DIY Foaming Hand Soap

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Making your own foaming hand soap is a great way to save money 💰 and avoid commercial soaps that can be filled with harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances 🙅🏻‍♀️. It also is a great way to reduce waste!

Creating your own foaming hand soap at home is easy and also customizable to your preferences. 

DIY Foaming Hand Soap Ingredients:

1. 3 tablespoons of Castile Soap: Castile soap is gentle on the skin and serves as the primary cleansing agent. It's typically made from olive oil but may contain other oils such as coconut oil, sunflower oil, etc. Purchase an unscented Castile Soap for your DIY Foaming Hand Soap.
   
   We recommend buying the Castile Soap in bulk to get the most savings! We buy ours in 128 oz. increments and it takes us over a year to go through one 128 oz. bottle. 

2. 1 tablespoon of Carrier Oil (Optional): Carrier oils such as fractionated coconut oil can add extra moisture to the soap. If you prefer a soap with added nourishment, include the carrier oil in your recipe. 
   
   You can adjust this amount as desired. Start with a smaller amount and decide what works best for you.

3. ~6 drops of Essential Oil (Optional): Essential oils not only smell great but can also offer additional benefits like antimicrobial properties. Choose your favorite essential oil or mixture of essential oils for fragrance or therapeutic purposes. Skip this if you prefer unscented!

4. Distilled Water: Distilled water is recommended to maintain consistency in your soap recipe and prevent any impurities that might be present in tap water.

5. Foaming Dispenser: You'll need a foaming dispenser to create that luxurious foaming action. These dispensers are designed to mix the soap with air, creating a light and airy lather. You can either buy a dispenser lid that works with a container you already have or purchase a new container with a lid.
   
   We love our foaming dispenser lids for mason jars! We have been using the dispenser lids for over 3 years without any issues. We prefer plastic because it’s easier to clean but there are options that are stainless steel dispenser lids.

Instructions for making DIY Foaming Hand Soap:

1. Prepare Your Container: Start with a clean and empty container and foaming dispenser lid. It's essential to use a foaming dispenser because this recipe is specifically designed for foaming soap.
   
   Always clean your container between refills!

2. Add Castile Soap: Pour 3 tablespoons of Castile soap into your container. This will be the main cleaning agent for your soap.

3. Include Carrier Oil (Optional): If you're using a carrier oil for added moisture, add 1 tablespoon to the container. This step is entirely optional, so feel free to skip it if you prefer a lighter soap.

4. Add Essential Oil (Optional): For fragrance and potential additional benefits, add ~6 drops of your chosen essential oil to the mixture. Put the lid on and shake gently to combine the ingredients.

5. Top Off with Distilled Water: Fill the remaining space in the container with distilled water, leaving room at the top for the foaming pump. Be sure not to overfill the container, as you need some air space for the foaming action to occur.

6. Assemble and Shake: Secure the foaming pump on your container and give it a good shake to mix the ingredients. 
   
   

How Does a Foaming Dispenser Work?

A foaming dispenser works by mixing the liquid soap (in this case, our DIY hand soap mixture) with air as it's dispensed. Inside the foaming dispenser, there's a special mechanism that allows the soap to be released as foam. When you press the pump, the soap is drawn up through a tube and is mixed with air before being released from the nozzle. This creates a light and airy foam that's perfect for handwashing.

In addition to being fun to use, foaming dispensers can also help you use less soap per wash, making it an economical and eco-friendly choice which we love here at Mason Dixon Acres!

So there you have it—your very own DIY foaming hand soap that's customizable to your liking and gentle on your skin.

Say goodbye 👋 to store-bought soaps with questionable ingredients, and hello to clean and fresh hands with a personal touch!