DIY Essential Oil Soap Recipe

Hand washing was one of the first great improvements in the shift toward modern

medicine. Imagine your doctor moving from a surgery to a birth to dressing your wound without ever washing their hands! Unfortunately, we quickly took things a tinge too far, with antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers coming on the scene in full force.

In normal life, when we aren’t surgeons or chefs, trying to sterilize our hands and bodies can actually be counterproductive. Our hands come in contact with the widest range of microbes, giving the immune system the opportunity to stay “fit” and practiced against the threats in our environment.

Not only do we want to avoid stripping beneficial bacteria or removing the immune system’s proving ground, we also need to avoid the chemicals added to antibacterial soaps.

Triclosan is found in most commercial antibacterial soaps, an ingredient once glossed over by the FDA but now carrying mounting evidence that it’s a risk. What’s more, triclosan-laden and other antibacterial soaps are not likely any more effective than simple soap and water washes.

Using essential oils in a DIY soap helps fight dangerous microbes while preserving the balance that the body needs.

This recipe comes from my good friend Dr. Axe. It can be made simply by mixing these ingredients into a glass dispenser:

Ingredients:

• ¼ part castile soap
• ¾ parts water
• 5 drops peppermint essential oil
• 5 drops of citrus, tea tree, and or other gently antimicrobial essential oils

Directions:

Simply mix ingredients into a glass dispenser and use like liquid hand soap.