10 DIY Natural Body Wash and Bath Recipes for Soft, Glowing Skin

Homemade skincare has become a popular trend, especially among people who want more control over what goes on their skin. With a few simple ingredients, you can make gentle body washes and bath treatments right in your own kitchen.

In this article, you’ll find 10 easy recipes, from liquid body washes to milk baths and gentle scrubs. Before you start, it helps to know what these recipes can realistically do. Natural ingredients like honey, oils, and milk can cleanse, moisturize, and gently exfoliate your skin, leaving it softer and more radiant-looking. However, they won’t lighten your natural skin tone or fade dark spots. For those concerns, see our guide to hyperpigmentation and dark spots.

Before You Start: Safety and Storage Tips

• Patch test first. Apply a small amount of any recipe to your inner forearm and wait 24 hours. Don’t use it if you notice redness, itching, or swelling.
• Use clean tools and containers. Wash bottles and bowls with hot, soapy water and let them dry completely.
• Make small batches. Homemade products don’t contain the preservatives that keep store-bought products safe. Anything made with water, milk, yogurt, or fresh fruit can grow bacteria and mold quickly. Use those recipes right away and discard leftovers.
• Watch for spoilage. Throw out any product that changes color, separates in a way that doesn’t mix back together, smells off, or shows signs of mold.
• Go easy on essential oils. They can irritate sensitive skin. Skip them if you’re pregnant, have sensitive skin, or plan to use the product on children, unless your doctor says they’re OK.
• Be careful in the shower. Oils and butters can make the floor slippery.

Liquid Body Wash Recipes

These three recipes make a true body wash that cleanses your skin. The first two use a liquid soap base, such as unscented liquid castile soap, which you can find at most drugstores and online.

Note that castile soap is fairly alkaline, which can be drying for some people. The added oils and glycerin help offset this.

1. Glycerin and Coconut Oil Body Wash

Glycerin is a humectant, which means it draws moisture into the skin. It’s a common ingredient in many soaps and lotions. Coconut oil adds moisture and has some antibacterial properties. Note that coconut oil can clog pores in some people, so this recipe is best for the body rather than the face.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unscented liquid castile soap
• 2 tablespoons fractionated (liquid) coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
• 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
• 10 to 20 drops essential oil, such as lavender (optional)

Instructions:

1. Pour all the ingredients into a clean squeeze or pump bottle.
2. Close the bottle and shake well to combine.
3. Shake before each use, since the oils will separate.
4. Store at room temperature away from sunlight. Because this recipe contains no water, it should keep for a few months. Discard it if the smell or texture changes.

2. Honey Body Wash

Honey is a natural humectant with soothing and antibacterial properties, making it a good choice for dry skin. Castor oil and olive oil add extra moisture.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unscented liquid castile soap
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 1 tablespoon castor oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 10 drops essential oil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Pour the castile soap into a clean bottle.
2. Add the honey, castor oil, olive oil, and essential oil, if using.
3. Close the bottle and shake well. Shake again before each use.
4. Store in a cool, dry place and use within about a month. Discard it if it starts to look or smell different.

3. African Black Soap Body Wash (No Soap Base Needed)

If you don’t have liquid castile soap, you can make your own liquid body wash from a bar of African black soap, a traditional West African soap made from plant ashes and oils.

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce (about 30 grams) African black soap, grated
• 1 cup distilled water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin
• 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
• 1/2 teaspoon guar gum or xanthan gum, to thicken (optional)
• 5 drops lavender essential oil and 5 drops tea tree oil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Bring the distilled water to a simmer, then remove it from the heat.
2. Add the grated soap and stir until it melts completely.
3. Stir in the glycerin and vitamin E oil. If using a thickener, sprinkle it in slowly while whisking to prevent clumps.
4. Let the mixture cool completely, then stir in the essential oils and pour it into a clean bottle.
5. Because this recipe contains water and no preservative, store it in the refrigerator and use it within about a week.

African black soap can feel drying or slightly gritty for some people, so follow up with a moisturizer.

Bath Soaks

4. Milk and Rose Bath

Milk contains fats, proteins, and small amounts of lactic acid that can help soften and soothe dry skin. A milk bath is a relaxing way to pamper yourself.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole milk (or 1/2 cup powdered milk)
• A handful of fresh rose petals or a few drops of rose essential oil

Instructions:

1. Wash your body with your usual gentle cleanser.
2. Fill the tub with warm (not hot) water and stir in the milk and rose petals or oil.
3. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes, gently massaging your skin.
4. Rinse off with clean water and pat dry.

5. Green Tea Bath

Green tea contains antioxidants called catechins, which have anti-inflammatory properties. A green tea bath can feel soothing and refreshing, especially for irritated or sun-exposed skin.

Instructions:

1. Rinse a handful of fresh green tea leaves, or use 4 to 5 green tea bags.
2. Steep them in about 4 cups of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Strain the tea and let it cool slightly.
4. Add the tea to a warm bath and soak for 15 to 20 minutes, or pour it over your body as a final rinse after showering.

Body Scrubs and Masks

Exfoliating once or twice a week is enough for most people. Scrubbing too often or too hard can irritate your skin. For a gentle scrub you can also use on your face, try our sugar and honey scrub.

6. Rice Bran, Honey, and Olive Oil Scrub

Rice bran has a fine texture that gently buffs away dead skin cells. It also contains antioxidants such as vitamin E and ferulic acid. Honey and olive oil add moisture.

Instructions:

1. Mix 1/2 cup food-grade rice bran with 2 tablespoons honey and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. After washing, apply the mixture to damp skin.
3. Massage gently in small circles for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Rinse with lukewarm water. Use once a week.

7. Rice Flour and Yogurt Mask

Plain yogurt contains lactic acid, a mild alpha hydroxy acid that gently loosens dead skin cells. Rice flour adds light texture. Together, they can help your skin feel smoother and look brighter.

Instructions:

1. Mix 3 to 4 tablespoons rice flour with enough plain yogurt or milk to form a smooth paste.
2. After showering, apply the paste to damp skin.
3. Massage gently for 1 to 2 minutes, then leave it on for about 10 minutes.
4. Rinse with cool water. Use once a week.

8. Papaya and Honey Mask

Papaya contains papain, an enzyme that helps break down dead skin cells for gentle exfoliation. Because enzymes can irritate sensitive skin, patch test first. Skip this mask if you have a latex allergy, since some people with latex allergies also react to papaya.

Instructions:

1. Peel a ripe papaya, remove the seeds, and mash about 1 cup of the flesh.
2. Stir in 2 tablespoons honey.
3. After showering, apply the mixture to damp skin and leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Rinse with lukewarm water. Use once a week.

9. Coffee and Coconut Oil Scrub

Ground coffee works as a physical exfoliant, while coconut oil moisturizes. This scrub is best for the body only, since coffee grounds are too rough for facial skin.

Instructions:

1. Mix 1/4 cup finely ground coffee with 2 to 3 tablespoons softened coconut oil.
2. After washing, apply the scrub to damp skin.
3. Massage gently in small circles for 1 to 2 minutes. Don’t scrub hard.
4. Rinse with lukewarm water. Use once a week.

Tip: Coffee grounds can clog drains over time, so use a drain catcher.

10. Potato and Milk Mask

Potatoes are a popular folk remedy for skin care. There’s little scientific evidence that they lighten skin, but this mask is very gentle and can feel soothing and moisturizing.

Instructions:

1. Peel, wash, and steam 1 to 2 potatoes until soft.
2. Mash them and let them cool completely.
3. Stir in enough plain milk to form a smooth paste.
4. After showering, apply the mixture to your skin and massage gently. Leave it on for about 10 minutes.
5. Rinse with cool water.

Tips for Soft, Healthy Skin

• Moisturize right after your shower while your skin is still slightly damp.
• Use lukewarm water. Hot water strips away your skin’s natural oils.
• Wear sunscreen daily on exposed skin. Sun exposure is the main cause of dark spots and uneven skin tone.
• Don’t overdo exfoliation. Once or twice a week is enough.

For more DIY recipes, check out our guide to natural body treatments you can make at home and our honest look at at-home remedies for brighter skin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a homemade body wash lighten my skin?

No. Homemade body washes and treatments can cleanse, moisturize, and gently exfoliate your skin, which can make it look smoother and more radiant. However, they won’t lighten your natural skin tone or fade dark spots.

How long does homemade body wash last?

It depends on the ingredients. Oil-based recipes without water may last a few months. Recipes made with water, milk, yogurt, or fresh fruit don’t contain preservatives and should be used right away or kept in the refrigerator for no more than about a week.

What is a good base for homemade body wash?

Unscented liquid castile soap is a popular base because it’s simple and widely available. You can also make a liquid soap by melting a bar of African black soap in distilled water.

Is liquid castile soap good for dry skin?

Castile soap is fairly alkaline and can be drying for some people. Adding glycerin, honey, or oils and following up with a moisturizer can help.

How often should I use a homemade body scrub?

Once or twice a week is enough for most people. Exfoliating too often can irritate your skin and damage its protective barrier.

The Bottom Line

Making your own body wash, bath soak, or scrub at home is a fun and affordable way to care for your skin. Ingredients like honey, glycerin, oils, milk, and yogurt can cleanse, moisturize, and gently exfoliate, leaving skin softer and more radiant-looking. Keep expectations realistic, since homemade products won’t change your skin tone. Make small batches, store them properly, patch test new recipes, and pair your routine with daily moisturizer and sunscreen.

References

1. American Academy of Dermatology. How to Safely Exfoliate at Home.
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Small Businesses and Homemade Cosmetics: Fact Sheet.
3. Burlando B, Cornara L. Honey in Dermatology and Skin Care: A Review. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013;12(4):306–313.