There are plenty of less-than-pleasant side effects that go hand-in-hand with getting older. Over the past few years, one that I’ve been battling constantly is dry skin. My skin craves moisture these days, so I’ve had to make certain changes to my normal routines in order to keep my skin happy.
But I recently made a change to my shower routine that has made a big difference in terms of keeping my skin hydrated! And it couldn’t have been easier either—I simply ditched my store-bought body wash for a moisturizing body wash of my own making!
Featuring simple ingredients like castile soap, coconut oil, and honey, this body wash is packed with moisturizers and humectants that help skin absorb and retain moisture. It’s also ridiculously easy to make, and totally customizable based on your personal needs and preferences!
Why Natural Body Wash Is Better For Aging Skin
For instance, I used geranium essential oil in this recipe because it’s so good for aging skin. But you could easily substitute another skin-friendly essential oil (lavender oil is a great option) if you feel so inclined!
So if you’ve been thinking about switching up your shower routine for whatever reason, I urge you to give this homemade body wash a try. This natural formula works beautifully for all skin types, including oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, and everything in between. I know you’ll love it just as much as I do! :-)
Related: This Genius Hack Will Save You 75% On Body Wash
How To Make A Moisturizing DIY Natural Body Wash
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup castile soap
- 3/4 cup fractionated coconut oil*
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 15 drops geranium essential oil
*Note: I like using FCO here because it’s really moisturizing without being too heavy, but feel free to use whatever carrier oil you like! Learn more about carrier oils here.
Directions:
Combine the castile soap, coconut oil, honey, and essential oils in a bowl or container and mix well. Transfer to an airtight container for storage.
I normally prefer to store anything with essential oils in a glass container, but since glass and showers don’t mix, I opted for this plastic pump bottle instead.
To use your homemade body wash, give the bottle a good shake before dispensing to account for any separation that may occur over time. Use liberally and often for softer, more hydrated skin!
Looking For More Solutions For Dry Skin?
- If you’re battling dry skin, here are some other ideas and solutions you may want to consider:
- The One DIY I Want People With Easily Irritated Skin To Know About
- The One Ingredient You Need To Avoid If You Have Dry Skin
- Dry Skin? How To Fix It And 5 Remedies For Relief
What’s your best tip for preventing or healing dry skin?
More Ideas You'll Love
Moisturizing DIY Natural Body Wash
Equipment
- Squeeze bottle or pump bottle
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup castile soap
- 3/4 cup fractionated coconut oil or carrier oil of choice
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 15 drops geranium essential oil or lavender oil
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients and store in an airtight container.
- Shake before using.
jillee, I read your blog and love it! What does the honey do in this body wash?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee, thank you for the suggestion, but I have found that there are several, low-cost moisturizing body washes on the market that have been working well for me for years, and I am in my 80s. Dove has a wonderful moisturizing body wash, which is especially meant for those of us who have very sensitive skin. I have a chronic, idiopathic, urticaria. Which means hives that show up for no apparent reason and disappear in 20 to 40 minutes, only to show up again.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Being “long in the tooth,” I have no patience for the process of making my own body wash, when Dove, or the store brand, that is just the same as Dove’s Sensitive Skin Body wash works for me.
I hope that you do not take offense, but while I love your recipes, even if I have to change them for my husband’s gluten intolerance, but taking the time to search for the ingredients for homemade shampoos, body washes, etc. is just too time consuming, especially with the COVID 19, making shopping more difficult. We only go to the grocery store and I go to my local pharmacy for skin and hair products.
My only worry would be slippery shower floor?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I make my own soap(not melt and pour). Olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, jojoba, kukui oil, Shea butter, and essential oils of my liking. I use frankincense and myrrh. Whole Foods has zum bars that are good. Once you try you won’t buy regular bar soap again.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Why would glass and showers not mix? I use a small and a large glass-stopper bottle for my rye flour and apple cider vinegar when I wash my hair. I suppose I could understand the concern about breakage (especially in a tile shower) but grip is not an issue with the rim around the necks, and the glass is very thick. Of course these would not accommodate a pump but a glass pump bottle would just sit on a ledge or shelf while the soap was being pumped out. One of the first things I did when I decided to declutter and beautify my shower area was to get rid of as many plastic bottles as I could (not all as my husband’s shampoo is a different story).
Otherwise this looks like an interesting recipe. I’ve tried honey shampoo but it was too heavy, so maybe honey on my skin would be worth trying!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So apparently this was a dumb question…I wish those giving a thumbs-down could offer a comment as to why.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Well, I didn’t give a thumbs down and I can’t speak for others, but after an experience with my college-age daughter, I won’t have glass near the tub ever again. She did drop a glass jar in the cast-iron tub. It shattered instantly, slicing her across the foot, and I had to run her to get stitches. When we got home from the *first* trip to the doctor, I went to clean up the bathtub and it looked like a murder scene. You think “that’ll never happen” but it sure does.
Great idea. I use the citrus castile soap and add grapefruit essential oil to it to help tone and tighten the skin. I also use your oil cleansing method for my face and neck, and rub it on areas that are dry or rash-prone. I tried the link to Amazon for the pump bottle but it didn’t work. Thanks for the post!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can greatly improve dry skin by taking Omega supplements (essential fatty acids). Most people need Omega-3 due to the Standard American Diet being so high in damaging Omega-6 and their balance/ratio is off. If you eat organic and healthy with a lot of variety including fish, you may need to take a combination of Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9. Most dry skin comes from the inside due to lack of ingesting healthy oils/fats, not a lack of moisture on the outside.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Won’t the oil eventually clog your drains?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was thinking the exact same thing as even my kitchen garbage disposal gets clogged from using the coconut oil body wash on my hands. And because of ants, I’d never want something as sweet as honey in my bathroom.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Essentials do not solidify like cooking oils do, therefore they will not clog the drain.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.OK, but the coconut oil WILL clog drains. BTDT.
Not if it is fractionated coconut oil, it never solidifies.
Hi Jillie, I live in Turkey and there are some things we are unable to get i.e. castille soap for excample. I love the idea of making your own body wash for older skin and am wondering what I can use instead. Any ideas. Many thanks for all your tips, I have tried several and have been very pleased.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You could use goats milk soap or coconut oil soap instead.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.after showering and before and after sleeping, I use coconut oil on my face and neck. Also, on any rashes, sores, cuts etc. It helps the healing process. My 18 year old cat, tiggers, loves to eat it out of my palm. I think it has helped him live longer and he has beautiful, soft fur.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Don’t you just love coconut oil! So many uses! My cat loves coconut oil too! Her name is Indy and she’s 15 years old. I think she’s a coconut oil addict! LOL No matter where she is in the house, in the evening when I go into the bathroom to wash my face she’s comes running in beside me and patiently waits for me to put a small dab on her nose.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How do you store it? I was wondering how long it lasts as I don’t see you used any preservatives. Thank you
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It will last at least a month in the shower :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is the the most moisturizing the body wash recipes? I’m looking for one that is like Dove, only better.
Thank you for your assistance.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is the lavendar safe for young boys?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It looks as though Jillee has used a very low percentage of lavender in the body wash, and lavender is one of the very few essential oils that you can use on young children so if you were thinking of making this for your kids, Laura, the concentration of lavender ought to be OK. When I used to make and sell natural skincare and soap, my Cosmetic Safety Chemist restricted me to products for children over the age of three years only so if the children are older, it should be fine :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can you use a different carrier oil? I have Argan oil & sweet almond oil.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just waiting for my current body wash to run out, then I’m giving it a go.
Yes Jill mentions that you can use any carrier oil. I would use fractionated coconut oil myself as it is also very light.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Either will work just fine!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.pls.. if i add coconut milk to your recipee.. would it last for a month? or go bad before then?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Coconut milk should be refrigerated :-) It should still last 1 month in the fridge.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is a great idea. We normally just use castile soap diluted with water, but this is so much more emollient. We might not even use less {homemade} lotion with this formula. I’m mixing up a batch of this TODAY!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I like to keep my castile soap in the orginal bottle with the squirt top – Do you think the consistency will still work with the squirt top?
I made this and tried for a few days…. I did have to tweak it a little but I really like it ( I just needed slightly less oil). I also used it to wash my hair & love it for that too – I love multi-taskers. I’m an AA naturalista and I would love to share this with fellow natural haired friends. Would you mind?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Nope! The soap washes it away.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds like a great body wash. Is there any way to print some of your recipes without printing all the photos?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.what can i add to this to make it also an exfoliate?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Organic sugar
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What would keep the sugar from melting?
Maybe some finely ground salt would work for exfoliation? I have some pink Himalayan salt that has the same texture as super fine beach sand.
You could add epsom salts, but you wouldn’t be able to use a pump dispenser anymore. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Would adding some Vitamin E oil make the shelf life a bit longer? I want to make a big batch for holiday gifts. Also, would some aloe vera gel be a good addition to this recipe? It’s always great to have more good stuff for the skin in your body wash, after all.
As a honey wash I understand – but castile soap you can use alone – why waste anymore ingredients?!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Honey has healing properties, so it might help with skin damage and seal in moisture(not an expert, just something I read somewhere).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Novice here but doesn’t the honey make it sticky?
Not with the soap! :-)
Adding more skin healing properties to the castile soap makes a huge difference. I have used it alone, and prefer my honey body wash with essential oils.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The honey is great for your skin, it has tons of restorative benefits! The grapeseed oil moisturizes skin, so you’ll be left silky smooth after the shower. Lavender is great for acne, rashes and other skin irritations. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I hope this will last a while. I want to make this to go with my lotion bars for Christmas gifts. Now to find some pumps for my jars.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It will last for a couple months in the shower!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How long is it good for? Thx!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A couple months :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.With the addition of oil to the castille soap, does it make the tub/shower slippery? I love the concept here but don’t like leaving a slippery surface.
Thank you, Jillee! I’ve been a daily reader for a long time and have been using many of your ideas!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have been making this for years- minus the honey. It does not make the shower slippery!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I tried the honey- it sits at the bottom and would not mix!!
Nope! The soap keeps the oil from building up in the shower. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is the castile soap harmful to use for septic tank? Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It is safe for septic systems!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Curious, you specify Grapeseed oil, is this the grapeseed oil that one uses for cooking
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, you can use it for cooking, too. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a little different recipe that I absolutely love. 5 oz castile, 2 oz honey, 2 tbsp carrier oil – I use almond or jojoba., top it off with a teaspoon of vitamin e oil, and add your personal touch of essential oils. I love castile and honey based body wash. May switch up when I run out and try these proportions. Jillee, thank you for your wonderful skin care posts!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi I just used this after making it using Donna’s proportions only because I didn’t have big enough container. I repurposed a pump bottle for hand soap by a company that uses EOs. I used Dr Bonner’s hemp Castile soap and should have probably diluted it first…but although my skin feels dry on the inside, it’s soft on the outside…probably dehydrated & need more water! Anyway thank you Jillie for the inspiration! I have quite a few of your pages bookmarked to try later!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love this idea. With all the hype about body washes I’m really glad to find one that’s fairly cheap to make. Ive also had sensitive skin for years and have been limited to using Dove, and lately its been unscented. I agree some of the scented ones are too harsh for my skin.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I definitely want to try this using the Lavender esssential oil. I do have an old Geranium oil. It’s also kind of a hard one to find in stores.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My daughter has sensitive skin. I plan on making this for her and trying it out myself too. I love the glass jar in the picture. Where can I purchase it?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Your blog inspired me to start making my own natural room sprays, air fresheners and now, possibly body wash and shampoos. I live in the Philippines but have found local sources for Castile Soap and essential oils. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction towards a chemical-free and much healthier household. Am looking forward to more tips and recipes from you. :)
Pinky, I also live in the Philippines….where have you found the Castile soap? Also,what essential oil company are you using. I have a few that I brought from the states, but will need more soon. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ooh, I like this one! I’ve had sensitive skin since I was a child. For years, I’ve been restricted to one brand of bath wash and one scent. Now, I can make my own, without unfriendly chemicals, perhaps vary the scent, and have clean, healthy, soft skin!
Thank you, tons, Jillee!
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