Learn how to make shower gel with this easy step-by-step tutorial. The DIY shower gel has a thick gel texture and foamy lather that will make your skin feel soft and clean. The homemade body wash is made with natural materials and comes together in minutes. Included are 7 shower gel recipes, tips for customizing and achieving crystal clear shower gel, plus free printable labels.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Learn more
Homemade shower gel {Natural body wash recipe}
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to make shower gel at home with natural ingredients.
Shower gel is a bath product I use every day, and I wanted to create an easy, effective, and natural DIY shower gel. My goal was to develop a homemade body wash that performs just as well as commercial shower gels – but made with better ingredients.
Since my family goes through a lot of shower gel each month, the body wash recipe also needed to be easy, quick, and reliable. I simply don’t have the time to spend hours making a daily-use product. This simple natural shower gel recipe fits the bill, and I hope you enjoy it as much I do.
Benefits of making your own shower gel
I have a feeling that this shower gel might become one of your favorite homemade bath products.
- easy – This cold-process shower gel recipe is super easy and beginner-friendly.
- quick – It takes less than 10 minutes to make a batch.
- rich lather – The DIY shower gel creates a thick, foamy lather with lots of bubbles.
- customizable – This simple shower gel recipe can be customized to meet different skincare needs.
- natural ingredients – The homemade shower gel is made with ECOCERT- and COSMOS-approved ingredients derived from natural materials.
- scalable – You can easily double, triple, or quadruple the recipe to make larger batches for your family.
- sulfate-free – This shower gel is free of sulfates, silicones, parabens, and other not-so-nice materials.
Shower gel ingredients
I tested this homemade shower gel recipe half a dozen times to get the right lather and texture, and the following ingredients are key:
- Distilled water or hydrosol: Distilled water is needed to dilute and dissolve the other shower gel ingredients. Hydrosols are a fantastic option to naturally scent the shower gel and introduce additional skincare benefits. If you don’t have access to distilled water, bring tap water to a rolling boil and then allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Coco glucose (Plantapon SF) is a surfactant and gives this homemade shower gel its cleansing power. You can find more information about coco glucose at the end of this post.
- Lactic acid helps to adjust the pH level and acts as a thickener. You can also make the body wash with a citric solution (see the notes in the DIY box below).
- A preservative is a must in this water-based body wash to avoid mold, yeast, and bacteria. I used Preservative Eco (Geogard ECT), which is a natural, broad-spectrum preservative. See below for more info and places to buy.
Optional ingredients
Feel free to customize your natural body wash recipe with one or more of the following materials:
Scent and color
- Essential oils can be used to scent the DIY shower gel and impart additional skincare benefits. You can find a few ideas for homemade body wash with essential oils below. If using hydrosols, you may omit essential oils to scent the shower gel. And please note that essential oils can affect the shower gel’s clarity, color, and viscosity.
- Colorant: Use soap colors or food colors to tint your DIY body wash. Some food colors will take a while to dissolve but otherwise work fine.
- Mica powder: Mica powders give the shower gel the most beautiful shimmer, think liquid crystals. Stir up to 1/2 teaspoon into the recipe.
Skincare ingredients
- Glycerin helps the skin to retain moisture, provides softening qualities, and makes the body wash gentler. You can add up to 1 tablespoon for a moisturizing shower gel.
- Aloe vera 200x powder possessesanti-inflammatory and analgesic qualities that help alleviate dryness + itchiness and encourage skin regeneration. A 1/4 tsp is enough for 1 batch.
- Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, promoting healthy skin and cell regeneration. You may add 1/2 tsp to the natural body wash. Vitamin E oil is a bit sticky and will take a while to dissolve.
- Panthenol (vitamin B5) is an excellent moisturizer, skin-soothing agent, and said to restore skin elasticity. It’s a wonderful ingredient for sensitive and irritated skin. Add 1/2 teaspoon.
- Plant oil: You can also add your favorite plant oil to the shower gel formula to make the shower gel more moisturizing. Fractionated (liquid) coconut oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, or sweet almond oil are great options. But don’t go overboard with oils, 1 to 3 tablespoons is enough. Note that oils will make the shower gel cloudy. If you want a clear shower gel, it’s best to skip the oils.
Since shower gel is a wash-off product, I recommend reserving expensive skincare ingredients for stay-on applications like lotions or creams. It makes little sense to add a costly liposome complex to a product that is applied and washed off within minutes.
How to make shower gel
Don’t be afraid to create your own shower gel at home. Making body wash is easier than you think! Let me show you the simple steps for how to make shower gel from scratch:
- Mix water and surfactant. Carefully pour the distilled water and surfactant into a large measuring cup or mixing bowl (something with a spout is best). Using a spoon, gently stir until the surfactant is completely dissolved in the water. Stir by hand and avoid whipping air into the mixture. Do not use an electric mixer or blender because agitating the liquids too much will cause foam and bubbles.
- Add optional ingredients. Add any optional ingredients (e.g. glycerin, essential oils, colorant, etc.) and stir to blend. Some food colors take a while to dissolve.
- Preserve. Next, incorporate the preservative into the shower gel base.
- Thicken and adjust the pH. Finally, add the lactic acid and stir until the shower gel thickens, which may take 2 to 3 minutes. In case the body wash doesn’t thicken properly, continue adding lactic acid, 1 drop at a time, until you achieve your desired viscosity.
- Package. Using a funnel, pour the shower gel into a bottle or soap dispenser. Optionally, label the gel.
How to thicken shower gel
There are several possibilities for how to thicken shower gel naturally:
- Salt is often used as a thickening agent for body washes. It turns iconic surfactants into a gel texture. Many commercial cleansers and shampoos contain salt as a thickener, listed under the INICI name, Sodium Chloride (yes, that’s table salt, in case you’re wondering). Since our cleanser of choice is a surfactant blend with different ionicity, salt isn’t the best choice.
- Natural polymers (botanical gums and starches): Another way to thicken shower gel is to enlist natural polymers, such as xanthan gum, guar gum, glucomannan, sclerotium gum, CMC, carrageenan, and others. Natural gums are an easy way to thicken homemade body wash. Check out my rose body wash to learn how to thicken shower gel with xanthan gum.
- Lactic acid is the secret behind my thick, crystal clear shower formula. I found that 40 to 50 drops are perfect to create a luscious, viscous gel texture. However, you may end up using a little more or less.
- Milk powder is yet another thickener that gives your an incredibly creamy and rich body wash.
Why do we even need to thicken shower gel?
But why do we even need to thicken shower gel? DIY shower gel is thickened to improve the skin feel, lather, and viscosity. Without a thickener, homemade body wash is very watery and inefficient as most of the product would wash down the drain.
Tips for crystal clear shower gel
Cloudy shower gel can be caused by a variety of factors. Follow these tips to avoid cloudiness and maintain crystal clear shower gel:
- Combine the ingredients slowly, and do not use an electric mixer or whisk.
- Skip the oils. All plant oils and some essential oils can make the shower gel opaque.
- Only use lactic acid to thicken the gel. Botanical gums often cause cloudiness.
- Bubbles will dissolve within a few hours.
You may notice that some of the shower gels have lots of tiny bubbles in them. The bubbles are a result of pouring the body wash into the bottles. I made the shower gels and took the photos all in 1 day. The next day, the bubbles had dissolved, and the shower gel was clear.
What is the pH of this DIY shower gel?
This pH-balanced shower gel has a pH between 4.5 and 5, which is close to the pH of the human skin and less likely to cause irritation. Of course, you can check the pH of the final product to be certain it’s where we want it to be.
DIY shower gel without castile soap
Can you make this shower gel recipe with castile soap? NO, this shower gel recipe will NOT work with castile soap. Here is why:
When you combine lactic acid and castile soap, the acid breaks down the soap molecules as the ingredients cancel each other out. The mixture becomes oily and begins to curdle (solid white clumps), creating unsaponified soap. You can learn more in this article.
Another reason why castile soap isn’t ideal for body washes is the soap’s high pH level, which registers between 9 and 11. As I explained in my rose body wash recipe, using alkaline products disrupts the skin’s acid mantle and moisture barrier.
A gentle, pH-adjusted shower gel is a much better and safer option to keep your skin healthy and good looking.
DIY body wash without honey {Vegan Body Wash}
Many body wash recipes you find online call for honey. However, I wanted to create a vegan shower gel and decided to make a homemade body wash without honey.
How to package shower gel
Try one of the following packaging options for your all-natural body wash recipe:
Although glass bottles are a very eco-friendly way to store homemade shower gel, the glass could fall and break in a slippery shower. For that reason, I recommend a plastic or PET container. You can refill the container over and over again.
Squeeze bottles also help to prolong the shelf life. We can’t directly touch the product in the bottle, which helps to prevent contamination.
To safe money, recycle empty shower gel or shampoo bottles.
You can download the printable shower gel labels at the end of the post.
How to use homemade shower gel
You use this homemade shower gel recipe just like you would use any other body wash.
- Wet your entire body.
- Apply a small amount of gel into your hand.
- Rub both hands together to disperse the product and create foam.
- Apply the shower gel to your underarms, groin area, and any other body part you want to clean.
- Massage the body wash into the skin for a few seconds. Then rinse off with plenty of water.
- Avoid hot water as it can cause drying. Warm water is ideal.
- Follow up with a lotion, body balm or moisturizer afterwards.
Dermatologists recommend not using shower gel as a shaving foam as the gel coats the hairs and makes it harder to achieve a smooth shave.
I also don’t recommend using shower gel on your face as the facial skin is often more sensitive than the rest of the body. Instead, try this rose cleansing balm, Irena’s exfoliating cleansing balm, oil cleanser, cleansing gel, or cleansing milk.
Although it might be tempting to use the body wash as makeshift shampoo, a better option is to try one of our homemade shampoo recipes.
How often can I use homemade shower gel?
Since this is a pH-balanced DIY shower gel, you can use it every time you take a shower.
How much shower gel do I need?
Experts suggest that 2 to 3 pumps or a quarter-sized dollop are enough for one shower as using too much product may leave your skin feeling sticky. I admit that I often use a little more because I love lathering up my entire body.
Storage and shelf life
How to store DIY body wash
When not in use, keep your homemade body wash tightly closed in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
How long does DIY shower gel last?
This natural shower gel recipe lasts for at least 4 months if stored correctly.
Natural Shower Gel Recipes
Before finishing this post, I want to share 7 natural shower gel recipes that I’ve been making over and over.
You can make the shower gel recipes with:
- only hydrosols (for gentle shower gel formula)
- hydrosols + essential oils (for a strong scent)
- distilled water + essential oils (most cost-effective)
Hydrosols give these easy body wash recipes a wonderful, natural scent and bring many skincare benefits into the mix.
Creating shower gel with essential oils and distilled water is a more cost-effective approach and a good option if you can’t find hydrosols.
DIY jasmine shower gel
If you enjoy florals, you’ll love this dreamy jasmine shower gel (it’s my personal favorite). This elegant body wash recipe cleanses beautifully and creates that shower-fresh feeling. Jasmine hydrosol provides a delicate floral scent, which you can enrich with a few drops jasmine absolute
I left this one uncolored so you can see what the shower gel looks like without any colorant.
Jasmine body wash ingredients
To make jasmine shower gel, you’ll need:
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz jasmine hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid lactic acid
- up to 20 drops jasmine absolute (optional)
Homemade lemon shower gel
This energizing lemon shower gel refreshes and cleanses your skin, leaving it feeling soft and invigorated. Infused with lemon essential oil and lemon verbena hydrosol, the citrus body wash has an uplifting, zesty scent that will perk you up in the morning.
Lemon shower gel ingredients
Let’s check out the ingredients for this homemade body wash. Be sure to use steam-distilled lemon essential oil.
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz lemon verbena hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 30 drops steam-distilled lemon essential oil
- yellow colorant (optional)
Orange blossom shower gel
This luxurious orange blossom shower gel helps you get up and feel awakened. Neroli hydrosol is extracted from orange blossoms and has a fresh, botanical fragrance. I also added a few drops of sweet orange essential oil to round out the scent.
DIY Orange shower gel ingredients
Make homemade orange shower gel with the following materials:
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz neroli hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 25 drops sweet orange essential oil
- orange colorant (optional)
Rose shower gel
My rose shower gel cleanses gently and features a romantic rose scent. Rose hydrosol provides an enlivening rose aroma that lingers on the skin throughout the day. If you prefer a stronger rose scent, add a few drops rose essential oil. For some variation, try geranium rose hydrosol or this sensual white rose hydrosol.
Homemade rose shower gel ingredients
Gather the following materials to make rose shower gel:
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz rose hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 25 drops rose essential oil
- pink colorant (optional)
DIY lavender shower gel
This lavender shower gel is perfect to greet the morning or take a relaxing shower at night. The warm fragrance is perfect for unwinding, and lavender’s antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties can help to soothe irritated and sensitive skin.
Lavender body wash ingredients
You’ll need the following materials for DIY lavender shower gel:
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz lavender hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 30 drops lavender essential oil
- violet colorant (optional)
Homemade shower gel for men
This list won’t be complete without a body wash recipe for men. As much as I adore floral bath products, the men in my family won’t touch them. Although my husband enjoys the lemon and mint shower gels, he helped me create a masculine essential oil blend for a manly shower gel.
Truth to be told, I love this woodsy scent combo so much that I often borrow his body wash.
DIY shower gel for men ingredients
Try the following ingredients for a natural body wash for men:
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz distilled water
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- 22 drops cedarwood essential oil
- 15 drops lemongrass essential oil
- blue colorant (optional)
DIY mint shower gel
I wish you could smell this homemade mint shower gel. It has a crisp, refreshing scent and will make your skin feel cleansed and revive your mind. Perfect to kickstart the day! You can either use pure mint hydrosol or combine mint with lime hydrosol.
Mint body wash ingredients
Let’s have a look at the ingredients for our homemade mint shower gel:
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz peppermint hydrosol
- 1/4 cup / 60 g / 2 oz lime hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 15 drops peppermint essential oil
- 10 drops steam-distilled lime essential oil
- green colorant (optional)
DIY Shower Gel Recipe
Learn how to make shower gel with this easy step-by-step tutorial. The DIY shower gel has a thick gel texture and foamy lather that will make your skin feel soft and clean. The homemade body wash is made with natural materials and comes together in minutes. Included are 7 shower gel recipes.
Materials
Basic Shower Gel Recipe
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz distilled water (or hydrosol)
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 40 drops essential oil (optional)
- colorant (optional)
Jasmine Shower Gel
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz jasmine hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 20 drops [jasmine absolute9 (optional)
Lemon Shower Gel
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz lemon verbena hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 30 drops steam-distilled lemon essential oil
- yellow colorant (optional)
Orange Blossom Shower Gel
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz neroli hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 25 drops sweet orange essential oil
- orange colorant (optional)
Rose Shower Gel
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz rose hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 25 drops rose essential oil
- pink colorant (optional)
Lavender Shower Gel
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz lavender hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 30 drops lavender essential oil
- violet colorant (optional)
Shower Gel for Guys
- 3/4 cup / 180 g / 6 oz distilled water
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- 22 drops cedarwood essential oil
- 15 drops lemongrass essential oil
- blue colorant (optional)
Mint Shower Gel
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz peppermint hydrosol
- 1/4 cup / 60 g / 2 oz lime hydrosol
- 1/2 cup / 120 g / 4.2 oz coco glucose (Plantapon SF)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g / 0.7 oz vegetable glycerin (optional)
- 1/2 tsp / 3 g / 0.1 oz preservative
- 50 drops lactic acid
- up to 15 drops peppermint essential oil
- 10 drops steam-distilled lime essential oil
- green colorant (optional)
Tools
- large measuring cup or mixing bowl
- spoon
- 10 oz / 300 ml pump dispenser
Instructions
- Mix water and surfactant. Carefully pour the distilled water and surfactant into a large measuring cup or mixing bowl (something with a spout is best). Using a spoon, stir slowly until the surfactant is completely dissolved in the water. Stir by hand and avoid whipping air into the mixture. Do not use an electric mixer or blender because agitating the liquids too much will cause foam and bubbles.
- Add optional ingredients. Add any optional ingredients (e.g. glycerin, essential oils, colorant, etc.) and stir to blend. Some food colors take a while to dissolve.
- Preserve. Next, incorporate the preservative into the shower gel base.
- Thicken and adjust the pH. Finally, add the lactic acid and stir until the shower gel thickens, which may take 2 to 3 minutes. In case the body wash doesn't thicken properly, continue adding lactic acid, 1 drop at a time, until you achieve your desired viscosity.
- Package. Using a funnel, pour the shower gel into a bottle or soap dispenser. Optionally, label the gel.
Notes
You can make the shower gel recipes with:
- only hydrosols (for gentle shower gel)
- hydrosols + essential oils (for a strong scent)
- distilled water + essential oils (most cost-effective)
Printable Shower Gel Label
Click the button to download your free printable shower gel labels!
What is coco glucose?
Coco glucose is a concentrated cleanser and natural surfactant blend made of amphoteric, non-ionic, and anionic surfactants. A surfactant reduces the surface tension in liquids and helps things become clean, meaning it helps wash away oil and dirt from the skin.
The cleanser is very gentle, produces a dense foam and rich lather that rinses off nicely. The material also acts as an emulsifier and helps to disperse any essential oils you may add to your natural body wash recipe.
Coco glucose is derived from coconut oil, non-GMO, sulphate free, ECOCERT and COMOS approved, and suitable for vegan skincare products.
Where to buy coco glucose?
Coco glucose is also sold as Plantapon SF. In the UK, I also found it called Natural Surfactant Blend. To be sure, check the INCI name: Water, sodium cocoamphoacetate, glycerin, lauryl glucoside, sodium cocoyl glutamate, sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate
You can buy coco glucose/Planatpon SF here: US, US*, UK, UK, Spain**, Germany**
*These shops offer international shipping.
** Ships to EU countries.
Coco glucoside, another surfactant, is quite different from coco glucose, so be sure to buy the correct one.
Can I use another surfactant?
It’s possible that other types of surfactants might work, but I haven’t tried others, so I can’t say for sure. Shower gel usually comprises of 3 to 4 different surfactants to ensure enough cleaning action. Since coco glucose is a premade blend, you don’t have to use any additional surfactants.
Preservative Eco (Geogard ECT)
Preservative Eco, aka Geogard ECT, offers broad-spectrum protection and inhibits bacteria, yeast, and mold growth. The natural preservative is effective at 1%. The product consists of benzyl alcohol, salicylic acid, glycerin, and sorbic acid.
Preservative Eco can be bought here: US, UK, UK, UK, CA, CA,
If you live in Australia, I recommend a preservative called Nat Defence (Geogard Ultra).
Geogard 221 is a good option if you live in New Zealand.
Does this also work as hand soap? And is there anything that could be added to make it antibacterial?
Hi Amber! Yes, you can use the shower gel as hand wash. You could replace part of the distilled water with high-proof alcohol to give the product some antibacterial properties. Just keep in mind that alcohol will make the hand wash more drying.
I just did a quick test with isopropyl alcohol to see how it works. The recipe turned out fine, but the texture is not as thick as it would be without alcohol.
We also have a recipe for antibacterial hand soap on the blog that might be helpful to you: https://www.countryhillcottage.com/diy-antibacterial-soap/
I hope this helps and please let me know in case you have any other questions!
Hi! I can only find Cocamidopropyl Betaine as surfactant. Would that be ok?
Hi Ioama! Unfortunately, Cocamidopropyl Betaine will not work in this recipe as it behaves differently than coco glucose.
Of course, you can still use it to make shower gel. You just would have to add a thickener (e.g. xanthan gum or hydroxyethyl cellulose). I’m happy to advise more if you’d like.
Good morning pls I want to produce shower gel using glutathione as the lighting agent pls help me out
Hi Saidu! Unfortunately, I don’t have a shower gel formula using glutathione as an ingredient. Sorry about that!
Thank u
I will like to join ur website to learn more on soaps
Thank you, Fatahiya!
I made your basic shower gel today and it worked beautifully in the shower, so many bubbles and my skin felt soft and smooth.
I would like to make it into a thicker gel and attempted just adding many more drops on Lactic Acid but it never got any thicker. Is there something else along with Lactic Acid I can use to achieve a thicker gel wash?
Thanks, Kim
Hi Kim! Thank you so much for your positive feedback! To thicken the shower even further, I would suggest hydroxyethyl cellulose. Hydroxyethyl cellulose thinks shower gel beautifully and boosts the lather, so it’s a win-win. This is what you do:
1) In a small jar or beaker combine 1 tbsp glycerin with 1/2 tsp hydroxyethyl cellulose. Make sure the powder is completely dissolved in the glycerin, as otherwise you might end up with undissolved clump in your shower gel.
2) Next, add the glycerin mixture to the water/hydrosol. Mix until everything is well combined. You should notice a thickening action quickly, but it can take a while to take full effect.
3) Gently stir in the remining ingredients (coco glucose, essential oils, citric acid, preservative) until everything is combined. The mixture will look hazy but this is mostly tiny bubbles, which will dissolve within 1 to 2 days.
4) If you notice separation, simply stir until combined again.
I hope this helps you out and please let me know how it goes!
Help please
Hii, I’m trying to make the basic gel soap but using grapefruit oil as a scent. I have got the consistency correct but it smells awful like sulphur. No matter how much oil I put in it absolutely stinks. Is this because I’m using cocoglucoside and xantham gum or is it something else I really would love to make something pretty
Hi Kayte! I’m sorry you have an issue. The basic shower gel mixture is more or less odorless. So my guess it has something to do with the grapefruit essential oil. Does the shower gel mixture smell fine before you add the essential oil? And what brand of essential oils are using?
Pure grapefruit essential oil contains sulphonic volatiles but they are minimal and very unlikely to be noticeable. However, cheap oils are often not pure essential oils and can contain all sorts of synthetic chemicals and fragrances.
Please keep me updated! I’d like to figure this one out with you together.
Hello, I would really like to attempt your shower gel, however, it seems impossible to find coco glucose or any of the other names you suggested in Australia, google seems instant that I’m looking for Coco Glucoside. Could you please recommend a easy to follow recipe with this surfactant instead?
Hi Samantha! I hear you. A shower gel recipe with coco glucoside is already in the works and we’re working hard to release it soon.
In the meantime, you can try the following formula:
INGREDIENTS
240 ml / 8 oz distilled water
10 g / 0.35 oz vegetable glycerin
3 g / 0.1 oz hydroxyethyl cellulose (or xanthan gum)
80 g / 2.8 oz coco glucoside
8 g / 0.3 oz fractionated coconut oil (optional)
up to 40 drops / 2 g / 0.06 oz essential oils (optional)
2 g / 0.06 oz citric powder
5 g / 0.2 oz liquid preservative
INSTRUCTIONS
1) In a small mixing bowl, mix the hydroxyethyl cellulose (or xanthan gum) in the glycerin until completely dissolved.
2) Then pour the glycerin mixture to water and mix until blended. A milk frother work best for this job. Add the critic acid powder.
3) Mix the coco glucoside, fractionated coconut oil, and essential oils.
4) Pour the coco glucoside phase to the water mixture and stir until well combined, for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir by hand to avoid causing foam and bubbles.
5) Finally, incorporate the preservative.
Please not that shower gel with coco glucoside will cloudy, not clear.
I hope this helps you out and happy making!
Hi I want to try making a shower gel and I’m opting for avocado oil. Is it a good substitute to lemon oil?? Thanks.
Hi Maryam! Lemon oil is an essential oil (it provide fragrance), avocado oil is a carrier oil (it provides moisturization), so avocado oil isn’t exactly a substitute for lemon oil. Still, feel free to add a tablespoon or two of avocado oil to make the formula more moisturizing. Just note that the gel probably will look a bit hazy.
I hope this helps you out and happy making!
Comment *I truly appreciate your recipes. they are quite fantastic. thanks a million.
Thank you, Rosemary!
Hi! Thank you so much for the recipe.
I do not have access to coco glucose, so I have gotten coco glucoside + xanthan gum + glycerin, as per your other replies in the comments. In this case, will this shower gel recipe still work without the preservative? (It is okay if the only difference is that it lasts less time)
Thank you!
Hi Helena! The combination of coco glucoside, xanthan gum, and glycerin should work fine, but ideally you want to add a preservative as well. Without one, the shower gel and spoil quickly (within days) and that would be a waste of materials. Any liquid cosmetic preservative would work. Happy making!
Hi! I’m from Singapore and I came across your blog and wanted to try our your shower gel formula! But unfortunately I only have access to coco glucoside as they don’t ship coco glucose to Singapore! TT
May I know how should I modify your recipe if I would be using coco glucoside to create a shower gel?
Looking forward to your reply! Thanks!
Hi Sarah! There are 2 adjustments you want to make: You need a thickening agent and you should to increase the amount of lactic acid.
Thickener: Hydroxyethyl cellulose and xanthan gum are good thickeners for shower gel. Mix 1/4 to 1/2 thickener with the glycerin first. Then add it to the water and mix to form a gel. Then add the coco glucoside and any other ingredients.
pH adjustment: Coco glucoside has a high pH (11 to 12), which you need to bring down by increasing the amount of lactic or citric acid. I recommend testing the Ph yourself since the pH pf every batch of coco glucoside varies a little.
I hope this helps you out and I will try to create a shower gel with coco glucoside in the new year. Happy making!
Wow!! Thank you so much for your reply!! I will try the adjustments that you have made! Currently waiting for my ingredients to arrive ^^
Also may I ask if your recipe upon the adjustments you have made, will the end result also be a clear solution?
I am thinking of adding a little mica powder to create a nice little something so would prefer a clear solution to see the effect ^^
And happy new year to you too!
Hi Sarah! Xanthan gum makes the formula a bit hazy, hydroxyethyl cellulose is the clearer looking of the two.
Adding mica will create a lovely shimmer effect. And it doesn’t matter if you thicken with xanthan gum or hydroxyethyl cellulose – the body wash will look pretty either way. I have a peony body wash with mica that will give you an idea of what to expect.
If you want a perfectly clear sure gel and don’t mind using a non-natural ingredient, consider carbomer. But if you plan to tint the shower gel with mica, xanthan gum or hydroxyethyl cellulose are perfectly fine.
I hope this helps and Happy New Year!
Comment I would like to lean from the basics
Hi Maryam! Is there anything specific you’d like to know?
Can these be accomplished with a pre made shower gel mixture
Hi Val! I’m unsure because I never used a premade shower gel mixture. I suppose you can scent and color a premade product similar to the ones you see in the pictures. Please lket me know how it goes if your try it!
Good evening. I wish to try this recipe as it has been one of the easiest I’ve reviewed. However, the only surfactant readily available in some Caribbean countries is SCS. Can I use this? Next, would I still add the number of drops for Citric acid as again that’s what’s available? Thank you in advance for your response.
Hi Jan! I’ve developed this formula specifically for coco glucose, which is a liquid blend of different surfactants. Sadly, the recipe can’t be replicate with other surfactants. SCS is a powder so that wouldn’t work. However, I’ll put a body wash/shower gel with SCS on my project list. Do you have access to other surfactants? And what type of thickeners (e.g. xanthan gum, carrageenan gum, CMC, or carbomer) can you purchase? Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.
Hi, do I need to use solubilizer if I want to add vitamin e & olive oil or I can just add them directly to the formulation? Will it not separated if not using solubilizer/emulsifier?
Hi Scha! You can add the vitamin E and olive oil directly to the formulation. The surfactant, coco glucose, acts as a solubilizing agent and will help to disperse the oils in the shower gel. They won’t sperate. Hope this answers your questions and happy making!
May my jasmine body wash gel that work with these ingredients? : Jasmine Hydrosol: 88% /220gr + Coco Glucose (Plantapon SF, Lauryl Glucoside): 4% /10gr + Glycerin: 4% /10gr + Aloe Vera Powder: 0.4% /1gr + Mica Powder: 0.4% /1gr + Xathan Gum: 0.8% /2gr + Stearic Acid: 0.8% /2gr + Lactic Acid: 1% /2.5gr + DMDM Hydantoin: 0.4% /1gr + Jasmine Essential Oil: 20 drops
Hi Alex! Since I haven’t tried this formula, I can’t say for certain how it would work but I’d still like to help you succeed.
One thing I noticed is that the surfactant concentration is relatively low. Shower gels usually contain 15%-20% total active matter. Coco glucose has approx. 40-50% active matter, meaning the finished shower gel would only contain 1.5-2% active matter. That could work for a mild face wash or extremely mild hair wash/co-wash, but may not be enough for shower gel.
As for xanthan gum and stearic acid, you would have to test and see how they affect viscosity and slip. As I mentioned in the post, lactic acid thickens coco glucose (Plantapon SF) quite a bit, so you may need them. Xanthan gum tends to make shower gel cloudy, so you should avoid it if you want a crystal clear gel.
I hope this helps and please reach out anytime in case you have more questions!
I love your page, I’m a beginner and I will be much grateful if I’m been updated on new pages of yours through my email. To learn more from you. Thanks
Hi Aisha! You can join our list by entering your email in one of the signup forms you see on this page. We are happy to have you!
Thank you so much for sharing . Tried making this and when I add my lactic acid, it turned white . What could I be doing wrong
Tried removing the essential oils to see if it’ll be same and yes, still white
Hi, Gennie! I’m sorry you have an issue. That is really strange. One of your ingredients must contain something the lactic acid reacts with but I’m not sure what that could be. I had consistent results every time I made the body wash.
Is it possible that you used coco glucoside to make the shower gel? Because that surfactant turns white once you add lactic acid.
Are you using a hydrosol or distilled water? Does the lactic acid thicken your shower gel? What preservative and surfactant are you using?
If you prepared the shower gel with a different surfactant/preservative than that will affect the outcome.
However, you can still use your shower gel. You can add a colorant (e.g. liquid soap color) and mica powder to give it a lovely shimmer.
Please let me know the questions above so I can advise more!
I used coco glucoside thought it was the same thing .
For preservative I used liquid germal
The lactic didn’t thicken it. It turned white and watery
Hi Gennie! Okay, I see. As I explained at the end of the post, coco glucose and coco glucoside are 2 different surfactants and they behave differently.
Germall Liquid is fine.
WHITE COLOR: When I developed the shower gel formula, I tried coco glucoside and noticed the gel becoming white. The white color is actually tiny, tiny air bubbles that happen when you stir the liquids. The bubbles dissolved after awhile and the gel became clear. Every time I stirred the gel, the bubbles reappeared. Coco glucoside produces exceptional foam, more so than coco glucose, hence the the tiny bubbles.
THICKENING: You still need lactic acid to adjust the pH, but lactic acid won’t thicken coco glucoside like coco glucose.
You can make shower gel with coco glucoside if you can’t find coco glucose (Plantapon SF), but we’ll need to modify the formula a bit and add a thickening agent.
Do you have access to xanthan gum, carrageenan gum, CMC, or carbomer?
Thank you soo much . Yes I have xanthan gum and carbomer . Should I add it into the mixture ?
Do you think that would make it stop turning white ?
I could buy the Coco glucose if the mix will still be white using coco glucoside and a thickener
I love how pretty your shower gels look and I want mine to look as pretty too
Hi Gennie! If you want clear gel like mine than coco glucose (Plantapon SF) is your best option. If you can get it, that would be perfect. Sadly, coco glucose isn’t available everywhere and I’d like to help you make shower gel with the ingredients you have.
As I said, coco glucoside is very foamy. The white color are tiny bubbles that appear every time you stir the mixture and a thickener probably won’t change that. The bubbles should dissolve eventually. Does your shower gel stay white even after sitting on the counter for awhile?
Xanthan gum is a great thickener but tends to make shower gel a little hazy. Take a look at this rose body wash with xanthan gum to see for yourself.
If you want to use xanthan gum, you need to mix it with the glycerin first. Then add it to the water and mix to form a gel. Then add the coco glucoside and any other ingredients.
Carbomer produces clear gel but is trickier to work with because it ONLY thickens if the pH of the distilled water is 7 (neutral). Pure distilled water should be 7, but is often lower (around 6) because it comes in contact with air. So I can’t promise that it will work properly, but you can try anyway. This is what you do:
Sprinkle a little carbomer onto the water and stir. Carbomer forms very thick gel, so you’ll only need a small amount. Once you have the gel, stir in the coco glucoside and remaining ingredients.
I hope this helps and let me know how it goes! I’ll also work on a shower gel recipe with coco glucoside in the future.
Thank you . I’ll try the second rose body wash recipe . I can easily access most of the ingredients. Do you think using a different thicken agent like HEC gel or xanthan clear gum will make it less hazy?
Thank you so much for your extra guidance and patience . I am so grateful
Hi Gennie! I’m so glad you find this helpful.
Xanthan gum clear will still be hazy.
Hydroxyethylcellulose makes a clear gel and would be a great option to thicken body wash. Start by adding a little HEC and use a blender to incorporate it well. Then allow the HEC to hydrate and thicken. If the gel isn’t thick enough add a little more. Then add the surfactants + other ingredients. Again mix them in by hand, stirring very slowly to avoid bubbles. Bubbles are normal and should dissolve.
As you can see on the photos, some of my shower gels contain bubbles from pouring the product into the bottles. But they were all gone within 24 hrs.
Please keep me updated – I’d be interested to know how HEC works out.
Happy making!
Hi, you have written the ingredients for these shower gels in ounces and ml, but how do you work the percent for each ingredients? Thanks
Hi Sam! Calculating the percentages is pretty easy:
First, you calculate the net/total weight: 180 g (water) + 120 g (surfactant) + 20 g (glycerin) + 3 g (preservative) + 2.5 g (lactic acid) + 2 g (essential oils) = 327.5 g (product) = 100%
Then, divide the individual ingredient amounts by the net weight:
WATER: 180 ÷ 327.5 = 0.549 = 54.9% (I would round this up to 55%)
SURFACTANT: 120 ÷ 327.5 = 0.366 = 36.6%
GLYCERIN: 20 ÷ 327.5 = 0.061 = 6.1%
PRESERVATIVE: 3 ÷ 327.5 = 0.009 = 0.9% (rounded up to 1%)
LACTIC ACID: 2.5 ÷ 327.5 = 0.007 = 0.7%
ESSENTIAL OILS: 2 ÷ 327.5 = 0.006 = 0.6%
Finally, test your calculation by adding up the individual percentages (must equal 100): 55% + 36.6% + 6.1% + 1% + 0.7% + 0.6% = 100%
I hope this helps you out and please let me know in case you have another question!
Your recipes are so easy to follow . Tank you so much
Can Aloe Vera liquid be used in place of distilled water? Like half aloe, half distilled water?
Do you think this will work
Thank you so much, Sheryl! Yes, half aloe vera + half distilled water should work fine. Ideally, you want use liquid aloe vera. If you use a thick aloe vera gel, the body wash might turn out a little too thick. Please let me know how it goes and happy making!
Do you have a book that I can buy? Thanks for all the information your very generous to share.
Thank you so much, Magdalena! We currently don’t have any products forsake but are considering it. Is there anything in particular you’d like to learn?
What preservative is the best for shower gel. Plz let me know.
Hi Elena! I used Preservative Eco (Geogard ECT) for this shower get recipe. You could also use Optiphen Plus or another liquid, water-soluble preservative. Happy making!
I’ve tried this recipe but not much lather and it’s kind of water how can I get it to have more lather and thicken up?
Hi Meme! I’m sorry you have an issue. What surfactant did you use? If the shower gel doesn’t thicken up, you may have used coco glucoside instead of coco glucose.
This is the best info on how to make your own.Absolutely love it.
Thank you
Thank you so much, Louisa!