Having grown up in New England, I can honestly say that I really enjoy fall and winter weather. I love the smell of leaves and the feel of a crisp breeze. What I don’t love, however, is the dry skin that comes with turning the heat on in my house. This DIY moisturizing body wash for dry skin is an easy way to restore the moisture to your skin that the dry air just sucks right out of your body.
In your hunt for the best body wash for dry skin, have you considered making your own? Starting with Castille soap and coconut milk, this moisturizing body wash adds moisture to dry skin while soothing your senses with the delightful aroma of essential oils. If you love homemade beauty products, you could also try my Lavender Honey Milk Bath Recipe.
Table of Contents
Castile Soap is a Must-Have Item for Natural Beauty
Are you familiar with Castile soap? If you have never used this stuff, it is truly amazing and very inexpensive. Castile soap is an olive-oil-based hard soap made in a style similar to that originating in the Castile region of Spain.
What does that mean? All you really need to know is that it is pure, all-natural, and contains NO chemical ingredients. It is a must-have item if you want to make the best moisturizing body washes!
I found Dr. Bronners Castile Soap at my local grocery store. Considering how far this stuff will go, it is pretty inexpensive. Making this DIY moisturizing body wash for dry skin is incredibly easy and you can choose your favorite scents to add.
You really don’t need anything special to make this body wash recipe but to store it, I recommend a mason jar with pump dispenser. If you already have a large mason jar, just get a pump dispenser to make using it in the shower easier.
The only real caution I leave you with is to mix the solution GENTLY. If you shake it up too hard, all you will do is create massive amounts of bubbles! Just combine the ingredients in the mason jar and rock it back and forth gently to mix them together.
Love this body wash for dry itchy skin? Here are more DIY beauty products
- Pucker Up with this Raspberry Sugar Scrub for Lips!
- Lavender Oatmeal Bath Bombs for Soft Skin and a Good Night Sleep
- Grapefruit Vanilla Sugar Scrub
Tips For Making Homemade Body Wash
Making your own body wash is a great way to save money. It is also a good way to simplify the ingredients in your body care products. If you want to start making your own body wash, you may have questions! Here are a few popular ones, and helpful answers to get you started.
- Can I add tea tree oil to my body wash? Yes, if you have acne problems, tea tree oil has antibacterial properties that may help.
- How do you make homemade body wash thicker? You can do this with a saltwater solution. See The Soap Queen for details.
- What oils can you use to make body wash? You can use olive oil, avocado oil, or liquid coconut oil instead of jojoba oil.
Ingredients In DIY Moisturizing Body Wash for Dry Skin
So, before you get started making this moisturizing body wash, you need to do some shopping. Some items you can find at the grocery store or your local pharmacy. However, I purchased a lot of my body wash ingredients on Amazon. I will include those links below if you want to stock up.
Most of the ingredients for homemade body wash will last you several batches, however, for coconut milk-based body wash, you will need a fresh can every time. Here are the items you will need:
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk
- 2/3 cup Castile soap – I used Dr. Bronner’s
- 2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin
- 3 teaspoons organic jojoba oil
- 10 – 15 drops of essential oil of your choice (I used lavender and mint)
How to Make Your Own Body Wash
Once you have all your ingredients, this easy body wash recipe comes together in only minutes. Just combine all ingredients in a mason jar. Gently rock the mason jar back and forth until it is mixed.
You can store this homemade body wash in a mason jar with a pump dispenser in the shower for several months. To use, just apply it to a washcloth or sponge and wash as usual! If you prefer the tub rather than the shower, try my DIY oatmeal lavender milk bath recipe for dry skin.
DIY Moisturizing Body Wash for Dry Skin
Have you ever made homemade body wash? This DIY moisturizing body wash for dry skin will soothe and moisturize and won't cost you a fortune to make!
Materials
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk
- 2/3 cup Castile soap – I used Dr. Bronner’s
- 2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin
- 3 teaspoons organic jojoba oil
- 10 – 15 drops essential oil of your choice (I used lavender and mint)
Tools
- Glass mason jar with pump top
- measuring cups and spoons
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a mason jar
- Gently rock back and forth until mixed
- Store in a mason jar with pump dispenser in the shower
- To use, apply to a washcloth or sponge and wash as usual
Recommended Products
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Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire and has worked in cancer research, academics, and biotechnology. Concern over the growing incidence of human disease and the birth of her children led her to begin living a more natural life. She quickly realized that the information she was learning along the way could be beneficial to many others and started blogging and freelance writing to share this knowledge with others. Learn more about her HERE.
What is the shelf life of this product?
Mine lasted for several weeks on the shelf in the shower.
Hello, I appreciate your post sooo much, as a person that suffers from dry skin, I really enjoy your recipe. But, can you tell me what’s the purpose of the light coconut milk? Can I replace it for anything else?
Than you!!
It is moisturizing for the skin. You can try adding non fat powdered milk and water? Not sure how it would turn out though.
Do you use the canned coconut milk or the kind in a carton that replaces cows milk? They’re very different so I want to make sure I use the right one.
I use canned, the lite version that is ‘blended’ and not the kind with the fat layer on top.
Hi,
Concerned by the risk of contamination by adding water in any home made body wash (or beauty product), is it safe to use coconut milk ?
Could I use coconut oil or fractionned coconut oil instead ?
Also trying to keep it as inexpensive as possible, could I use olive oil or grapeseed oil instead of jojoba oil ?
Thank you very much,
I havent tried any of these so I really can’t say how it would turn out. Since it would be very hard for bacteria to grow in soap, I don’t really worry about sterilizing anything but you could always use distilled water from the store I guess?
Hi. I’ve tried to make the DIY Moisturizing Body Wash. I’ve added all the ingredients that u’ve suggested including the essential oils & mixed it in a mason jar. I couldn’t smell any essential oil in the Body Wash. Am I supposed to leave them overnight first?
You can adjust the scent to your liking. Add more essential oils if it isn’t strong enough. However, keep in mind that essential oils are not quite as strong as artificial fragrances would be.
Can you add color to the body wash?
You could probably do that with no issue but I have not tried.
Are you supposed to add water? Mine only filled a mason jar half way.
The recipe as written will get you just over a cup but you can certainly double it if you would like.
This looks so good! What a great natural remedy to have on hand!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?