Homemade natural body wash?

[Kaitlyn Eileen]

What I go by is comedic yet serious--why buy a product with ingredients you can't even pronounce? I try to stay as natural as possible with organic products that help your skin instead of hurting it. I've been trying natural body washes yet they don't do my skin good and end up stinging wounds or giving me rashes meanwhile they're said to be as "natural as possible".

Nature stores in Maine are very good, indeed, but also very pricey... I can't afford a weekly trip to the health food store for good products yet it's important to me!! Picking up bottles off of the shelves and reading the ingredients gives me a headache. They're treacherous albeit affordable. I do not want to buy expensive (unnecessarily expensed) products from a health food store and I want to avoid regular products with unhealthy ingredients. My scenario is tricky but doable; I need to find a recipe for a natural, simple and inexpensive body wash. Is this workable, is this smart, does anybody have tips/a recipe with instructions? Thank you so much for your time and I hope this post is halfway sensible!

 

[BarredBuff]

I have never made body wash or anything like it. My mom makes soap during the winter and we use it in place of body wash. Not very experienced with it! Hopefully, someone can share some wisdom with you.

 

[baymule]

Why not just buy home made goat soap? Could you melt it with some water and just shake the bottle at shower time?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's a great idea!

 

[Mini Horses]

Actually I find my goat milk soap costs about 80 cents per 4-5oz bar. If I buy oils on sale, can shave another quarter off price. I only use food grade. It cleans well, leaves skin nice, never flaky or itchy. I even wash my hair with it. I used to go to markets, fairs, craft shows, etc. & sell with good results. In the future I may start that up again, right now just use for self, daughter & some friends. It lasts well and if you leave it in water will soften to a paste. But use a real wet cloth and it lathers very well. I assure you it removes some dirts that other "soaps" won't very well.

Soaps are easy to make and you can find recipes & tutorials on line. Oils, liquid and lye. How easy...you can pronounce it all.

 

[NH Homesteader]

You can make soaps with water instead of goat milk also. I've started making soap again (Yay!) with goat milk, olive oil, coconut oil and lye. Easy. Made a batch yesterday with coffee grounds for scrubbing off dirt, etc. I have a recipe for a shampoo bar, I haven't tried it yet but it's on my list!

 

[BarredBuff]

You can make soaps with water instead of goat milk also. I've started making soap again (Yay!) with goat milk, olive oil, coconut oil and lye. Easy. Made a batch yesterday with coffee grounds for scrubbing off dirt, etc. I have a recipe for a shampoo bar, I haven't tried it yet but it's on my list!

I've never heard of using coffee grounds! That is interesting.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Apparently if you also replace some of the milk with strongly brewed coffee, it helps get rid of smells. Particularly that buck smell us goat farmers adore (or not, lol).

Next batch I'm trying honey and oatmeal!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

ou can make soaps with water instead of goat milk also. I've started making soap again (Yay!) with goat milk, olive oil, coconut oil and lye. Easy. Made a batch yesterday with coffee grounds for scrubbing off dirt, etc. I have a recipe for a shampoo bar, I haven't tried it yet but it's on my list!

That's way cool! I'm gonna have to try it - maybe the next time I have more than a weekend off I'll put it on my list. Coffee grounds sounds cool - bet it does make a good scrubber.

 

[tortoise]

Body wash is unnecessary! https://www.sufficientself.com/threads/unconventional-hygiene.15494/

I stopped using body wash 8 months ago. I use bar soap on hands and sometimes feet (I go barefoot in garden). My skin is *not* dry and scaly for the first time in my life!! Even my keratosis pilaris is improved - it's gone from my arms!

Why not just buy home made goat soap? Could you melt it with some water and just shake the bottle at shower time?

It would need to be acidified to prevent bacterial growth.