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DIY Shower Gel with Orange Essential Oil and Shea Butter

From the Dr. Axe archive · originally published

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DIY shower gel - Dr. Axe

The standard store-bought shower gel may contain petroleum and other chemical-based ingredients, such as added fragrance. If you notice your skin getting dry, red, itchy or flaky, consider a different shower gel; however, I suggest making your own so that you can know exactly what is going into your shower gel. It's easy to do.

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To make my DIY shower gel, place the shea butter in a small pan and melt on low heat. Add the jojoba oil, almond oil and coconut oil. Shea butter is an amazing ingredient given its vitamin A contents. It is very moisturizing, too. Jojoba oil offers great skin-healing benefits and is helpful in reducing acne as well as psoriasis. For a vitamin E boost — something your skin craves — almond oil is the way to go. And, we know that coconut oil is a great moisturizer that also fights off bacteria.

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Now, pour the oil and shea butter mixture into a medium-sized bowl and sprinkle the xanthan gum into the bowl allowing it to sit for about a minute. You may be wondering just what this ingredient is. Xanthan gum is a thickening agent. While it is not a good idea to eat too much of it, it can be helpful on the skin. Using an immersion blender on pulse, dissolve the gum into the shea butter and oil blend. Do this for one to two minutes.

Next, add the castile soap, vegetable glycerine and warm water. Castile soap is a favorite of mine because it is a natural, vegetable-based soap. Vegetable glycerin is useful because it is a plant-based humectant, meaning it provides moisture to the skin. Blend again for about two minutes. At this point, it will begin to look like a creamy lotion. That's what you want!

Lastly, add the orange essential oil. Sweet orange essential oil has a delightful citrus scent, and it also fights bacteria while helping to reduce stress. Pour the shower gel into a soap dispenser. You may want to shake it before use as it could separate just a bit. Use within a few weeks since it does not contain any preservatives.

Recipe

This DIY shower gel is made from some of the most skin-benefitting and cleaning ingredients, including shea butter, jojoba oil, almond oil, coconut out and Castile soap. Orange essential oil is the featured scent.

Prep time10 min
Yield10 ounces

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons shea butter
  • 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
  • 1 tablespoon almond oil
  • 1 teaspoon fractionated coconut oil
  • ¼ cup Castile soap
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable glycerin
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • ¼ cup warm water distilled water
  • 12 drops orange essential oil

Steps

  1. In a small pan on the stove, slowly melt the shea butter in the distilled water over low heat.
  2. Add the jojoba, almond and coconut oils. Blend well using an immersion hand blender.
  3. Pour blended oils into a heat-safe bowl.
  4. Add the xanthan gum and allow it to sit for 1–2 minutes.
  5. Next, add the Castile soap and blend.
  6. Add the glycerin and sweet orange essential oil. Blend well.
  7. The mixture should be creamy and thick. Pour it into a dispenser.
  8. Use within a few weeks.