Bathing with Herbs - Gel Soap

This recipe is a great way to use your harvest of fresh herbs this time of year.  Check out the alternatives for others herbs to try.

Chamomile Gel Soap

6 cups water

1 ½ cups ground chamomile

2 cups grated castile soap

½ cup borax

Heat water and chamomile until boiling.  Simmer for ½ hour and steep until cool.  Strain out the chamomile.  Meanwhile, shred with a fine grater, castile or other pure mild soap.  Reheat 3 cups of cooled chamomile tea to a boil.  Add soap and ½ cup borax.  Stir and boil for 2 minutes, then cool.  Pour into pretty container and keep covered.

Alternatives:  Use whole leaves of the following herbs and strain out once steeped and cooled instead of chamomile.  Lemon grass for oily skin, peppermint for astringent soap, lavender for washing lingerie.  If you like scent, you can add about ¼ ounce of essential oil, but avoid bergamot or pennyroyal as they irritate sensitive skin.

Check out the many Bath items of the Backyard Patch.