Thinking about making your own face wash to save money and avoid synthetic chemicals? Try this all natural homemade face wash recipe that’s great for sensitive skin.
When I was younger, I had very problematic skin.
In fact, problematic would be an understatement.
During my tween and teen years I must have tried hundreds of facial cleansers.
I tried all the drugstore brands as well as pricey beauty-counter lines, and even visited the dermatologist a few times.
All of those treatments added up to a ton of money —
–and to be quite honest, disappointment!
Nothing really kept my breakouts under control.
If only I had thought to try a DIY face soap sooner!
Finding a natural solution to problem skin
Even as I got beyond the teen years and eventually became a mom, those lovely hormones wreaked havoc time and again.
It was only a few years ago that my skin stopped breaking out.
Now, I do believe it’s possible I simply outgrew many of my skin problems.
I mean, there’s a big difference between 30-something skin and 17-year-old skin.
(Some good, some, er….I can live with.)
So while it could be a coincidence–
–I have found that since I started making my own natural face wash for the last 4-5 years, I’ve hardly had a breakout since.
For the past year, my 14-year-old has also been using our DIY facial cleanser.
All I can say is, so far she has been blessed with far better skin than I was at her age!
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Fragrances, fillers and preservatives
In my previous post about my homemade hand soap, I discussed how I finally learned that my skin was extra-sensitive to many store-bought hand soaps.
Synthetic fragrance and I just don’t get along!
There is a lot of research you can read up on regarding the hundreds of chemicals hiding behind that one little word you’ll find on so many personal care and cleaning products:
Fragrance.
Fragrance is also in a lot of facial cleansers you’ll find at the store, in addition to lots of other preservatives.
Read next: DIY Dry Shampoo for all hair colors
Homemade facial cleanser: a better alternative
This homemade face wash recipe has none of those things: no artificial fragrance, no preservatives, no JUNK.
The recipe below includes just a few simple ingredients.
It includes natural fragrance from high-quality essential oils and some distilled water.
Read next: DIY body butter instructions
What to use in your homemade face wash
There are very good reasons that liquid castile soap is recommended so often for DIY soap recipes.
Namely, it’s completely natural and perfect for sensitive skin.
Most brands of castile soap today are a blend of vegetable, coconut and other oils such as olive, hemp or avocado oil.
It’s a biodegradable, nontoxic choice that can help you to live more naturally.
Essential oils, as the name implies, are highly concentrated plant extracts.
I started using essential oils as a scent alternative to those fragrance-loaded products which caused a lot of health problems for me in the past.
I have gotten all of my oils from Rocky Mountain Oils for the last several years and love them!
When you make your own face wash, you can decide whether you want to add essential oils or not; it’s completely optional.
Hand and face soap are my favorite uses for essential oils these days.
Vegetable glycerin is also a naturally derived compound from vegetable oils.
It brings moisture to the surface, so it helps combat dry skin.
Save money with DIY face wash for sensitive skin
The best part of this DIY recipe?
It’s cheap!
Making your own natural, homemade face wash can save tons of money over time.
My breakdown of cost based on the below recipe comes down to about $2.15 per 10-oz container.
(Your cost will vary depending on the exact ingredients/ oils used, etc.)
This mixture will usually last me about 3 months.
(Crazy, right?)
Natural Homemade Face Wash Ingredients and Instructions
You will need:
• 2 ounces (4 Tbsp) Unscented Liquid Castile Soap
(When Dr. Bronner’s is unavailable, other brands will do. You’ll have to experiment a little to see which ones you like the most.)
• 1 ounce (2 Tbsp) Vegetable Glycerin (optional, read more below)
• Essential Oils (optional), such as lemon, tea tree, lavender: 8-10 drops each
• Distilled Water (approx 4-5 ounces) * see below
Instructions: How to make your own face wash:
1| Mix the glycerin, castile soap and essential oils together.
2| Add to a pump soap dispenser.
The one pictured is actually a lotion container I had on-hand. It works just as well!
3| Add the distilled water to fill the container, leaving some air at the top to make sure it pumps! Shake well.
Natural Homemade Face Wash: Final Tips
• You’ll want to shake the container before each use as ingredients will settle.
• Keep in mind that the mixture will be runny. If you wet your hands, add a few pumps of the soap and rub them together, you’ll have a foamy mixture!
• Glycerin helps to thicken the mixture a bit and moisturize skin; however, I’ve used it without glycerin as well.
• You could also add a little bit of Almond oil if you feel you need extra moisture. Start with 1/2 tablespoon.
• If you don’t have distilled water, you can use some boiled water (let cool). Tap water can grow bacteria rather quickly, so you want to avoid that!
• Essential oils are technically optional as well. They not only provide a light fragrance, but can benefit your skin.
• Lemon oil is said to have astringent properties and lavender and tea tree oil can help fight acne. You can decide what oils you need for your skin concerns, or leave them out completely!
NOTE: Always follow safety precautions when using essential oils.
Consult a physician or aromatherapist if you have questions about a particular ingredient and how to safely use them.
If you try this DIY face wash with castile soap, let us know your results!
How to Make Homemade Natural Face Wash
Materials
- 2 ounces (4 Tbsp) Dr. Bronners Liquid Castile Soap
- 1 ounce (2 Tbsp) Vegetable Glycerin
- Essential Oils: Lemon and Lavender, or Tea Tree (8-10 drops each)
- Distilled Waterk9
Instructions
- Mix together the castile soap, glycerin and essential oils.
- Add to soap dispenser.
- Add approximately 4 ounces of distilled water, leaving the top fourth of the container empty. (Leave enough air for the pump to work.)
- Shake well, and shake before each use.
Notes
• Keep in mind that the mixture will be runny. If you wet your hands, add a few pumps of the soap and rub them together, you'll have a foamy mixture!
• Glycerin helps to thicken the mixture a bit and moisturize skin; however, I've used it without glycerin as well.
• You could also add a little bit of Almond oil if you feel you need extra moisture. Start with 1/2 tablespoon.
• If you don't have distilled water, you can use some boiled water (let cool). Tap water can grow bacteria rather quickly, so you want to avoid that!
• Essential oils are technically optional as well. They are not just to provide a light fragrance, but can benefit your skin.
• Lemon oil is said to have astringent properties and lavender and tea tree oil can help fight acne. You can decide what oils you need for your skin concerns, or leave them out completely!
• Always follow safety precautions when using essential oils and/or consult a physician or aromatherapist if you have questions about a particular ingredient and how to safely use them.
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Homemade Whipped Body Butter Recipe
Beginner Essential Oils: the 6 You Need to Get Started
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