Insanely Simple Homemade Foaming Hand Soap | Non-Toxic

Make your own foaming hand soap with this recipe using natural, non-toxic ingredients. Foaming soap is great for kids, plus it saves water and reduces waste. With just 3 ingredients, you’ll save money and avoid harmful chemicals. Your hands will thank you!

This post contains affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my full disclosure statement.

DIY Foaming Hand Soap

Hand soap… We all use it. (At least I hope!)

What we use on our hands is important since our hands are touching our forks, our faces, and our kids.

Unfortunately, most soaps are full of harmful fragrances and hormone disrupting chemicals that we then spread to the rest of our homes via our hands.

I got tired of buying expensive natural hand soap that ran out in just a couple of weeks. It can really add up.

While doing a search on the Environmental Working Group website for good non-toxic options, I came across a type of soap called castile soap.

After doing some research, I decided to buy a bottle and see what it could do.

It has become my go-to and we use it for so many things around our home. Our favorite use for it is in this foaming hand soap.

Folks, this is the easiest recipe you’ll ever find for foaming hand soap. It costs pennies and is non-toxic. Can it get better than that?

Why should I use foaming hand soap?

Regular liquid soap requires more work and more time to create suds. The time spent rubbing your hands to get a good lather is time that the water is left running down the drain in the sink.

Foaming hand soap shortens the time it takes to get a good lather and bypasses the time that the water is left running unused.

This soap lathers really well. It feels better than any soap I have ever used, whether liquid or foam.

Kids love foaming hand soap because it is easier for them to create suds. Sometimes those tiny hands have a harder time lathering up.

It’s also fun for kiddos and makes washing hands more exciting.

What goes in DIY Non-toxic Foaming Hand Soap?

You’ll only need three ingredients:

Water – if you’ll be using it up within a few weeks, tap water is fine. Otherwise, use purified or distilled water to prevent bacteria growth.

Unscented Castile Soap – more on that later. You can also add a teaspoon of a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba oil if your castile soap does not contain that already.

Your favorite essential oils – we love to use lemon, because it has a fresh, clean scent. We have also been adding a few drops of doTERRA’s Cheer essential oil blend, because it helps lift the mood. Some other great options are orange, tea tree, lavender, spearmint and cinnamon.

We have been using doTERRA essential oils for a few years, because they are high quality oils and it’s a brand we trust.

I have also more recently been purchasing essential oils through a company called Revive. I love that they sell therapeutic grade essential oils, but they are much less expensive, they don’t require you to pay a subscription fee, they don’t operate under an MLM, and they always have free shipping. You can use this link to get $10 off your order at Revive.

Wherever you get your oils, make sure they are high quality and therapeutic grade.

You will need to have a foaming hand soap dispenser. Be sure to use a glass bottle with a stainless steel pump.

I purchased mine through Grove Collaborative, but you can find lots of options on amazon. Here’s a great one! Another awesome idea is to use a mason jar with one of these pumps.

I’m not affiliated with Grove Collaborative, but there is a lot that I love about their company that I’d be happy to share. If you’re interested to know more about them and what I purchase through them, let me know in the comments or send me an email!

Please don’t use a plastic bottle. The soap and essential oils will break down the plastic over time which will then leak into your hand soap.

What is Castile Soap?

Castile soap is an oil based soap that originated in the Castile region of Spain. The main ingredient is olive oil, but it can include other vegetable oils. It is natural, non-toxic, and biodegradable.

It is originally a solid soap, but can also be found in liquid form.

It can be used for body wash, hand soap, shampoo, baby wash, cleaner, dish soap, mopping, fruit and veggie wash, shaving, and pet shampoo.

Seven Minerals Pure Castile Soap

In the natural living community, Dr. Bronner’s castile soap is a favorite. While I feel that Dr. Bronner’s is a great product, I like Seven Minerals Pure Castile Soap better for a few reasons:

1. Unlike most castile soaps, Seven Minerals Pure Castile Soap is made without Palm oil. Although it is not toxic to humans, palm oil is linked to the destruction of our rainforests and the degradation of animal habitats including tigers, elephants, orangutans, and rhinos, not to mention some indigenous people have been forced off their land due to palm oil production. Palm plantations are expanding rapidly and are contributing to accelerated climate change. Because of this, I’m happy to choose a product that does not contain palm oil.
2. Seven Minerals Castile Soap is less expensive than Dr. Bronners. While they don’t have as many size options, Seven Minerals’ costs less per ounce, despite being an organic, great product. I love that!
3. Seven Minerals Castile Soap contains organic castor oil that is naturally rich in Vitamin E and Omega Fatty Acids. It helps increase hydration and softness, reviving dry skin, hair, and nails.

I am not affiliated with either company. I’m just sharing what I have learned through my own research. The links are both amazon affiliate links.

What is in Seven Minerals Pure Castile Soap?

In the order that they appear on the bottle, the ingredients are:

• Purified water
• Organic coconut oil – anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial
• Organic olive oil – the star of any true castile soap.
• Organic castor oil – rich in Vitamin E and is anti-inflammatory. It’s great for eczema, psoriasis and dryness, as well as oily and acne prone skin.
• Organic argan, jojoba, and hemp oils – Similar to your skin’s natural oils. Keeps skin hydrated without clogging pores.
• Organic vegetable glycerin – high quality, non GMO

How to Make Non-Toxic Foaming Hand Soap

Okay, it is this easy.

1. Fill your soap dispenser bottle almost to the top with water. If you are going to use the soap frequently, like in your bathroom or kitchen, then tap water is fine. If the soap is going to sit for a few weeks, like for a gift or for use in a camp trailer, etc. you’ll want to used distilled or purified water to prevent bacterial growth.
2. Add in 3 squirts of unscented castile soap. Each squirt should be about one tablespoon.
3. Add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oil.
4. Replace the pump and shake well.

Are you looking for more essential oil recipes? Check out this DIY Bug Spray with Essential Oils.

Have tried this foaming hand soap recipe? Let me know in the comments how you like it!