30 July 2012

Peppermint Fresh Foaming Hand Soap


Liquid soap in a pump pack is very convenient, I have one on the kitchen sink, another in the laundry and one in each of the bathrooms. Liquid hand soap is also rather expensive, even if you dilute it down as I do.  It's also not all the user friendly - read the list of ingredients if you don't believe me.

This soap makes a lovely present, and is very inexpensive to make. Put it in a pretty dispenser, wrap it in cellophane and tie it with string or raffia, then attach a peppermint scented gift card and it's sure to be well received.

The good thing is it is really easy to make, and takes just 3 or 4 ingredients that you most likely already have in your home, or can easily get from the supermarket or chemist.

I've called it foaming hand soap, and it foams up beautifully if you put it in a foaming soap dispenser (you'll find them in $2 shops, discount department stores, craft shops etc). Or you can leave it as a liquid hand soap and store it in a pump dispenser.

Either way it's delightfully fresh and easy to make and use.

You will need:

1/4 cup pure soap, finely grated (Castille if you can get it, try a health food shop)
3/4 cup water (leave it out overnight for the chlorine to dissipate)
4 drops peppermint essential oil (pure oils, this is going onto your skin)
1 tbsp glycerine (in the health food section of the supermarket or from your family chemist)

To make the soap:
Place the grated soap and water in a small saucepan and gently stir over the lowest heat until the soap has dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the glycerine and peppermint oil and stir.
Pour into your soap dispenser and there you have it - Peppermint Fresh Foaming Hand Soap.

The glycerine will stop the soap from coagulating and turning to a thick, almost impossible to pump, glug.

If you find the mixture does settle, just give it a good shake every now and then.

3 comments:

  1. Will this work with other essential oils too? My husband doesn't like mint at all, but I'm wondering if maybe orange would work?

    ReplyDelete
  2. There has been a lot of controversy about the use of peppermint oil in pregnancy esp in first trimester, maybe a more neutral oil?? Then Kim's husband would be happy too.
    Thanks for all your good work.
    Boh

    ReplyDelete
  3. FWIW, almost all essential oils are irritating on your skin, and peppermint is no exception. Fragrance isn't good for your skin, period and don't even get me started on soap! I'm not saying you need to buy hand wash, you don't, but watered down shampoo does the same job and is much more gentle on your hands.

    ReplyDelete

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