How to Make Your Own Laundry Soap: Homemade Natural Coconut Laundry Soap Recipe

One of the most exciting things about our transition to become a more non-toxic and chemical-free household has been learning to make soap. It’s one of those things that – for me, at least – was super scary at first. Like jumping out of an airplane or off a cliff (you can see the bottom but have no idea how long the ride will take). I entered into it with a lot of excitement and trepidation… and it has become something I truly love.

It still scares me a little. Like teaching or performing or running a workshop. There’s a wiggly-tummy feeling and a bit of anxiety that I get before I begin but ultimately know will pass. I consider it a healthy fear. It keeps me alert in the process, and it serves as a good reminder that I need to be as careful as possible.

How to Make Your Own Soap: All-Natural Castile Olive Oil Bar Soap Recipe

I never – and I do mean never – expected I would be making my own soap. I always assumed the ingredients were too caustic, the process too difficult, and the whole shebang just too darn hard.

Thankfully, I was quite wrong.

DIY Lavender-Rosemary Laundry Detergent (How to Make an Effective All-Natural Laundry Powder)

Ah, laundry. Probably even more difficult to crack than the dishwasher detergent, personal care products, or food has been the detoxification of our laundry detergent.

For a long time I used the “green” products found readily in the grocery store, though with a bit of research, it became clear who was greenwashing and who was not… and all for a very pretty penny. (Those “natural,” store-bought solutions never come cheap!)

DIY Foaming Hand Soap: Natural Peppermint-Lavender-Lemon Foaming Hand Soap

I don’t know why I never questioned whether or not I could make hand soap. I suppose because I thought soap-making was too difficult and that the products out there that are labeled “green” were adequately safe.

After scouring through EWG’s Skin Deep database, I decided it was going to be cheaper, safer, and better for the planet for me to make my own. Nice that all those things happened to align!

This recipe is so simple and effective, I will never go back to buying hand soap again. Truly never. It’s softer than the store-bought brands, smells amazing, and is quick and painless to throw together.

DIY Face Wash Recipe: Homemade Peppermint-Honey Face Wash (Natural + Exfoliating!)

As I mentioned yesterday, my husband (Andy) and I decided to do our best to go chemical-free after watching the documentary Chemerical. It opened our eyes to the number of crazy chemicals in our cleaning and personal care products… and upon doing further research via the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, we were determined to go a more natural route.

Now, Andy had been a long-time “apricot” face wash user and desperately wanted something that would still do the scrubbing duty of his favorite brand. Luckily, I was able to combine an amazing recipe I found at One Good Thing by Jillee (who had originally found it at Towards Sustainability)… and an idea that came to me after reading several body wash recipes that used cornmeal for grit.