Have you ever thought about making your own soap, free from all harmful additives? This recipe for baby-soft skin soap is taken from Holly Daffurn and Samantha Quinn’s book The Natural Baby – but it will also be very useful for grown-ups with sensitive skin.

Ingredients:
Sunflower oil
450g (16oz) water
225g (8oz) vegetable soap (grated and unscented)
30g (1oz) beeswax
30g (1oz) cocoa butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp oatmeal (finely ground)
1 tbsp honey (gently warmed)

1. Grease a soap mould with a little sunflower oil.
2. Heat the water until just before it boils and add the grated soap while stirring. Stir occasionally until melted and use a blender (with a little extra water) until it has a smooth texture. Then pour back into the saucepan.
3. When the soap is melted, add the beeswax, cocoa butter and coconut oil, and stir over a low heat until everything is combined.
4. Remove from the heat and add the oatmeal, ensuring that you mix it thoroughly. Add the honey and mix well.
5. Pour the mixture into the mould and cover with greaseproof paper. Leave for around 24 hours to set.
6. Take it out of the mould and leave for another 24 hours wrapped in the greaseproof paper.

Samantha Quinn and Holly Daffurn The Natural Baby

Available in the US from 1 September 2017