Woodsy, soft, and earthy essential oil body wash for quiet strength.

If you ever feel easily distracted, today’s recipe is for you! 

The oils in this essential oil body wash recipe are grounding: they help bring your awareness more fully into your body. They can soothe worries and center your thoughts so you feel less distracted, and more at ease in your physical environment—filled with a sense of calm, quiet strength.

Sensual base and middle notes

We’re working with essential oils that have base notes and middle notes. 

They smell deep, earthy, and sensual. Natural perfumers love them, because they lend such lasting depth to perfumes and colognes. 

You can experience profound relaxation
with oils that have base and middle notes.

Most of this essential oil body wash recipe’s cleansing power comes from the castile soap. It’s very gentle (even for sensitive skin), yet it washes away dirt and microbes easily. And the four essential oils in the recipe also have microbe-reducing components, so you feel extra squeaky clean!

Sweet & Sensual Essential Oil Body Wash

• 8 oz (240 ml) Castile soap
• 40 drops Tamala essential oil (Cinnamomum tamala ct. linalool)
• 30 drops Cedarwood essential oil (Juniperus virginiana)
• 25 drops Ghandi Root essential oil (Homalomena aromatica)
• 25 drops Sweet Marjoram essential oil (Origanum majorana)

Make your essential oil body wash recipe in a 250 ml bottle with a foamer pump.

Pour the castile soap into the bottle, making sure to leave space at the top. (The foamer pump takes up some space.) 

Add the essential oils, close the bottle, and shake well before use. This body wash works for both showers and baths. Try using it along with a homemade bath salt, like this one: Hot Springs in the Forest Bath Salt! 

About the essential oils in this body wash recipe

Tamala essential oil

Cinnamomum tamala ct. linalool

Tamala oil has a warm, soft, cinnamon-caramel aroma. It’s unique and exotic!

It’s rich in two components that help reduce the presence of germs: linalool and 1,8-cineole. Linalool can also calm the nervous system. Tamala is one of my favorite oils for creating a relaxing atmosphere where I can focus on a project.

Cedarwood essential oil

Juniperus virginiana

I love using Cedarwood oil to inspire feelings of security and confidence. Its warm, soft, woody scent is protective and familiar. 

Cedarwood is also rich in a few components that we rarely find in other oils—such as cedrol—which studies have shown to help reduce certain types of germs, and to relax the nervous system.

Ghandi Root essential oil

Homalomena aromatica

Like Tamala, Ghandi Root is rich in linalool, so we know it’s effective for feeling serene and centered! 

Ghandi Root also contains terpinen-4-ol, a germ-reducing component which is useful for getting microbes out of our homes (and off our skin). This oil has a bold, earthy, sensual aroma that adds depth to our essential oil body wash recipe.

Sweet Marjoram essential oil

Origanum majorana

Another oil rich in terpinen-4-ol! 

I love the way Sweet Marjoram’s woody, herbaceous scent can help people release worries. Sweet Marjoram is a reassuring oil, and has a gentle warming effect that can bring more awareness to the area where it’s applied. In our body wash recipe, that means it helps us feel more connected to our physical bodies.

If you’ve ever made body wash or shower gel, I’d love to see your tips for how to personalize it. Share them in the comments to inspire others!

CITATIONS
Edwards-Jones, V., Buck, R., Shawcross S.G., Dawson, M.M. and Dunn, K. (2004) The effect of essential oils on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using a dressing model. Burns 30, 8, 772-777.

Cermelli, C., Fabio, A., Fabio, G. and Quaglio, P. (2008) Effect of eucalyptus essential oil on respiratory bacteria and viruses. Current Microbiology 56, 1, 89-92. 

Buchbauer, G., Jirovetz, L., Jager, W., Plank, C. and Dietrich, H. (1993) Fragrance compounds and essential oils with sedative effects upon inhalation. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 82, 6, 660-664.

Selim SA, Adam ME, Hassan SM, Albalawi AR (2014) Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of the essential oil and methanol extract of the Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.). BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 14, 179. Available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/14/179

Enshaieh, S., Jooya, A., Siadat, A.H. and Iraji, F. (2007) The efficacy of 5% topical tea tree oil gel in mild to moderate acne vulgaris: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy 73, 1, 22-25.