Baking Soda Body Scrub and Soap (100% green and gentle!)

Here's a super simple, super cheap, super easy-to-make in your own kitchen, green body scrub and soap that you can use daily instead of soap! I've tried several several different kinds of soaps in my quest to find one that doesn't dry out my skin and cause eczema, but nothing has been working.

Baking Soda Body Scrub

For many years, I used Dove soap, with recommendation from my childhood dermatologist, which is supposed to be more gentle and moisturizing, but it's still full of sodium laureth sulfate, so it dried out my skin. Then, I switched to Burt's Bees body wash and my skin actually got worse! I was shocked. Next, I tried diluting Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap (made of olive oil and supposed to be very gentle, love it for cleaning & laundry), and it did help, but I was still having to use lots of lotion and had some eczema. Then, I talked to my boss and she said she was inspired by my post on DIY Baking Soda Shampoo (which my hair LOVES and so does her's) and decided to use it as a body wash, too, by making it into a paste. I had read many others doing that as well, and for some reason, I've been resisting it, but I came to my wit's end with my dry skin.

The Un-Recipe

So, there's not really a recipe per se for this body scrub, which makes it even better. Here's what you need:

  • A container for your scrub (I upcycled an old lotion container)
  • Optional: 5 drops of your essential oil or a blended oil (my go-to oils for the skin are Lavender, Rosemary,
  • And enough baking soda to fill most of the container (no more than a cup) (I've heard there is aluminum in Arm & Hammer baking soda, but this one is clean)
  • Water (If your shower water is filtered, then I would use filtered water. Otherwise, it doesn't matter if it's not filtered.)
  • A spoon

Directions

  • To make the paste, you literally dump in enough baking soda to fill about half of your container.
  • Then, slowly add water.
  • With an eye dropper, add about 10-15 drops (or less if you're sensitive to fragrance) of lavender or another essential oil and stir that in as well.
  • Gently stir and decide if you need more water or more baking soda. (Don't worry, you can't screw this up – if you add too much water, you can just pour out the excess and hold your hand over the container to keep the baking soda from coming out! And even if you do, you've wasted like 50 cents since baking soda is so cheap.)
  • Keep adding some of each until your container is filled and you've made a nice paste.

That's it! I've done the smelly arm-pit test on myself several times after bathing and the pits have passed.  I even use it on the unmentionable areas and have no issues there, except a slight tingly feeling afterwards, which some might like! Sorry, couldn't help myself.

To use, I just scoop it out with my fingers and rub on. It doesn't leave a residue. I do miss my loofah and sudsy bath wash, but my skin doesn't. Baking soda is a natural exfoliant, too, so it's great to use on your face.

You've just saved money, the environment and your health by making a green, cheap and gentle body scrub/soap.

How to Purchase High Quality Essential Oils through My Merry Messy Life

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10 Comments

  1. I am interested in your homemade
    Body or exfoliating scrubs. Please send me your booklet
    Thank you
    Cindy Krigel’

  2. Thank you for showing me details on making the binder. It really helps. Your website is inspiring! I would love to download the e-book you mention.

  3. Hi, thank you for sharing! Do you find using this daily to be too much for your skin, or or doesn’t hurt to use daily at all on your body and face?

  4. Greetings Sara McFall,

    Thank you for sharing these wonderful healthy tips.
    I am 62 on Social Security and am looking for a healthier lifestyle along with cost savings.
    Your generosity will do great wonders for countless individuals.

    Believe/Inspire/Triumph!!!

    Respectfully,

    John

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