Make Lavender Liquid Hand Soap

This season I'd like to add occasional tips about using herbs to make common household chores and activities more pleasant, eco-friendly or inexpensive. Over the years, I've tried lots of ways to incorporate herbs into my daily life. Some have worked and some . . . well, not so much. One thing I have learned is that herbs can make me feel that I lead a more graceful existence, whether I'm using them to make something time intensive, like a candle, or something easy, like adding fragrance to soap. This last is my offering today. I use liquid soap around the house via dispensers that I refill with 64 oz. bulk liquid soap from the market.

After using generic liquid hand soap for a while, I decided that it was gloppy and smelled bland. To get more value for the purchase and give it an individual stamp, I add around 30 percent distilled water to the mixture. This makes the soap less viscous and gives me more volume. When I'm adding the water, I put in about 25 drops of lavender essential oil. The oil smells wonderful and has relaxing properties too. I buy scentless soap, but on occasion I've used antibacterial varieties. Antibacterial soap typically doesn't have a fragrance, but it's a lurid orange that's hard to love. I put a few sprigs of lavender in the dispensers to liven them up too.

If you'd like to give this method a try, you can find lavender essential oil, or another herb fragrance you enjoy, like rose or geranium, at any craft supply outlet.

This is admittedly a small change, but put a few of them together and you'll be filling your life with the fragrances and textures of herbs year round. You'll also be saving money and making some eco-friendly choices that will keep your family, property and planet safer.

Special Note: A container of distilled water will last for months, and you can easily use it for other herb related projects.