Wash your hands with a DIY hand soap made with wintery essential oils

This winter foaming hand soap recipe includes three types of mint essential oil and one conifer. 

The overall effect is crisp and refreshing—like being in a snowy evergreen forest as the sun sets. 

In addition to their cool, penetrating aromas, these essential oils help reduce the presence of a variety of germs. While the castile soap in this recipe does the real work in getting rid of microbes, the essential oils add a layer of purification for your skin, and support for your immunity.

Cool Mints & Forest Foaming Hand Soap for Winter

• 7 oz (210 ml) Castile soap
• 40 drops Spearmint essential oil (Mentha spicata)
• 30 drops Peppermint essential oil (Mentha × piperita)
• 20 drops Black Spruce essential oil (Picea mariana)
• 10 drops Wintergreen essential oil (Gaultheria fragrantissima)

Make your winter foaming hand soap in an 8 oz (240 ml) foam soap bottle. (That’s big enough for your kitchen or bathroom sink.)

The foamer pump top of the bottle is what creates the foam effect. It’s a little bulky, so we’re not filling the bottle all the way up with castile soap. We’re only using 7 oz of soap in an 8 oz bottle.

Add the essential oils into the castile soap.

Close up the foamer pump top and shake well.

Wash your hands!

Let’s take a closer look at the essential oils in this foaming hand soap recipe.

Spearmint essential oil
Mentha spicata

Spearmint essential oil helps reduce the presence of germs while encouraging immune health. It’s especially useful if you’re trying to prevent fungus with natural cleaning products.

This mint oil contains a high percentage of ketones, and is known for supporting respiratory health.  Spearmint oil in particular is also good for inspiring a sense of clear-headed, calm energy.

Peppermint essential oil
Mentha × piperita

Like Spearmint, Peppermint is a perfect natural cleaning oil!

Peppermint’s main component is menthol, a monoterpenol which has a purifying effect against germs, and a cooling effect on the skin. Menthol stimulates cold-receptive nerves, making the brain think the area is cool. This is also why Peppermint oi is so invigorating! It can open your breath and refresh your body and mind.

Black Spruce essential oil
Picea mariana

Black Spruce lends an enchanting evergreen element to our winter foaming hand soap recipe. 

Containing a combination of esters and monoterpenes, this rich, piney conifer oil works hand-in-hand with the mints to reduce germs and protect respiratory health (especially when you want to take deep breaths into your chest). 

Black Spruce’s calming presence brings balance to the lively mint oils. Learn more about this conifer oil and how to use it to balance your energy levels (this is useful if you’re fatigued).

Wintergreen essential oil
Gaultheria fragrantissima

Wintergreen oil adds a sweet note to this winter foaming hand soap recipe.

In addition to clearing microbes and supporting healthy breathing, this ester-rich oil can help you feel energized and focused. 

Wintergreen oil comes with some significant safety precautions. Leave it out of this recipe if you have pets, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are taking anticoagulant medications. You can simply skip the Wintergreen oil, or replace it with more Peppermint.

Another cool benefit of your Cool Mints & Forest Foaming Hand Soap . . .

All of these essential oils are intensely soothing for sore muscles and joints!

Feel free to spend a little time massaging your hands before rinsing off the soap suds.