This DIY Body Wash Is a Smart Solution—In More Ways Than One

Nothing puts a damper on a soothing, steamy shower like lathering up in questionable chemicals. Trade the store-bought body wash for this homemade formula. Made from water, basic bar soap and coconut milk and stored in a reusable bottle, it's a kinder cleanser for your skin, your wallet, and the environment.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Time Required: 15 Minutes

• Bar of soap, your choice (You can use as many bars as you'd like, depending on how much body wash you plan to make)
• Cheese grater
• Coconut milk (optional)
• Water
• Measuring cup
• Soup pot
• Spoon (for stirring)
• Plastic bottle

1. Grate the soap into a bowl.

2. Add the grated soap to a soup pot over yours stove. Turn the burner on to medium-low heat.

3. Add 4 cups of water to the pot for each bar of soap that you grate. So 1 bar of soap would require 4 cups of water, 2 bars of soap would require 8 cups of water, and so on.

4. Warm the mixture, stirring as needed, until the soap dissolves and the mixture appears milky.

5. Optional step: Add 1 cup of coconut milk to make a moisturizing soft soap.

6. Let the mixture cool and transfer to either a pump-handle container or a closed cap container. You may opt to use a funnel to avoid making a mess. Tip: Save your empty plastic shampoo or lotion bottles, which are perfect to clean and reuse for your homemade body wash.