I’ve been making this gentle soap also known as mild baby shampoo for three years now. Initially, I made it for my daughter because soaps especially formulated for babies and children are unjustifiably expensive. I was only using it for my daughter, but one day I had ran out of my shower gel and had to use hers. And I loved it. I had used Dr Bronner’s soaps on their own before, but I found they made my skin a bit too dry. However, in this formula, the skin is left moisturised and replenished. I wouldn’t recommend it as a shampoo for adults, it didn’t really work on my hair, but it’s great for kids’ hair. It’s also quite cheap to make, so there’s really no downside to it.

This recipe is adapted from the one featured in Mayim Bialik’s book, Beyond the Sling, which by the way, if you have kids or are planning to, you should definitely read.

Shower Gel/ Baby & Kids’ Shampoo

180ml/ 3/4 cup Dr Bronner’s Pure Castille Soap, liquid or any other castile liquid soap

250ml/1 cup water

2 Tsp carrier oil, such as Argan oil (you can also use olive, coconut, avocado, jojoba)

10 drops essential oil (I like to use Rose or Orange)

Combine everything together in a spray bottle and mix well to combine. This is quite concentrated, so for babies and kids you will only need a very small amount.