As someone who’s been hand making skincare products for over a decade, I’ve had my fair share of experiments—both brilliant and messy. I’ve crafted everything from whipped body butters and fizzy bath bombs to cold process soaps and (my favorite) shower steamers. But if you’re like me—living with asthma—you know that how you make something matters just as much as what’s in it.
Early on, I used powdered attractants like SCI noodles for body wash. But grinding those down—even with a respirator—triggered coughing fits and irritation. That’s when I realized: it’s not worth compromising my health. I switched to liquid bases, and it changed everything.
Now I make gentle, business-friendly body washes with pre-made liquid soap bases. No dust. No heat. No fuss.
Why I Use Liquid Castile or Suspension Soap Base
When you deal with asthma, avoiding airborne powders is key. This method skips that entirely. Plus, it scales beautifully for makers! You can create custom-scented small batches with natural extracts and oils that customers love.
Over the years, my body wash formula became a go-to not just for my shop, but for spa clients and gift sets. It’s nourishing, simple to make, and safe to produce—especially if you're working from a small studio or kitchen space.
Asthma-Friendly DIY Body Wash Recipe
Ingredients: https://amzn.to/3U3UMoA Shop all Ingredients (affiliate link)
- 16 oz Liquid Castile Soap or suspension soap base
- 1 tbsp Jojoba Oil or Sunflower Oil
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Glycerin
- 0.5 oz Essential Oil or Fragrance Oil Blend – Try lavender, citrus, or oatmeal milk & honey blends
- Optional: 1 tsp Calendula Extract, or Oat Extract
- Mica Powder (optional)
- Preservative
Tools: https://amzn.to/4iZbhfV Shop all Tools (affiliate link)
- Mixing Bowl
- Silicone Spatula or Whisk
- Funnel and clean bottles
- Measuring Spoons or Digital Scale
Directions:
- Add your soap base to a clean mixing bowl.
- In a small cup, mix glycerin, oil, and fragrance or essential oils until blended.
- Slowly stir that mixture into the soap base to reduce clouding or separation.
- Add optional extracts like aloe vera juice or calendula.
- If using mica, mix it first with a small amount of oil or glycerin to prevent speckling, then stir into the base.
- Optional: Adjust thickness with a pinch of salt.
- Funnel into bottles and label accordingly.
Maker Tips:
- Preservative Required? If you're adding aloe, oat extract, or any water-based ingredient to a base that doesn’t already contain a preservative, you must add one. Plus this is a shower recipe and will be exposed to water.
- Fragrance Thinning the Base? A pinch of salt can thicken it back up.
- Coloring: Use mica only if desired; avoid if marketing as “natural.”
Coconut Milk Body Wash
This version uses coconut oil and coconut milk powder for extra hydration and creaminess.
Ingredients: https://amzn.to/3U3UMoA Shop all Ingredients (affiliate link)
-
- 50 oz Liquid Suspension Soap Base
- 15 oz Coconut Oil
- 2 oz Coconut Milk Powder
- 1.5 oz Fragrance Oil (check percentage use)
- 0.35 oz Preservative
- 0.68 oz Polysorbate 80
1. Place the amount of measured coconut oil in sterilized glass measuring cup then place in the microwave using 30 second burst on medium setting. Watch carefully and stir in between burst sessions.
2. To large measuring cup, add Liquid Suspension Soap Base and Coconut 76 Oil. Whisk until blended and set aside.
3. Pour Coconut Milk Powder and Fragrance Oil in small measuring cup. Whisk until coconut milk powder is completely dissolved.
4. Add coconut powder/fragrance mix, preservative and Poly 80 to soap mixture. Whisk until completely blended.
5. Fill each bottle and apply caps.
6. Label product accordingly.
To Use: Lather onto wet skin and rinse with warm water.
Tip: Premix coconut milk powder with the fragrance oil before combining with the soap base. This helps reduce clumps. See video before making for expert tips.
Note: My personal recipe varies. I added bubble Pearlizer in the video because I have customized this recipe for my skincare business.
Recipe Disclaimer: We are not responsible for the products you create from our recipe.
You alone are responsible for product and recipe testing to ensure compatibility and safety.
Optional Add-Ins: Customize Your Body Wash with Herbal Powders
To give your body wash an extra boost of skin-loving goodness—especially for citrus-scented blends or gentle exfoliating versions—you can add the following powder options below. These are completely optional, but they add visual interest and traditional skincare benefits:
https://amzn.to/3U3UMoA Shop all Ingredients (affiliate link)
Colloidal Oatmeal Powder – (Instead of Coconut Milk Powder)
Known for its calming properties, colloidal oatmeal is often included in products designed to soothe the look of redness or irritation. It’s perfect for sensitive skin and helps give your body wash a silky, creamy feel.
💗 Beet Root Powder (What I Used in the Video)
I used 1–2 teaspoons of beet root powder in my citrus-scented body wash recipe instead of mica. It gives a subtle pink hue and is often used in natural skincare to enhance the appearance of brightness and promote the look of healthy skin tone—especially great when paired with fruity or floral scents.
Tip for Makers: Always disperse powders into a small amount of oil or glycerin first to prevent clumping before mixing into your body wash base. What I do in the video is put it through a small screen colander.
Why This Recipe Works for Makers
This formula is safe for home production, simple to scale, and easy to customize. Whether you’re selling online, at markets, or stocking a spa, you can confidently create gentle, nourishing body washes.
Biggest Mistakes Beginners Make:
- Adding too much oil → kills lather
- Not testing fragrance in a small batch – check out my video Body Wash Gone Wrong https://youtu.be/gRuvKMtHz1g
- Forgetting preservative when making a product that will be exposed to water.
- Overcomplicating your first product launch
Keep it simple. Refine as you go. You’re not trying to win a science fair, you’re building something real, for real people.
Related Blog Posts You’ll Love:
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- 10 Skin Care Routine Steps | Daily Skin Care at Home
- Whipped Shaving Cream for Dry Skin – Recipe + Tips
Watch the Full Tutorial on YouTube
By the way, if you’re into making your own skincare or thinking of starting a business, I share even more tips and behind-the-scenes stuff in my free Byte-Sized Beauty newsletter. The link’s below!
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