How to Make Foam Soap with Essential Oils
Studies have shown that essential oils can reduce bacterial counts more effectively than standards soaps due to their antimicrobial properties. For instance, a study found that tea tree oil soap eliminated Staphylococcus aureus more effectively than a conventional antibacterial soap.
Essential oils often contain additional benefits. For example, lavender oil not only acts as an antibacterial agent but also has calming effects on the skin. Standard soaps may contain synthetic ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin, while essential oil soaps can be more nourishing and gentle.
Essential oils also provide a more natural and pleasant scent than many synthetic fragrances in standard soaps. This sensory experience can enhance the act of washing hands, promoting mindfulness and making it a more enjoyable experience.
Knowing all of this, making essential oil foam soaps are a wonderful way to use natural ingredients for your soap as well as save money on soap!
How to Make Foam Soap with Essential Oils
Foam Soap Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup distilled water
1/4 cup liquid castile soap (unscented or scented)
10-15 drops of essential oils (like lavender, tea tree, or eucalyptus). Make sure to use high quality 100% pure essential oils.
1 tablespoon of carrier oil such as almond oil or jojoba oil (optional, for added moisture)
A foam soap dispenser. You can buy these on amazon (see pic below).
Foam Soap Dispensers on Amazon #ad
Instructions:
Combine Ingredients: In a bowl, mix the distilled water and liquid castile soap gently to avoid bubbles.
Add Essential Oils: Drop in your chosen essential oils. For example, lavender oil offers a calming scent, while tea tree oil adds antibacterial properties. Stir to combine.
Optional Carrier Oil: If using, add the carrier oil to the mixture and stir well.
Transfer to Dispenser: Carefully pour the mixture into a foam soap dispenser. Using a funnel can help prevent spills.
Mix: Once in the dispenser, give it a gentle shake to blend the ingredients without creating too many bubbles.
Use: Pump the soap as needed! Enjoy the aromatic experience and skin benefits.
If you’re interested in case studies about the effectiveness of essential oils in soap, here are 3 studies.
Tea Tree Oil: A study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy found that soaps containing tea tree oil significantly reduced the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. When volunteers used this tea tree oil soap, bacterial counts on their skin decreased by over 90% within days.
Lavender Oil: Research in the International Journal of Aromatherapy showed that lavender essential oil-infused soap effectively inhibited bacteria like Salmonella and Listeria. In lab tests, the soap demonstrated a reduction of bacterial colonies by around 95% within a few hours of application.
Lemon Oil: A study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology examined the antibacterial effects of lemon essential oil in handcrafted soaps. The results indicated a significant reduction in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis, with lemon oil soap reducing bacterial presence by 85% after a single wash.