• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Savor + Savvy logo

  • Recipe Index
    • Air Fryer
    • Instant Pot
    • Slow Cooker
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Dessert
    • Freezer Cooking & Make Ahead Meals
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes
  • Tips
    • Substitutions
    • Air Fryer How-To
  • Printables
  • Shop
    • Our Printables
    • Things We Love
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Printables
  • Shop
×
Home » Tips

DIY Dove Body Wash from Bar Soap

Published: May 26, 2014 · Modified: Feb 1, 2023 by Ginny · This post may contain affiliate links.

Pin49K
Share
Yum
Tweet
49K Shares

This post was 100% inspired by you guys! Several of you commented about how you make your own body wash from bar soap. I figured it was time I gave it a try and decided to go with a DIY Dove body wash.

bar of soap and a cheese grater to make homemade dove soap
Contents hide
1 🧼 Ingredients
2 Instructions
3 👩 Benefits
4 📌 Items to Note
5 👍 Variations
6 🚸 Safe For Kids

Updated February 2020

After a bit of trial and error, I finally came up with what I consider to be a good (for my liking) recipe. The consistency and the scent are the same as a Dove body wash, but there are fewer bubbles.

🧼 Ingredients

Dove soap – Make sure the bar of soap says “beauty bar”, pictured below. It may not turn out the same with another soap. I would love to hear if you had success with another variety, though. Please drop a comment.

Please note: These instructions only apply to the dove beauty bar. I have only tried this with this type of bar soap and I’m in no way a soap-making expert, so unfortunately can’t offer much help with troubleshooting! Commenters that have tried it with different types of soaps have had very mixed experiences.

Coconut Oil – I only recently started using coconut oil and I don’t know why it has taken me so long. It is a great moisturizer by itself, and I have even used it on my face before I apply makeup.

Reader Jessy said: “Love this recipe! I tried it out using Ivory soap, ended up remelting and adding water a few times, but I finally got the texture right with 113g of Ivory, 750ml of water, and 30g of coconut oil. Once I was pleased with the texture, I added ylang ylang and blood orange EOs for scent. Heavenly.”

Bar of Dove Soap that reads "Beauty Bar"
Make sure the Bar of Soap is a “Beauty Bar”

Instructions

Ratio: 1 Bar of Soap to 1 Cup of Water. Add One TBSP of Coconut Oil, if you desire but it is not necessary.

Step One: Use a cheese grater to grate bars of dove soap into a large bowl. It took me about 20 minutes to complete the two bars while watching TV.

Step Two: Bring water to a simmer. Be sure to use a rather large pot over medium heat.

Step Three: When the water is simmering, mix in grated soap and coconut oil using a spatula. Do not use a whisk. It will create too many bubbles. Mix consistently (but not non-stop) until soap is melted. Mine simmered for about seven to ten minutes.

Step Four: Remove from heat and let it sit uncovered in the pot. Set timer for two hours. Once the timer goes off, stir once, then bottle it up into a squeezable container using a funnel.

Here’s a picture of how thick the consistency of the DIY body wash is! Pretty close to the “real thing!”

dove body wash soap mix in the pan after it has simmered and rested for two hours.  It is thick and creamy
Thick and Creamy is the Texture You Want

I actually let mine sit for four hours, but it was almost too thick to pour. So, I recommend just bottling it up after the first two hours. It will continue to thicken once it’s in the bottles. I used a rinsed shampoo bottle and a mason jar to store mine. The mason jar was a HUGE mistake since I couldn’t get the soap out because it thickened so much. So definitely go with squeezable plastic containers!

In total, this makes about 28 ounces, which is 4 ounces more than a typical bottle of Dove Body Wash.

And now, it’s time for the true test, the cost breakdown:

Cost Breakdown:

  • 4-pack of Dove bars (Used 1/2 package, so this cost is for two bars): $2.50
  • Coconut Oil: $0.25
  • Total Cost to DIY: $2.75 (for 28oz)

Cost Comparison:

  • Cost of Dove Body Wash In-Store: $5.49 (24 oz)
  • Cost of DIY Version: $2.75 (28 oz)
  • Cost per Ounce (Store Bought): $0.23
  • Cost per ounce (DIY): $0.10
  • Savings if you DIY: 50%

👩 Benefits

There are many benefits to making your own body wash. The number one benefit is the money 💰 you will save. If you have purchased body wash any time recently, you already know that it’s super expensive. There is no need to spend a lot of money on something that you could easily make yourself. 

All of the ingredients and the dove body wash container on the table with text overlay
Simple Steps for Your Own Body Wash

You’re in control of the ingredients. I bought commercially made soap many times over the years, but I enjoy homemade soap so much more. I know exactly what goes into it and what I am putting on my body. That’s a big deal! 

Reader Laura pointed out: “A great reason to do this is to cut down on the use of plastic. You can refill an old Dove body wash bottle over and over again.”

📌 Items to Note

Food Processor: Believe it or not, you can grate the soap in your food processor. You’ll need to cut the bar of soap in smaller pieces for it to work. I recommend cutting the bar into 4-6 pieces and then placing them in the food processor. Then you’ll need to pulse a few times. Take the lid off and move any large pieces that seem stuck. Then turn it on again. Continue doing this until it’s a very fine mixture. 

This method is excellent if you don’t have a grater or just don’t want to take the time to grate it the old fashioned way. Nothing wrong with trying to save yourself some time along the way. 

Make sure you clean the food processor well after you use it.  You don’t want soap flavored food! 

Reader Julie’s tip: “I found a great way to handle the tedious grating. Place the bar soap in the refrigerator over night, whole or cut into squares. Throw the pieces in the blender or food processor and you’ll have powdered soap quickly. For a whole, cold bar, just cut it with a knife. It will splinter into small pieces and you can skip the appliances if you like.”

Storage: On average, the homemade body wash will last about a year. It may last a little longer than that, but for the best results, use it within a year. I will often make up a really large batch, and I have a few containers ready to go whenever I need them. It’s nice that it lasts so long. 

Hand Soap: It is completely fine to use this body wash as hand soap. Just put it in a pump dispenser and use it as needed.

👍 Variations

While I haven’t tried adding tons of other ingredients in the homemade soap, here are a few ideas to try. Go ahead and experiment a little bit. Keep in mind when adding additional ingredients, the texture may change, so do a little bit at a time for trial and error. Check out these ideas:

  • Honey – It’s amazing how good honey is for your skin. Add ¼ – ⅓ cup of honey per batch for some added nutrients for your skin. 
  • Vitamin E – If your skin is extra dry or you are just looking for a great way to give your skin some added moisture, vitamin E is the way to go. Start with ½ – 1 teaspoon. 
  • Olive Oil – Don’t worry if you are out of coconut oil and still want to make soap. You can easily use olive oil instead. It’s terrific for your skin and will help it feel silky and smooth. The coconut oil will solidify at room temperature, but the olive oil won’t – so expect the end result to have a different texture.
  • Essential Oils – Add in 20 drops of your favorite oil combinations. Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, and ylang-ylang are a few of my favorites. 

🚸 Safe For Kids

The only ingredients are soap, water, and coconut oil (and the coconut oil can be omitted if you want.) All of these ingredients are safe for kids. If your children are really little, then I recommend using the Baby Dove Bars instead. That way, it’s a little more gentle on their skin. This is especially important if your kiddo has extra sensitive skin. 

Updates: 

Some readers noted that this recipe turned out too watery for them. While I have had great results with this specific ratio, some commenters have mentioned that they achieved better results with a ratio of two cups of water, to one bar of soap.

My thinking behind adding the coconut oil was to help with thickening (since coconut oil solidifies at room temperature) and to provide a bit of extra moisture. I haven’t personally tested this recipe without the coconut oil. If you are going to omit the coconut oil, I’d probably use the two cups of water to one bar of soap ratio that some have suggested.  But again, I haven’t tried those alterations myself, so can’t tell you 100% if they’ll work.

Ginny
Ginny

Hi!

Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.

savorandsavvy.com/about-me/
DIY Dove Body Wash from Bar Soap
Pin49K
Share
Yum
Tweet
49K Shares
« 22 Money Saving Tips for Beginners
Homemade Reusable Face Wipes – Easy DIY Project for Pennies a Week! »

About Ginny

Hi!

Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle says

    September 04, 2023 at 2:34 am

    Thank you! I am so glad I found this, also thanks for adding the variations!
    My teenagers & my hubby ( has a construction business) use a lot of soap, so I feel like i am constantly buying it! I am just happy that my step son’s shower half the time bc my goodness they get stinky, so I figure I would pick my battles. LOL!

    Reply
    • Ginny says

      September 20, 2023 at 9:06 am

      That’s fantastic!!! So happy for you guys!

      Reply
  2. Marilyn says

    June 22, 2023 at 5:32 pm

    Is there a printable recipe available?

    Reply
    • Ginny says

      August 10, 2023 at 9:50 am

      No, there isn’t. I might just need to make a printable version though. Great idea!!

      Reply
  3. Sharell says

    January 04, 2023 at 2:38 pm

    Hello, are you using distilled water?

    Reply
    • Ginny says

      January 10, 2023 at 3:13 pm

      Yes, if you can find it!

      Reply
  4. Ginger Johnson says

    June 06, 2022 at 12:21 pm

    You can also melt the dove in the microwave at 30 second intervals to save grating. 😊

    Reply
  5. Dee Johnston says

    May 15, 2022 at 10:15 pm

    I would like to make this and wondering if I could use the Dove (Care Bar) Antibacterial soap in place of the Beauty Bar??? I’ve got 4 bars from a previous surgery. Thank you for the wonderful instructions. I can’t hardly wait to try.

    Reply
  6. Dee Smith says

    May 13, 2021 at 7:20 pm

    I have to use antibacterial soap on my body due to a skin condition. I don’t like the color nor the scent of regular liquid antibacterial soap. So I found your recipe, shaved two bars of Dial, and heated it up in 24 oz of water. So far, so good!! I put it in an empty pump dispenser for the shower and it is great!!!

    Reply
    • Ginny says

      May 18, 2021 at 7:44 am

      Excellent!! I’m so happy for you!! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  7. Winona Powell says

    November 29, 2020 at 9:52 pm

    I’m sorry but it wasn’t clear to me on the amounts in the recipe other than the 2 bars of grated Dove soap, so how much water and how much coconut oil please?
    Thanks so very much ❣️
    Winona

    Reply
    • Ginny says

      November 30, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      Winona! Thank you for asking me to clarify!! I appreciate that a lot as I want to make sure it is clear and when I read it as a newbie, I can definitely see the confusion so I put the ratio that the top of Instructions for all! 1 bar of soap to 1 cup of water. The coconut oil is optional. So you can do the 3 bars of soap and 3 cups of water….then if you wanted the coconut oil you can add a little bit to it, a tablespoon to each ratio. In the older comments, a lot of people said they don’t even feel like they need the coconut oil so don’t go out and buy it if you don’t have it. Thanks again for stopping by and for helping me assist others!! Our readers rock!! Ginny

      Reply
  8. Kim says

    September 19, 2020 at 1:44 pm

    So i just finished making this. 1 1/2 hours letting it cool (not the 2 hrs) it was 1 whole round slime like solid. I used 1/2 cup hot water added to pot and stirred. Seems ok. Didnt make much though. Maybe 2 cups. Will be able to try soon. May have to try a double batch because children use a lot!
    Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Ginny says

      September 26, 2020 at 1:02 pm

      Kim, that sounds about right. Kids do use a lot! lol!!! But the little bit of time it takes to save money wins me over every time! lol!!! Ginny

      Reply
      • Cari says

        August 07, 2022 at 2:42 pm

        Haven’t read all of the comments, but has anyone tried (with success) to make this using a crock pot?

        Reply
  9. Laura says

    June 15, 2020 at 6:30 pm

    A great reason to do this is to cut down on the use of plastic. You can refill an old Dove body wash bottle over and over again. The Dove bar boxes are recyclable, although they are in a cellophane wrapper when you buy them I bulk. Regardless, it reduces your plastic usage overall.

    Reply
    • Ginny says

      June 16, 2020 at 9:19 am

      Excellent point, Laura!! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
    • Debbie says

      February 17, 2021 at 9:36 pm

      Hi Ginny!
      I just made a batch using scented Dove beauty bars. I didn’t want to use my good coconut oil for soap, but I had some olive oil in the house which had passed its edible date, so I figured “why not?”.
      I used an old-fashioned grater for the soap bars, and opted for a rubber scraper rather than a spatula for stirring. 😉
      I wanted to add essential oils, but since the beauty bars were already scented, it seemed rather redundant.
      The finished soap turned out just as smooth and creamy as commercially produced products! I’m very happy with the results!

      Reply
      • Ginny says

        February 21, 2021 at 8:51 am

        I’m so glad this worked out so well for you! Hooray!

        Reply
  10. Rose says

    October 17, 2018 at 2:39 am

    Sorry if this is a stupid question but must one use an old pot to make the body wash? Wondered if the smell from the soap stays in the pot!

    Reply
  11. Heather says

    September 07, 2018 at 7:49 pm

    I used my food processor for the shredding and it worked great. I followed your recipe and my body wash didn’t turn out as thick as yours and I actually came up with about 32 oz! I’m excited to use it!

    Reply
    • Linda says

      May 29, 2021 at 12:49 pm

      I made this liquid soap. My hands have been so dry and dove bar soap recommended by the dermatologist. My hands are so smooth with much less dryness. This is such a simple solution.

      Reply
      • Ginny says

        June 01, 2021 at 9:45 am

        So happy to hear this!! Cheers! Ginny

        Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Family Photo Hi! I'm Ginny and for over 30 years, I've been creating simple and easy recipes without sacrificing on taste for our family on the go. I can't wait to show you how to do the same for your family. Read More...

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search

join our facebook community for printables.

As Featured In

graphic showing all of the publications that feature Savor and Savvy.

Popular Posts

bowl of teriyaki chicken over a bed of white rice, two chopsticks and sprinkled with sesame seeds

Honey Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

This oven baked eggs recipe is an easy fix for rushed morning breakfasts! These eggs are baked in muffin pans and are ready in just 15 minutes.

How to Bake Eggs in Oven in Muffin Tin {15 Minutes Meal Prep}

How to Clean Stove Drip Pans Naturally

top down view of a desk with three printable pages on top.

Dot Grid Paper Printable for Bullet Journaling + Planners: U.S. Letter, 8×10, A4, A5, A6 and Pocket, Personal Sizes

Adorable pet care binder cover sheet with paw prints and a grey heat

Adorable Pet Care Binder FREE 12 Pages of Printable Worksheets

After cooking, the livers will be golden brown as shown on this air fryer tray

Air Fryer Chicken Livers

Medical binder printables on pink background next to decorative heart and stethoscope.

Medical Binder Printables (FREE Worksheets Included)

This easy cilantro lime rice recipe will feed your chipotle cravings, without having to leave home! This easy side dish is the perfect addition to a homemade burrito bowl or any other simple meal requiring an extra kick of flavor.

Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Policy

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.