Do commercial shower gels irritate your body and skin? Do you prefer to use products with natural components? Maybe you are looking for an easy do it yourself project. If so, then making homemade shower gels may be just the option for you. Once you have the basic ingredients, these fruity shower gels are relatively inexpensive to make and also fun use.
Ingredients
The basic ingredients and recipes for making a natural shower gel are as follows.
1. De-ionized or distilled water or even tap water is fine especially if you are going to use the product on time and not store it for later use.
2. Surfactants have properties that make it attract dirt and oil and are the active ingredient in most soaps and cleansers. Natural surfactants called saponins are found in aloe Vera gel.
3. Humectants attract moisture from the air to the skin. Examples of humectants include honey and glycerin.
4. Thickeners provide texture to a liquid. Aloe Vera gel is a natural thickening agent, as is cornstarch and arrowroot.
5. Emollients are used for smoothing and softening skin. Examples of emollients are almond, jojoba, olive, or coconut oil.
6. Exfoliating agents are used to slough off dead skin. Malic and citric acids are examples of exfoliating agents and are found in cane sugar and fresh fruits such as apples, pears, or strawberries.
7. Natural preservatives and antiseptics are found in lemons or grapefruit essential oils.
8. Two types of fragrances can be used: Essential oils or fragrance oils. Essential oils of fruits include: grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, and tangerine. There are no essential oils of apples or pears. Essential oils are very concentrated and should never be applied directly to the skin.
Fragrance oils are synthetic fragrances or combinations of synthetic and natural fragrances that imitate a scent such as pear or apple. If fragrance oil is used when making a shower gel, always use one that is designated as being safe for using on skin and avoid direct contact with skin.
Recipes
#1 Soap-less Lemon, Lime, Orange, or Grapefruit Shower Gel
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon of cornstarch or arrowroot
2 tablespoon of glycerin
1 tablespoon of jojoba oil
1 teaspoon of cane sugar
4 tablespoons of aloe Vera gel
8 to 10 drops of Essential oil lime, lemon, grapefruit, or orange
1 or 2 drops of yellow food coloring (optional)
Place all ingredients except food coloring in a bowl and mix until smooth. Add food coloring if desired. Pour into a squeeze bottle and use within 24 hours.
#2 Pear or Apple Shower Gel
1 bar of unscented glycerin soap
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of pear or apple juice
1 tablespoon of glycerin
3 to 4 drops of lemon essential oil
5 drops of pear or apple fragrance oil
Grate or chop the bar of soap. Place first three ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and simmer until the soap dissolves. Cool the mixture. Add glycerin and essential oil. Mixture will thicken as it cools completely. Store in glass jars with lids and transfer to a squeeze bottle as needed. Place under hot water to liquefy if the gel becomes too thick.
#3 Strawberry-Lemon Shower Gel
1/2 tablespoon of unscented natural liquid soap
3 large frozen strawberries
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of aloe Vera gel
6 to 8 drops of lemon essential oil
5 drops of strawberry fragrance oil
Thaw fruit and puree in blender or food processor. Pour into a bowl and add salt. Stir, and then add aloe Vera gel, liquid soap, and essential oil. Mix well. Use immediately.
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