Who doesn’t love a rich, foamy body wash? That luxurious feeling of clean and soft skin! I wanted something rich and creamy that I could customize with my own scents. Once I set out to make my own and after a few trials and errors this is how it finally went down.
With winter coming up , it needed to be moisturizing. I chose mango butter (personally I do not like the smell of shea butter) and WOW is it fantastic! Check out the recipe, then check out some scent combinations that you may enjoy – or come up with your own signature scent!
What you’ll need:
- 1/4 c Shea or Mango butter
- 1/8 c Aloe Vera Gel
- 1/8 c Jojoba Wax (a carrier or fixed oil)
- 1 cup Castile Soap
- 1 tsp Xanthan gum (a thickener)
I used vanilla infused jojoba. Basically, I cut up 1 vanilla bean and it’s been hanging out in the small bottle of jojoba for about 3 weeks. I wanted to boost the “Love Vanilla” which is the essential oil synergy I chose for my body wash!
What you’ll do:
- Melt shea or mango butter over double boiler
- Then add aloe and jojoba
- Remove from heat stir in xanthan gum & castile soap
- Allow to cool slightly, add essential oils
- Pour into jar/container (TIP: use a funnel, it’s way less mess!)
Alternately you could try this recipe, it’s a bit thinner and isn’t as luxurious but it gets the job done & isn’t too difficult to make at home! Bonus, it make A LOT! It does take a bit more time for the end product to set up but the results are worth the wait.
What you’ll need:
- Bar of castile soap
- 12 cups water**
- 2 TBSP glycerine (can be found in most pharmacies)
What you’ll do:
- Grate bar of soap
- Simmer your water in a large pan on the stove
- Add soap, stirring to melt
- Once melted remove from heat
- Add glycerine and essential oils
- Pour into containers and allow 24 hours to set up
**If you choose not to use a preservative you will need to store it in the fridge. Optiphen plus is a preservative which reduces the instance of bacterial growth in water-based products. We recommend that a preservative be used in any water-based products that you make at home. This is a great choice since it contains no parabens, no formaldehyde, and are not formaldehyde contributors.
Scent combinations you might love: Use 5 drops of essential oil (total) per ounce of body wash.
- Energy: Grapefruit & Ginger or Lemon & Peppermint (do not use with children under 10) or Lime & Spearmint, which is my personal favorite
- Relaxing: Lavender & Roman Chamomile
- Sensual: Sensual Synergy or your partners favorite scent!!
As always, we hope that this gives you some insight into these essential oils. Please be in touch with us via email if you have any further questions, concerns or comments. We can be reached at aromatherapist@planttherapy.com. You can also join our Facebook page Safe Essential Oil Recipes to share your favorite recipes with like-minded members!
Edit: It has come to my attention that this should probably be stored in the refrigerator between uses. The combination of water and other ingredients can cause an issue with mold if left out. An alternative may be to use a smaller bottle and leave the majority of it in the fridge, only taking out what you need for a week or so!
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