DIY Clean Beauty

Body Wash Your Way

I like to be clean. You like to be clean. We all like to be clean.

As someone who works in the special education field, I come into contact with a lot of . . . bodily fluids throughout the day. Apart from my own sweat, I am exposed to saliva, urine, and germs amongst other things I won’t mention here (TMI?). It is safe to say that, by the time I make it home in the evening, I want to hop in the shower and scrub away.

Why Not Commercial Body Wash?

Commercial body wash is full of harmful ingredients.

• Sulfates (1-2): While sulfates do not have a high EWG score, they are known to strip the skin of its natural oils and increase penetration of the skins surface (something that can be very dangerous if other ingredients in the body wash are harmful/toxic)
• Parabens (4-8): Parabens are hormone disruptors that mimic estrogen. This can lead to issues of decreasing muscle mass, increasing fat deposits, reproductive issues in men or women, and early onset puberty.
• Triclosan (4-7): Most commonly found in antibacterials soaps, triclosan may be associated with endocrine (hormonal) toxicity.
• Fragrance (8): This ingredient is vague. Because the FDA does not require companies to disclose what is in their “fragrance,” it is difficult to say whether or not it is safe for topical use. Exposure to “fragrance” can lead to irritation of the respiratory tract.

If you choose not to make your own body wash, watch out for the ingredients listed above! Be aware that these are not the only toxic ingredients that can be found in commercial body wash. Do your own research! Be mindful about what you put on your body (and in it).

Why These Ingredients?

Body Wash Base:

• 1 cup distilled (or boiled) water
• 1/2 cup unscented Castile soap
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil

You can either leave it at this or add some essential oils to enhance the smell! I have listed some of my favorite singles or combinations below.

Variations:

• Energy
  • 5 drops Wild Orange
  • 5 drops Peppermint

• Blissful
  • 5 drops Citrus Bliss
  • 5 drops Balance

• Calming
  • 10 drops Lavender

Tips:

• Avoid using photosensitive essential oils if you are going to be out in the sun
• The variations listed above are just suggestions. Have fun and explore with some of your favorite smells!
• If you don’t want to use essential oils or simply don’t have access to high quality essential oils, you can use scented Castile soap instead.

Commonly used photo-sensitive essential oils:

• Bergamot
• Grapefruit
• Kumquat
• Lemon
• Lime
• Orange
• Tangerine
• Cumin
• Any blends that include any of these oils

NOTE: To ensure that the essential oil you are going to use is NOT photosensitive, do your research!