay!)

Oatmeal

Oatmeal has made the rounds in a number of commercial products due to its soothing properties. I love taking oatmeal baths when my skin needs a little extra love so it seemed like a perfect addition to this recipe. The oatmeal-infused water is a perfect way to make this foaming homemade body wash a little more of a spa-like experience. It also contains saponins which have cleansing properties similar to soap. Oatmeal is a natural exfoliator that can leave your skin feeling hydrated and smooth.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil is one of the best essential oils for the skin. For starters, it’s a really safe essential oil and super versatile. It also tones, revitalizes, and supports healthy skin. Besides, it smells luxurious… and that’s half the battle, right? (learn how to get my favorite essential oils at wholesale prices here.) Lavender essential oil also has calming properties.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is often included in skin and beauty products. That’s because it’s a powerful antioxidant that can help lengthen the shelf life. It also nourishes and repairs skin. It also has potent anti-inflammatory properties. Including vitamin E in a body lotion or body wash can soothe eczema or other inflammatory skin conditions. It’s a must-have for winter skin in my opinion. You can find Vitamin E oil here.

Jojoba or Avocado Oil

Both of these oils are super moisturizing and hydrating. I love to use them as part of the oil-cleansing method so it only makes sense to add them to this, too! You can also find these online here and here, but if you can’t get your hands on these oils, I have also used extra virgin olive oil in this mixture and it works well, too!

Are you excited yet!? Let’s get our homemade body wash ON!

Oatmeal and Lavender Hydrating Body Wash

Ingredients

3 cups water
1/4 cup oatmeal (steel cut or rolled are fine)
1/4 cup liquid castile soap (like this)
6 – 12 drops lavender essential oil (learn how to get my favorite essential oils at wholesale prices here.)
1 tsp vitamin E oil (like this)
2 tsp jojoba or avocado oil (like this)

Plus you’ll need a foaming dispenser or two (like this). Trust me, they are worth the small investment. They make homemade soap SO easy and fun… plus you’ll find that you use less soap.

Directions

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Place oatmeal in a glass bowl and pour boiling water over oatmeal. Let sit for 1 – 2 hours and then strain water to remove oats from water. Set water aside, and discard the oats.

2. In a small bowl mix castile soap, essential oil, vitamin E oil, and jojoba/avocado oil with a whisk until fully incorporated. If you prefer your moisturizing body wash to be fragrance-free, omit the lavender essential oil and use avocado oil instead of jojoba

3. Pour enough of the soap/oil mixture to fill about 10 – 15% of your foaming soap dispenser. (Mine probably hit just under half an inch in my containers.)

4. Pour oatmeal-infused water into the dispenser until nearly full. Twist the lid back on and you’re done!

*This recipe will fill two average-sized (around 12 fl oz) dispensers.

I also love to lather my body with shea butter after using the oatmeal body wash for extra hydration.

There you have it! A simple recipe that utilizes the awesomeness of a foaming dispenser to save you money and keep you living all natural!

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What do you think? Will you try it?

Conclusion

This nourishing body wash is a great product that is essential in your skincare routine. It can be difficult to buy body wash or body lotion that is cruelty-free, paraben-free, and chemical-free! There are always so many new products being advertised and it is hard to know who to trust. That is why I decided to stop wondering about what was on the ingredient list and create my own. This exfoliating body wash packs the punch of an amazing cleanser and moisturizer for your skin.