Homemade Face Wash: A Natural Face Wash Recipe

This homemade face wash is a natural DIY face wash that works great, is inexpensive, and easy to make. Tailor it to your specific skin type.

For years I used commercial face wash products without looking at the ingredients. (Sigh.) Back then the care-free, flawless-skinned, flowing-hair teenage beauties bouncing around in their commercials may have had an influence on me. I thought they could have been my friends. I wanted to hang out in brightly-colored bathrobes and splash our faces, talk on the phone, or whisper secrets that would make us roll on the floor laughing – all while upbeat music played in the background. (What were they always laughing about???)

I was a serious sucker for advertising.

Making Homemade Face Wash

Maybe those commercial beauties were laughing about the ingredients! And the suckers like myself who would be buying the product.

Now that I have a better understanding of ingredients I’m more selective about the personal care products I use. And usually, I prefer to make my own.

Focus on Ingredients

Want to know about some of the ingredients that may be lurking in your innocent little bottle of store-bought face wash? How does DMDM hydantoin, a formaldehyde-releasing ingredient, sound? Or maybe you want synthetic colorants in your face wash? Like the D&C or FD&C varieties that are continuously tested on animals due to their carcinogenic properties. No? How about synthetic fragrances? Research links them to allergies, dermatitis, respiratory problems, or possible effects on the reproductive system.

Ummmm… I’m pretty certain there would not be such glamorous commercials on TV for certain skincare products if the truth about ingredients was advertised!

I’m no longer willing to spend even a few dollars on ingredients like these. On the other hand, purchasing a quality organic or natural facial cleanser can almost break the bank; when I checked the natural facial cleansers at my local health food store prices ranged from $8-$26! (And I know other products can cost much more.)

Homemade Face Wash

I’m no longer convinced that even the expensive natural products contain magical ingredients to solve all of my skin problems (or friendship problems). Some of them appeared to be the consistency of castile soap, very runny and yellow-tinted. And what do you know, the first ingredient in most of them was castile soap, followed by ingredients such as aloe vera gel, essential oils, Vitamin E, vegetable glycerin, etc. Not such an intimidating list of ingredients.

You can make your own DIY face wash!

Even though I keep all the aforementioned items on hand in my house these days, I decided to I keep it very simple and mixed up the following recipe for my combination skin. The chamomile tea and other simple, gentle ingredients make it perfect for sensitive skin, but this DIY face wash can be tailored to meet the needs of your exact skin type – I’ll show you how in a bit.

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Homemade Face Wash: A Natural DIY Face Wash Recipe

This homemade face wash is a natural DIY face wash that works great, is inexpensive, and easy to make. Tailor it to your specific skin type.

Prep Time

5 minutes

Active Time

20 minutes

Total Time

25 minutes

Servings

4 ounces

Estimated Cost

$2

Ingredients

• ¼ cup liquid castile soap
• ¼ cup brewed organic chamomile tea (for its anti-inflammatory properties)
• ¾ tsp grapeseed oil (or sweet almond, hazelnut, avocado, or olive oil)
• 8 drops essential oils
• 3 drops Vitamin E oil (optional but recommended)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

1. Brew a cup of strong chamomile tea and set aside ¼ cup to cool. (Enjoy the rest of the tea while you’re mixing together this recipe!)
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and add tea when completely cooled.

3. Mix ingredients well and pour into a small squirt bottle or pump bottle. Be sure to label your container. This recipe makes about 4 ounces of homemade face wash.

Using Your Homemade Face Wash:

1. Squirt DIY face wash into hands or washcloth and gently wash face. Rinse well. Follow with your typical toner and/or moisturizing routine.

Recipe Video

Notes

Variations

• Use your favorite essential oil (EO) to benefit your particular skin type.
• For OILY skin use an astringent or antiseptic EO like tea tree, bergamot, geranium, or lemongrass.
• If you have DRY skin, choose a more mild EO like sandalwood, chamomile, lavender, or rose.
• For MATURE skin, use an oil that is known for stimulating new cell growth such as lavender, neroli, jasmine, or geranium. Adding several drops of Vitamin E oil to the mixture will also nourish mature skin.
• Substitute rose water, distilled water, or pure aloe vera gel for the chamomile tea.
• If using chamomile EO feel free to use plain distilled water instead of chamomile tea.
• Scented liquid Castile soaps will also work great in this recipe. Feel free to omit essential oils if using a scented soap.

Made this recipe?

Mention @diynatural or tag it #diynatural!

Other Uses for Homemade Face Wash

This facial cleanser also makes a great makeup remover! Avoid getting in your eyes.

You can mix up similar versions of this, diluting it more if you like. You can also use it as a body wash. Keep some in a repurposed sports bottle with a squirt top in the shower. (Be sure to label it well so family members don’t quench their thirst with it during a hot shower!)

Additional DIY Face Wash Notes

Castile soap can be purchased online or at most health food stores but is also becoming widely available at chains like Target, Kroger, or Walmart. I prefer to purchase mine at local health food stores where I can bring my own container and refill for about half the price of purchasing a brand new bottle.

You can purchase and smell essential oils (before buying) at most health food stores. You can find high-quality essential oils online here. Also, they charge very reasonable prices.

Storing Your Wash

This homemade face wash can be stored for at least a few weeks. Natural preservatives can be added to extend the shelf life. Try a few drops of Vitamin E oil as a preservative. Refrigerating the homemade face wash will also extend its shelf life.

My skin loves this DIY face wash, and I hope you’ll give it a shot if you’ve been looking for a good natural alternative!

Note: Find more homemade beauty recipes here.

Warning about essential oils: Always use caution and care when handling these pure plant extracts. If you’re using a particular essential oil for the first time, always perform a patch test to check for an allergic reaction. If pregnant or nursing, consult your health care practitioner before using essential oils.

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References:

• EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, from the Environmental Working Group
• The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, by Julia Lawless