Homemade Soap

I have been saying to my husband the past few weeks, "I'll make the soap soon.  I promise!  Don't go out and buy any."  Well, he didn't and we have been using my shower gel as hand soap the past week!  But today I finally got out and bought the items I wanted for this hand soap.  Here's what I came up with using what I do with my baby bum wipe solution:

1 cup of boiled water

1 T liquid castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner's because I love that it is Fair Trade and all-natural)

1 T olive oil

3 drops essential oil (I used peppermint, but I also saw on the shelf some other fun smells)

In a jar combine all the ingredients and let cool with lid off.  Once it's warm to the touch put the lid on and shake it up. 

I made a bunch all in one batch so that I don't have to make it up that often, otherwise I don't always get around to it right when we need it.  For handsoap it is easiest to use a foaming dispenser, since the soap comes out pretty runny.  My husband wasn't impressed when he first squirted it out and it ran all off his hand...his words, "oh this make your own handsoap is gonna be a lot of fun..."  Right.  So, I have researched a little bit and it looks like xanthinum gum should do the trick to thicken it up...now I have to find some of that stuff.

Other fun ways to use variations of this recipe: 

• I use it for my cloth baby wipes...minus the essential oil and use 2 drops tea-tree oil for the anti-fungal elements.  I put it in a spray bottle, spray the wipes as needed and wash the used wipes along with the cloth diapers.
• use for body wash
• since I use the baby mild unscented Dr. Bronner's liquid castile soap it can also be used for baby body wash.

Super easy and super frugal!  I bought the largest bottle of the Dr. Bronner's at a bulk store for $20 which I guess will last me at least 2 years (if not 3 years) using it for hand soap and baby bum wipes.  The tea-tree oil came in a tiny bottle for about $7 and the peppermint essential oil in a small bottle for $8.