Easy Moisturizing Liquid Hand Soap
An easy homemade recipe that’s gentle, nourishing, and perfect for dry skin!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy in Terms of Use.
All natural hand soap is one of the very easiest DIY products you can make, to get started with swapping out the commercial brand products. And since we have several bottles of hand soap in our house, it makes a big impact.
In addition to just wanting to remove chemicals from my home, my hands used to die in the wintertime. They would get so dry, my knuckles would crack and bleed, and my hands would burn every time I had to wash them. Since not washing my hands was obviously not an option, I decided to try out an all natural and gentle liquid hand soap instead.
I figured the dryness must at least partially have to do with what I was putting on my skin.
I started with an amazing foaming hand soap (which you can find the recipe for here) and it works great. My kids love it because it has that store bought foam everyone is used to. The thing with the foaming pumps is you can’t put too much oil in the soap, or they will clog up. Which for most people, and in the summertime, no added oil works perfectly fine. But for my winter hands, a little boost of moisturization is what I need!
This all natural diy hand soap recipe was just what I needed. The perfect blend of moisture and cleansing foam.
Once switching over to this non toxic foaming hand soap, I noticed a huge difference in my hands. My skin wasn’t near as dry, even in the winter. They didn’t burn and I had very few bleeding cracks on my knuckles. I was amazed.
In addition to the soap, the other products I also started to make was my super gentle (and EASY) Coconut Oil and Honey Face Wash and Shea Body Butter. So every time I wash my face, I will rub the leftover face wash on the back of my hands.
After rinsing that off, I’ll finish with the all-natural Shea Body Butter I make. The face wash gives a gentle exfoliation, along with lots of moisturizing from the coconut oil and shea butter.
I am not lying when I say my hands have NEVER felt better. Even in our harsh Canadian winters.
Even if you don’t have the same struggle with dry skin, I highly recommend this homemade castile soap hand wash. It is all natural and non-toxic. It’s super easy to make for beginners trying to get started with DIY all natural products. And it’s just fun to say you make your own hand soap!
If you are feeling like you have no idea where to even start with making your own products, like I was, check out my blog Ditch the Toxins: The Benefits of Making Your Own Cleaning and Skincare Products.
I think you will find my Getting Started Guide super helpful as well! I’ve created an easy to follow cheat sheet with the only ingredients you need for getting started. It also includes the first 3 recipes I started with, and that I suggest you do too. You can replace so many commercial products in your house with just these 3 recipes. And they are perfect for beginners.
Just a Few Common Ingredients!
This recipe has just a few simple ingredients, which you can switch up depending on the scent you want to achieve. This is what I use for an amazing smelling peppermint and sweet orange scent. Let’s go through all the ingredients you will need to make this non toxic moisturizing liquid hand soap recipe.
Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Castile Soap
Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap is the cleansing base of this recipe. Made from organic plant oils, it gently lifts dirt and grime without stripping the skin of its natural oils. The peppermint variety adds a refreshing, cooling sensation that leaves hands feeling extra clean and invigorated. Unlike conventional soaps that rely on harsh detergents, Castile soap is biodegradable, eco-friendly, and safe for sensitive skin—making it an ideal foundation for a moisturizing liquid hand soap.
Sweet Orange Essential Oil
Sweet Orange essential oil brings a bright, cheerful scent that makes washing hands a little more enjoyable. Beyond its uplifting aroma, this oil has natural antibacterial and degreasing properties, helping to keep hands fresh and clean. It’s also known for its gentle, skin-friendly nature compared to stronger citrus oils. Adding sweet orange oil gives your hand soap a natural fragrance boost without relying on synthetic scents, while also contributing to a clean and refreshing wash.
Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil is the moisturizing powerhouse of this recipe. Packed with vitamin E, fatty acids, and antioxidants, it deeply nourishes the skin and helps lock in hydration. Because hand washing can often leave skin feeling dry or tight, adding almond oil helps counteract that by softening and smoothing the skin with each use. Its light, non-greasy texture makes it perfect for blending into liquid soap, providing a silky feel without leaving residue behind.
Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable glycerin acts as a natural humectant, meaning it draws water into the skin and helps it stay hydrated long after washing. This ingredient is key for making a liquid hand soap that doesn’t dry your hands out. It not only boosts the moisturizing power of the soap but also adds a thicker, silkier consistency to the final product. Vegetable glycerin also enhances the soaps ability to suds up. By combining cleansing with hydration, glycerin ensures your hand soap is both effective and gentle, leaving skin soft and smooth.
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s get to the recipe!
Moisturizing Liquid Hand Soap
Difficulty: Easy, Beginner16
Ounces5
minutes5
minutesEquipment:
– 16oz soap dispenser {buy in Canada or buy in US}
Ingredients
Directions
- Place your dispenser on a kitchen scale for quick measuring.
- Put the castile soap, oils and vegetable glycerin in the bottle.
- Fill the rest of the bottle with water.
- Gently shake bottle to mix ingredients.
Notes
- The oils and water will separate as they sit, so it is important to shake the bottle gently before you use it. Included in my free printable labels download is a ‘Shake Me’ label to add to the bottle. This is an easy way to remind your family and guests. I like to print mine on this Vinyl Sticker Paper. It easily sticks right on and is waterproof.
- If you don’t have the peppermint castile soap, you can substitute it with unscented instead. Then simply add around 15 drops of peppermint or spearmint essential oil instead.
Customize the Scent and Oils!
This natural hand soap recipe is easy to customize so it works best for you!
Switch up the scent by changing the castile soap and essential oils you use.
You can have fun with this. I love to blend a bunch of different essential oils in a small bottle and see what works together. I use a Q-Tip, cut them in half, and dip each end into a different oil. Place them all into a bottle together, let them sit and blend. Then you can figure out what scents work together before putting it in your homemade liquid hand soap.
Make sure to mark each bottle with what essential oils you used in it.
I love the sweet almond oil because it’s so light and blends great into your skin. However, you can swap this out as well with any oil you love, or have around the house.
If you loved this recipe, don’t forget to share it with a friend and save it to Pinterest so you’ll always have it handy. And if you want more simple, natural recipes, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter – I’ve got plenty more tips and recipes coming out on a weekly basis.
