Liquid Castile Soap Recipe

We started using Dr. Bronner's about 14 years ago.  We used to have it special ordered into the Vitamin Shoppe by the gallon, and then we'd pick it up.  It's good stuff, but of course it's not easy on the piggy bank:)  About a year ago, after one year of resisiting, I caved and opened up a Pinterest account.  I now have almost 5000 Pinterest stalkers, which doesn't say a whole lot about my habits:)  The good news is, I've cut WAY back on my e-life time....and it's been a beautiful thing:)  Anyway, I digress.....I found some liquid castile soap recipes on Pinterest, played with them, and tweaked, to find my perfect formula:)  We use this as body wash and liquid hand soap....and it's perfect!!

**note: you'll want to save a few smaller, sturdy containers, such as your Dr. Bronner's, for refills.  You'll also probably need two gallon size plastic containers for the bulk soap.  (I just washed out plastic orange juice containers...since they are under our sinks, they don't have to be pretty:)***

and....here's the recipe!

--4 cups (about 3 bars) of shaved castile soap bars (I use Kirk's brand, that I just find at Target or Walmart; Dr. Bronner's also offers castile soap in bars as well). 

--16 cups of water (I use reverse osmosis water)

--8 tbsp of  liquid glycerin (I had trouble finding this in my small-townish neck of the woods, so I ordered this off amazon

--essential oils, optional

Bring your water to a boil and slowly add glycerin, and soap shavings.  The soap shavings wil probably clump together, no matter how slowly you add them.  Stir (I use a silicone spoon, so nothing sticks), and heat until the ingredients are completely dissolived.

Let cool on stove top.  It may start out watery, but will gel up as it cools.  Transfer to large and smaller containers as desired.

***I use essential oils in mine....lavender is my favorite to use, or sometimes peppermint oil.  I add the desired amount of drops to the smaller containers and not in the big batch, because I love the smell:)***

***Your liquid castile soap will gel up in the smaller containers over time.  This is a beautiful thing, as you just thin it out with warm water, shake it up to mix, and you wouldn't believe how long you can stretch one batch of soap!***

***Liquid castile soap is great for cleaning too***

Enjoy your home-made soap, and the unbelieveable cost savings!  (We used to spend $45 for a gallon of this, now we spend about $5 for 1.5 gallons!)

Tea Tree Oil Face Cream

Notice that I put the date that I need to use it by. Usually 30 days.

Tea Tree Oil Face Cream
Makes 4 ounces
40 grams Rose Hydrosol
18 grams Jojoba Oil
10 grams Shea Butter
10 grams Sesame Oil
10 grams Sweet Almond Oil
6 grams Pumpkin Seed Oil
4 grams Cocoa Butter
10 grams grams Emulsifying Wax NF
3 grams Stearic Acid
2 grams Tea Tree Oil
1 gram Grapefruit Seed Extract (preservative)


Add the Rose Hydrosol, Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, Sesame Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Cocoa Butter, Emulsifying Wax and Stearic Acid to a metal or glass container set in a double boil. Heat the ingredients to 180 degrees and hold for 10 minutes, whisking gently frequently.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to 100 degrees.  Add in the Tea Tree Oil and Grapefruit Seed Extract. Blend well and transfer to a 4 ounce container and allow to cool completely. The mixture will seem rather thin, however, as it cools it will thicken.   Use within 30 days. Never use your finger to obtain product. I like to use a clean spoon or spatula.  I use about a pea sized amount for my entire face and I avoid my eye area and lips.

You will find all the necessary ingredients to make this cream over at Mountain Rose Herbs.   
recipe from: http://www.freshpickedbeauty.com/2011/06/tea-tree-oil-face-cream.html

other uses for Castile soap

1. Shampoo: Use castile soap as a stand-in for a harsh detergent-based shampoo. Give your head a break! Just mix castile soap with water at a ratio of 1:3.
2. Laundry Detergent: You can make your own laundry detergent with simple, common ingredients. Save tons money and do the environment a friendly favor. It’s a win-win!
3. Tub Scrub: Make a tile or toilet “soft scrub” out of baking soda and castile soap. Simply fill a spray bottle with a dilution of 1:3 castile to water. Sprinkling the area you wish to clean with a liberal dusting of baking soda, then spray the castile solution over the top. Scour with a sponge or scrub brush and watch the stains disappear. This also works great on crusty stovetops!
4. Mopping Solution: Use 2 or 3 tablespoons of castile soap in a full bucket of water, and mop mop mop your floors to a sparkly new luster.
5. Dish Soap: Make a dishwashing soap (for hand washing) or a liquid hand soap (for washing hands) by simply mixing a 1:1 ratio of castile to water.
6. Dishwasher Detergent: Make a fancier DIY liquid dishwasher detergent that’s inexpensive and eco-friendly.
7. Soap Dispenser Refill: You can refill your foaming hand soap dispenser with 1 part castile soap to 4 parts water.
8. Body Wash: You can use castile soap as a gentle yet efficient bath soap/body wash. They actually sell castile bar soap, but if you want to use the liquid just dilute it in a 2:1 ratio of castile to water.
9. Dog Shampoo: What’s good enough for you is even better for your pet! Use the same ratio listed above for an awesome DIY doggie shampoo.
10. Toothpaste: You can actually use castile soap in place of your toothpaste, and pure soap is much better for your teeth than the nasty chemicals they put in most commercial pastes. Just add a few drops directly to your wet brush. It works wonders, although the flavor can take some getting used to!
11. Veggie Wash: Make a simple veggie wash for cleansing all your produce. Add 1 tablespoon castile soap to 2 cups of water, and keep the mixture in a squirt bottle near the kitchen sink.
12. Carpet Cleaner: Finally, you can make an effective carpet cleaner by mixing 1/4 cup castile into 1 cup water. Place the solution in the blender and let it fly until it forms a stiff foam. Apply as you would any other carpet cleaning product.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/12-great-ways-to-use-castile-soap.html#ixzz2TmVOniti 

http://www.herbsandoilsworld.com/uses-for-castile-soap/

Homemade citrus coconut soap

And here is my actual soap, tweaked with ingredients I like...lavender essential oil, lavender and rosemary from my garden, oats from my kitchen;)  easy peasy!





Making homemade soap is one of those crafts that sounds intimidating, doesn’t it? You picture yourself slaving over a stove, scorching your fingers pouring hot soap into tiny molds. But fear not! Homemade soap is actually one of the most insanely simple things to do at home. If you have a microwave, then you’re all set. No special equipment is required – not even tiny soap molds.
And if you like knowing what goes into your cleaning products, especially the ones you use on your skin, definitely give this homemade soap a try. Your hands will thank you!
The fun part of making homemade soap is playing around with different recipes. You can take things you already have in your kitchen – like fresh herbs or citrus – to make all-natural scents. Adding fruit, like strawberries, would be fun too. And I like giving mine a bit of decadence by adding chocolate cocoa powder or shredded coconut.

Homemade Coconut Citrus Soap Supplies:

• 1/3 of a block of shea butter soap base. This is available at most craft stores (mine came from Michael’s). They also make goat’s milk and olive oil soap bases.
• 1 tablespoon of citrus zest.
• A few drops of orange essential oil.
• 1-2 tablespoons of shredded coconut.
• Plastic containers.

Melt the soap base in a microwave safe container (I like to use Pyrex measuring cups for easy pouring) in the microwave in 30 second intervals. When it’s completely melted, add the zest, essential oil and coconut.
Mix together well and pour into a container. I used a few plastic bowls but you can also use empty milk cartons or other cardboard shapes you find in the recycling bin. Just make sure to wash them thoroughly before using. After pouring the soap into the mold, sprinkle more zest or coconut on top if desired.
Let the soap harden for about an hour and then pop it out of the container. That’s it! I told you it was easy!
 
this recipe was sent to me from my good friend Anton....I can't WAIT to make this...NO LYE....and I happen to have ALL the ingredients...well, except the microwave...ours konked out two months ago, and I haven't really missed it....til now...although I'm pretty certain I could manage to accomplish this stove top:D

http://petitelefant.com/homemade-citrus-coconut-soap/

Removing Dark Circles from Under the Eyes

Homemade Herbal Shampoo

 
Customizable DIY Herbal Shampoo Recipe:
2 ounces Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Baby Mild Pure Castile Soap
4 to 5 ounces of water, infused with herbs (see suggestions below)
1/4 teaspoon carrier oil – more for dry hair, less for oily (options below)
20 to 40 drops essential oil (suggestions below)
First, make your herbal infusion by placing a teaspoon, or pinch, of each type of herb you wish to use in a heat proof jar or glass, pour one cup of simmering hot water over the herbs, cap with a saucer and let steep for several hours. Strain and set aside 4 to 5 ounces. Any leftover infusion can be used in your bathwater or diluted with vinegar to use as a hair rinse.

Add the castile soap, carrier oil and essential oils to the water. Gently stir until mixed. Try to avoid whipping up any bubbles, as much as possible. Pour into an easy to dispense container. You can recycle an old shampoo bottle for this. This should stay fresh for about four to six weeks or so, depending on the types of essential oils you use. Refrigeration will increase the shelf life, but is not necessary.

Shake or swirl gently before each use. If at all possible, follow with either a rinse or spritzing of vinegar and water.

(credit to Old Moss Woman's Secret Garden) 

various ways to treat mosquito bites (might work for other insect bites too?)

1.) Place a used dry teabag on the bite.
2.) Rub Raw Honey on the bite.
3.) Apple Cider Vinegar, use a cotton ball and apply to the bite.
4.) Baking Soda, this is the cheapest and being a dry powder can be stored in your pantry for years. Take a small amount and add a little water to make a paste and apply the paste to the bite.
5.) Take the skin of a Banana and rub the inside part of the banana peel on the bite.
6.) Take a leaf off of an Aloe Vera plant and rub the bite with the leaf of the plant.

Homemade Castile Soap is DA BOMB

All For about $5 I made 8 cups of liquid castile soap (for the base)...using the Castile soap, I made coconut milk shampoo, bubble bath, and refilled my Dr. Bronners container with Castile soap, plus lavender essential oil. On top of this, I have Castile soap to spare!!  

This all took very little time, and I even used the food processor to grade several bars of soap today (prepared for future concoctions;) 

this is the recipe I used, I doubled it:

YEAHHHHH ME ;) 
 

Liquid Castile Soap

1 c. Shaved Soap (*I use three bars, and slice it thin with a butcher's knife)
4 c. Water (*I use 8 cups of reverse osmosis/filtered water)
2 tbsp. Glycerin (you can get it at most pharmacies, though it may be kept behind the counter)
Essential Oil, if you like  ...(*I add several drops to the smaller containers...not during the cooking process...about 20 drops of lavender or peppermint for smaller bottles (just using an old quart size Dr. Bronner's Bottle, and refilling with my own.)

Bring your water to a boil and slowly add glycerin, essential oil, and soap shavings.  The soap shavings will probably clump no matter how slowly you add them.  Stir (with a spoon you don't mind loosing or that's plastic) and cook until everything is completely dissolved. 

Transfer to a heat-proof container to cool.  Don't worry if its watery, it'll gel up as it cools.  (*I leave it in the pan to completely cool...it might evaporate a little)

http://livingfromscratch1.blogspot.com/2010/08/liquid-castile-soap-other-cleaning.html

Homemade Body Wash

Ingredient List:

• 1 part Bronner’s Castile Soap. I like Dr. Bronner’s because it is very concentrated and you can buy lots of different kinds. Some castile soaps are not as concentrated and they get too watered down.
• 1 part water
• 1 tablespoon of almond oil
• 20-30 drops of your favorite essential oil.

I combine these in an 8 oz bottle (available at any health food store and probably other places as well, or recycle an old shampoo bottle).

Step 1: Add the almond oil.

Step 2: Add the essential oils and gently swirl to mix.

Step 3: Add the water – this is as simple as filling the bottle half full of water. Note: when I make this for myself, I like to use a bit less water and more castile soap. Also, I leave out the almond oil because I like more suds.

Step 4: Add the castile soap until the bottle is almost full.

Once you have combined all of the ingredients, gently shake the bottle to mix.
That’s it! I told you it was very easy! I like to experiment with different kinds of essential oils. For my kids I really like the gentle, soothing aroma of lavender oil. For myself, I most often use clary sage because I really love how it smells. You could try eucalyptus, sandalwood, mandarin, or any other of your favorite oils; you could even get creative and try a blend!
There you have it… a very cheap, very quick way to clean your skin with a product that is “clean” (or not loaded with harmful chemicals).  

http://www.mommahealth.com/a-chemical-free-healthy-baby-body-wash-to-clean-your-skin.htm

Make Your Own Lavender Bubble Bath Recipe

15 drops Lavender Essential Oil
16 ounce bottle of Unscented Liquid Castile Soap
2 ounces of Liquid Glycerin
Liquid Food Coloring(optional)

    Combine the above ingredients together in a container bottle big enough to allow for mixing. First add the liquid castile soap, then the drops of essential oil and lastly the glycerin. Mix well by shaking. If the mixture is too thick add a little water.  

http://everything-lavender.com/lavender-bubble-bath-recipe.html 

Moisturizing Body Butter

Body Butter
1 cup shea butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup almond oil (you can substitute olive oil, jojoba oil, any organic, liquid oil that is healthy.)

1. Melt shea butter and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler. 

Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.

2. Stir in almond oil and essential oils of your choosing. 

I added probably 20 to 25 drops of Lavender oil, but when it was finished it was still
hard to even smell. Next time I will use more.

3. Wait until oils start to partially solidify…. 

I put mine on the back porch to cool.
(Yes, that is snow on the ground ).
Didn’t take long. :-)

……then whip until a butter-like consistency is achieved. 

This should only take a few minutes.

4. Place in clean, glass jar and enjoy! A little goes a long way.

So for the last two days I have been using this stuff every chance I get! At first it felt really strange to put on because as soon as it comes in contact with the heat of your skin, it basically melts and feels….well…oily.  Imagine that! lol.  But after working it into my skin for a few seconds, the oily feeling is gone and it just feels smooth and moisturized! If I need to handle something right away after putting it on, I would just wipe off the palms of my hands slightly, just so I didn’t get my cell phone (or whatever) oily.
That is my first experience with Body Butter! Suffice it to say…my body LOVES it!
UPDATE: March 6, 2012
I wanted to just post a short “update” of sorts to this post and reiterate how much I am loving this stuff!  When I first looked at my four jars of this stuff I thought I’m NEVER going to be able to use it all! Like I said above…a little goes a long way when you’re just rubbing it occasionally on your hands, etc.  But lately I have started literally SLATHERING myself with it when I get out of the shower (I probably use a good 1/4 cup!) and then letting it “soak in” while I dry and style my hair and do my make up. By the time I get dressed it’s no longer oily and my skin feels SOOOO soft!!!  Now THAT’S what body butter is supposed to do!  I think. :-) 
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/make-your-own-moisturizing-body-butter.html

Rich Winter Hand Cream

Rich Winter Hand Cream

5 T. shea butter

1 1/2 T. coconut oil

1 tsp. aloe vera gel

2 drops lavender essential oil

Combine ingredients and mix till smooth. Store in glass jar.

Shea Butter Night Cream

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
1 tablespoon shea butter
2 teaspoons grated beeswax
1 tablespoon rosewater
1/4 teaspoon lecithin
oil from two capsules of vitamin E
3 drops chamomile or lavender essential oil

Instructions:
Melt oil, butter, and beeswax in heatproof glass measuring cup, over boiling water or in microwave. (low heat) Remove from heat just before beeswax is completely melted. Finish melting by stirring in warm oil. Add the vitamin E oil and lecithin and stir in between additions. Mix rosewater and aloe together and slowly add to main mixture. Continue stirring with a small metal whisk. Once mixture is cooled, add the essential oil and stir. Store inside drawer or cabinet. Try to keep away from sun and heat. 
http://www.soapdelinews.com/2009/03/night-cream-recipe.html

Homemade Moisturizing Lotion

Homemade Moisturizing Lotion:

16 ounces baby lotion

8 ounces coconut oil (solid form, not melted)

8 ounces vitamin E cream

Essential oil; optional

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/make-your-own-simple-moisturizing.html 

Mix together with handheld mixer until it resembles icing.

Peppermint Lip Balm

http://www.nourishingminimalism.com/2012/10/peppermint-lip-balm.html 

Peppermint Lip Balm

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 ounce beeswax

3-5 drops Vitamin E oil  (or squeeze out 1-2 capsules)

3-5 drops Peppermint essential oil 

45 lip balm containers

Directions:

Melt coconut oil and beeswax over med heat (or in microwave) and then add Vitamin E oil and Peppermint oil.

Mix thoroughly and immediately pour into containers. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes and it's ready to use!

This recipe makes approximately 42 lip balms in a 0.15 ounce containers.

Foaming Bath Soap

Ingredients

1 cup sweet almond oil (you may substitute a light olive oil)
1/2 cup Savannah Bee Company honey (you may substitute any local or organic honey)
1/2 cup liquid hand soap
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a medium bowl, add the oil and slowly stir in the remaining ingredients until fully incorporated. Pour mixture through a funnel into a clean plastic bottle with a squeeze top. Be sure to shake gently before using. Squeeze desired amount under running water into a bathtub. Step in and enjoy a silky luxurious bath that will moisturize your skin while you soak. 
http://www.pauladeen.com/recipes/print_view/2010/ 

Homemade Coconut Shampoo

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup castile soap (I used Dr. Brooner's brand)
40 drops essential oil (I used jasmine)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in an empty shampoo bottle or jar and shake. I used a funnel to pour ingredients in the empty bottle.
You can keep it in the shower for one to two months. Shake well before each use. 

http://www.eatgood4life.com/2012/07/home-made-coconut-shampoo.html

Natural home made mosquito spray

Ingredients:

Ingredients:
12 oz bottle witch hazel (mine was lavender infused and had no alcohol or parabens)
15 drops citronella essential oil (I use a bit more)
15 drops lemon grass oil (I use a bit more)
10 drops peppermint essential oil
10 drops tee tree oil (optional)
A funnel
An empty spray container
An empty mixing jar to mix the contents in

Directions:

Pour witch hazel in the mixing jar and add the essential oils. Shake well and place in your spray bottles using a funnel, is the best way.
Before each use just shake up a bit. Make sure you don't get any in your eyes and when using for your kids just place a little bit over a small area to make sure they are not allergic to any of the essential oils. 

http://www.eatgood4life.com/2012/06/natural-home-made-mosquito-spray.html/print/

Home-made Handsoap

 

*** note from me Dragonflygirl*** the following recipe is not my own, I copied and pasted from the link showing below.  This is my second round with it.  It is THICK...you must add water, as it is challenging to pour into your larger containers...but it's worth the effort:)  Other notes, I like to add a few drops of essential oil into the smaller soap dispensers (not into the mass batch).  I especially love using lavender or peppermint.  Other hint: we  make our own laundry soap (and have been since 2008)...and I plan on doing a couple of other things...this requires shaving bar soap...which isn't fun, especially by hand.  We have opted to grade several bars at a time, using our food processer (I don't know if this will stress the motor, but my engineer hubby came up with the idea, so I'm just going with it:).  Anyway, here's the recipe, and I'm VERY pleased with this soap, both the soap itself and the cost.  (as a note, I purchased my liquid glycerine off Amazon.com; and I find my favorite bar soaps from World Market:)

xoxo

from: http://katiejgibson.blogspot.com/2012/01/frugal-home-series-part-4-homemade.html

"You need:

    8 oz of bar soap (Any bar.  Read the label to make sure your are using 8 oz.  For some soaps, that's one bar, for others it is 2 or 3!)

    2 Tablespoons of Glycerin (found by the bandaids.  You will not find it by the soap.  Trust me on this!  Invest in the $3 bottle and you will have enough for gallons of soap!)

    1 gallon (or 16 cups) of water

    Stock Pot

    Container for soap (trusty milk jug for me!)

First, Grate your soap like it's cheese.  You can use the same technique I used when I made laundry soap.  My soap was rich and would not grate (okay, I don't own a cheese grater.  I have a micro plane and it wouldn't work).  I chunked it and it worked fine.

Put it in a stock pot with the water and glycerin.  Heat on medium heat until all of the soap is dissolved.  This will go by faster if you grated the soap.

When all is dissolved, you will have what looks like soapy water.  Don't worry- you are on the right track!

Take off the heat and let cool/coagulate for 10-12 hours.

It should be like thick snot now.  Beat with a hand-held mixer, adding as much water as you want in order to get your desired consistency.  At this point, I added extra perfume to smell extra pretty =)

Funnel into container and you are in bid-naz!

I found Dial Men's care bars- $2 for 3 bars for my husband.  Smells super manly and you will only use 2 bars, which means a gallon of men's body wash costs a whopping $1.34.  He loves it.  Hoo-rah.

*Edit 3.26.12

Yes, the soap is going to be a little "snotty", no matter how much water you add.  It also doesn't foam well, but suds does not equal clean.  In fact, some company add foam boosters to soaps and laundry detergents because we, as consumers, have been brainwashed into thinking suds does equal clean!"