If you suffer from dry skin eczema in your hands you may be making it worse every time you wash them! In this article I will tell you why, and then give you an easy DIY Liquid Hand Soap Recipe specifically for eczema sufferers. This recipe was one of my first DIY household recipes and I still make it on a regular basis because it works so well.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am a full time mother and eczema sufferer and everything that I share here is what has worked for me. Always contact your health care provider for medical advice and use your own best judgment when testing new things out on your own body.
Why I NEVER use antibacterial soap!
One step that I outline in my FREE printable Guide: How to Handle an Eczema Flare Up is that at best you need to use products that facilitate healing, or, at least use products which are not making your outbreak worse.
Whenever I so much as looked at antibacterial soap during an eczema flare up I would cringe!
I knew from experience the exquisite pain that I was in for after the soap had viciously stripped away my hands’ natural oils.
Before I began my tallow journey I never could find a skin cream that would even come close to replenishing those lost oils and my hands would crack and bleed with the dryness and trauma caused by using antibacterial soap. I then began making my own version of tallow balm called Tallowed Touch which I make and sell for you who are suffering from dry skin and dry skin eczema.
In my opinion, though there may be a time and place to use antibacterial soap, people suffering from dyshidrotic eczema (aka pompholyx) or any other severe dry skin condition should avoid it at all costs.
Using antibacterial hand soap during an outbreak of eczema is like pouring lemon juice on an open wound. If you are suffering from an eczema flare up, using antibacterial soap will simply make it worse.
This recipe offers a gentle yet cleansing DIY liquid hand soap that will take much better care of your hands. Paired with a nourishing and emollient tallow balm like my Tallowed Touch, or a vegetarian skin cream that contains shea butter, cocoa butter and beeswax, your hands will feel better than they have in a long time.
A Note on Moisturizing Your Hands After Washing:
The best time to use a skin cream is directly after you have washed and dried your hands. The emollient locks in the moisture and penetrates your skin better than if you use it on dry hands.
To read more about dyshidrotic eczema (pompholyx) and my own eczema story, read What is Dyshidrotic Eczema? and How to Handle an Eczema Flare Up.
Also, I just updated my FREE printable Guide: How to Handle an Eczema Flare Up, which you can access by subscribing to the Mother Makings Newsletter. Feel free to unsubscribe at ANY time.
Do you have eczema and have you ever noticed this issue with antibacterial soap?
Easy DIY Liquid Hand Soap Recipe for Eczema
Equipment
- 1 glass bottle with pump
- 1 glass measuring cup
- measuring spoons
Materials
- 1-2 cups de-ionized, distilled water boiled water can be used in a pinch
- 3-4 tablespoons liquid castile soap I use Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap – use Baby Unscented for sensitive skin
- 1 teaspoon organic extra virgin olive oil You can also use avocado oil or sunflower oil
- 6-10 drops organic palmarosa essential oil for scent (optional) If your hands are very painful and sensitive you may want to wait to try making it with essential oils until they have begun healing a bit.
Instructions
- Fill bottle ¾ full of water.
- Add soap, oil and essential oil(s) if you choose to use them.
- Top off the mixture with more water but leave room for the pump.
- Screw on the pump lid, tip a few times to mix then it is ready to use! Enjoy!
Notes
- Glass is always preferable for containers as it is nonreactive.
- Always choose oil that is Organic, Extra Virgin and First Cold Pressed whenever possible.
- Be very light on the essential oils if you choose to use them to avoid irritating your skin. As you get your eczema under control you can experiment with more essential oils.
- To learn more about essential oil use with children and during pregnancy I recommend reading these well written articles by Christina Anthis of The Hippy Homemaker: Safe Essential Oil Use with Babies & Children and Using Essential Oils Safely for Pregnant & Nursing Mamas.
