DIY Liquid Soap Recipe with Neem Oil for Dogs and People with Problem Skin
I have a miniature dachshund who is, unfortunately, prone to some not so pleasant skin conditions much like eczema in people. With this of course there is itching and some flaking. Often times giving poor Jasper a bath actually makes his skin worse. So I decided to try a natural dog shampoo with neem oil. While I initially concocted this liquid soap recipe for my dog, it also works well on people. You can use it as a facial wash or a body wash to help with conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, dandruff – even athlete’s foot. The neem oil is super effective at combating these skin conditions, however, it does stink to high heaven so be prepared.
DIY Natural Homemade Dog & People Body Wash with Neem Oil
Ingredients:
8 fluid oz. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Unscented Baby-Mild Pure Liquid Castile Soap
2 Tablespoons Organic Neem Oil
.5 oz. Shea Butter (or about 1 1/2 Tablespoons)
Instructions:
Using a digital kitchen scale
, weigh out the shea butter. Melt the shea butter in the microwave, then combine with the liquid soap and neem oil and gently stir until thoroughly combined. Then use a funnel to pour into a container. I upcycled a Method liquid soap bottle for this purpose. (And yes, I buy soap even though I make soap. I just fell in love with the Orla Kiely designs. Allow to cool completely then use as you would a regular dog shampoo, face or body wash.
If you can’t stand the scent of the neem oil, you can tone it down by adding a small amount – up to .16 oz. (or 2%) – of another essential oil such as lavender or lemongrass. This recipe is specifically for treating skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and athlete’s foot. For dandruff or acne, use up to .4 oz. (by weight) or up to 5% per 8 oz. (by weight) of liquid soap or shampoo. Neem oil is also excellent at deterring fleas.
To help soothe eczema and psoriasis out of the tub or shower, be sure to try my natural lanolin and neem salve recipe. I gifted some of this to someone at work who suffers from severe psoriasis and he found it did a lot to help his psoriasis. He also found it very soothing.
