March Highlights and My Quick and Easy DIY Foam Hand Soap Recipe

March came and went.

I held some babies.. Charlotte is getting so big!

And began clearing last year's plants to make way for the new.  Maybe I'll get to the new planting this weekend.

We built a cat den for Abby and Derek's feline family members.  The cats will love being outdoors in the warmer weather!

Then there was the trip to Florida to visit Dennis's family.

                 

Where we rode roller coasters.

And ate.

And ate some more.  (That's my funnel cake with strawberries, chocolate syrup and powdered sugar.)

Then I attempted to stave off the 16,000 extra calories by running.  I loved all the green, the mild temperatures and the low humidity in Jacksonville this time of year.

There was the beach.

Wished I had spent a little more time there.

In my spare time, I whipped up some do-it-yo-self foaming hand soap.  You won't believe how easy it is.

You need to make this.  Let me count the reasons why:

• It's more cost effective than buying hand soap
• You'll know what's in it
• It will be void of harmful toxic chemicals that enter your body through your skin
• It's easy
• It's much cheaper than buying.  Oh.  I already said that.

 Here's what you'll need:

• A soap dispenser with a foam-type pump (approximately 8-10 oz in size)
• 2 tbsp castile soap (such as Dr. Bonners sensitive/unscented)
• 1 tbsp fractionated coconut oil (or almond oil)
• 1 tsp vegetable glycerin
• 15-20 drops of doTerra essential oils (approximate). You can always add less if you prefer.
• Purified, filtered or tap water (more info below)

Some helpful hints:

• Citrus doTerra oils work great for this hand soap because citrus tends to be fresh and clean smelling.
• We go through hand soap pretty quick in our house.  (At least 1 dispenser every two weeks.)  If you need your soap to last a little longer, you can use filtered or purified water to keep the soap fresh.  Also add 2-3 drops of doTerra melaleuca essential oil.  Adding filtered or purified water and melaleuca should keep your hand soap lasting 6-8 weeks.
• Depending on your water and other factors, the oil in your soap may separate to the top.  Mix all the oils together in the dispenser first followed by the glycerin and castile soap and then the water.  If you still experience separating, cutting out the coconut oil (or almond oil) will also help. These oils are used as a moisturizing component, but given you'll have added essential oils to your soap, moisturizing may not be an issue.
• Depending on how strong a scent you want from your soap, you may want to double the amount of drops for citrus essential oils. A minimum of 15-20 drops will work best and I wouldn't add more than 40.
• You can use a plastic dispenser as long as your soap is used frequently.  Otherwise, if the soap is going to sit for a while (more than 6-8 weeks), opt for a glass dispenser.  Here's one we found on the internet made from a canning jar.

Here's the how-to video for making your own DIY Foaming Hand Soap.

Finally, here are a few great doTerra essential oil combinations to try with this recipe:

Great for the kitchen

Peppermint/Lemon 

Peppermint/Lavender

Lemon/Lavender

On-Guard Blend (immune support, protects against environmental threats)

Lavender/Rosemary

Citrus Bliss/Peppermint

Great for the bathrooms/utility rooms

Melaleuca/Peppermint (Melaleuca is an antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-fungal)
Lavender/Lemongrass
On-Guard Blend
Peppermint/Lavender
Lemon/Lime
Grapefruit/Peppermint
Grapefruit/Wild Orange
Citrus Bliss/Peppermint

You can come up with just about any combination that works for you.  Essential oils each have many benefits.  Find the combinations that you love most!  For essential oil ordering information, use the "Shop My doTerra" link above.

I hope you've enjoyed this article.

Until next time,

~Charlene