What it is, what it does, where to get it.

Shea butter

Rich, unrefined butter from the African shea tree. The backbone of body butters and balms.

Aussie Soap Supplies, N-Essentials, Escentials of Australia, Biome. Health-food shops stock small tubs.

$8–12 per 250 g

Buy unrefined (ivory, nutty smell) for the most actives.

Coconut oil

Solid below 24 °C, liquid above. Antimicrobial, softening, cheap.

Any supermarket (cooking aisle). Woolworths, Coles, Aldi.

$6–10 per 500 ml

Virgin for skin; refined (odourless) if you dislike the smell.

Jojoba oil

Technically a liquid wax, closest match to human sebum. Absorbs fast, never goes rancid.

The Jojoba Company (Australian-grown), Chemist Warehouse, N-Essentials.

$15–25 per 100 ml

Sweet almond oil

Light, softening carrier oil.

Chemist Warehouse, health-food shops, Aussie Soap Supplies.

$8–12 per 250 ml

Olive oil

Penetrating oleic acid; great for infusions.

Supermarket. Use extra virgin.

$8–15 per 500 ml

Rosehip oil

Cold-pressed seed oil rich in vitamin A precursors. Goes off quickly — buy small.

Kosmea and Trilogy (NZ/AU brands) at Chemist Warehouse and Priceline; N-Essentials for bulk.

$20–35 per 30 ml

Squalane

Plant-derived (sugar cane or olive) lightweight oil. Non-comedogenic.

N-Essentials, Aussie Soap Supplies, The Ordinary (Priceline).

$15–20 per 30 ml

Argan oil

Moroccan oil for hair shine and skin.

Chemist Warehouse, N-Essentials.

$15–25 per 50 ml

Beeswax

Firms balms and seals moisture. Buy pellets for easy melting.

Local beekeepers and farmers' markets (cheapest), Aussie Soap Supplies, craft shops (Spotlight).

$10–15 per 250 g

Vegan swap: candelilla wax at ~60% of the beeswax quantity.

Vitamin E oil

Antioxidant that slows oils going rancid. Not a preservative.

Aussie Soap Supplies, N-Essentials, chemists (as capsules).

$8–15 per 50 ml

Emulsifying wax

Plant-derived wax that lets water and oil form a lotion. Essential for any true lotion.

Aussie Soap Supplies (Emulsifying Wax NF or Olivem 1000), N-Essentials.

$8–12 per 250 g

BTMS-50 conditioning emulsifier

Plant-derived conditioning agent that makes hair detangle. The one semi-technical ingredient in conditioner bars.

Aussie Soap Supplies, N-Essentials, Escentials of Australia.

$10–15 per 100 g

Liquid castile soap

Pure vegetable-oil soap. The base for most cleaning and body-wash recipes.

Dr Bronner's (Woolworths, Coles, Chemist Warehouse); bulk unscented from Biome or Aussie Soap Supplies — much cheaper.

$12–20 per litre (bulk)

Pure soap bar

Unscented soap for grating into laundry powder.

Supermarket laundry aisle: pure soap flakes or basic unscented bars. Avoid 'beauty bars' with added moisturisers.

$2–4 per bar

Melt-and-pour soap base

Pre-made soap you melt and customise. No lye handling.

Aussie Soap Supplies, Spotlight, Riot Art & Craft. Look for SLS-free.

$12–18 per kg

SLS-free melt-and-pour soap base

As above, formulated without sodium lauryl sulphate.

Aussie Soap Supplies, N-Essentials.

$12–18 per kg

Soapnuts

Dried berries containing natural saponins. Hair, laundry, dishes.

Biome, health-food shops, That Red House (Australian brand), online.

$15–25 per 500 g

Washing soda

Sodium carbonate. Water softener and grease cutter. Not the same as bicarb.

Lectric Washing Soda at Woolworths, Coles and Bunnings. Bulk online.

$4–6 per kg

Bicarb soda

Sodium bicarbonate. Deodorising, mild abrasive.

Any supermarket baking aisle; bulk from McKenzie's at Bunnings.

$2–4 per kg

Sodium percarbonate

Oxygen bleach — releases hydrogen peroxide in warm water. Safe on colours.

Bunnings (as 'oxygen bleach'), Biome, Aussie Soap Supplies, eBay bulk.

$8–12 per kg

Calcium carbonate

Food-grade chalk. Gentle tooth polish.

Aussie Soap Supplies, health-food shops, Amazon AU.

$8–12 per 250 g

Bentonite clay

Absorbent clay. Toothpaste and masks.

Health-food shops, Aussie Soap Supplies, N-Essentials.

$8–14 per 250 g

No metal bowls or spoons.

Kaolin clay

The mildest cosmetic clay.

Aussie Soap Supplies, N-Essentials.

$6–10 per 250 g

Rhassoul clay

Moroccan mineral clay for no-poo hair washing.

N-Essentials, Biome, Amazon AU.

$15–20 per 500 g

Arrowroot powder

Light starch that absorbs oil.

Supermarket baking aisle.

$3–5 per 200 g

Activated charcoal

Food-grade powder from coconut shell for stain-lifting.

Health-food shops, Chemist Warehouse, Amazon AU.

$10–15 per 100 g

Xylitol

Sugar alcohol that starves cavity bacteria.

Health-food shops, Woolworths (baking/health aisle), Chemist Warehouse.

$8–12 per 250 g

Toxic to dogs.

Citric acid

Food-grade acid for descaling and fizz.

Supermarket baking aisle (McKenzie's), Bunnings for bulk.

$3–5 per 75 g; $10 per kg bulk

White vinegar

Acetic acid. Descaler, glass cleaner.

Supermarket, 2 L bottles.

$2–3 per 2 L

Apple cider vinegar

Raw, 'with the mother' for hair and pets.

Supermarket (Bragg), health-food shops.

$5–8 per 500 ml

Coarse salt

Water softener in dishwasher recipes.

Supermarket, cheapest coarse cooking salt.

$2 per kg

Sea salt

For mouthwash and scrubs.

Supermarket.

$3 per 500 g

Witch hazel

Astringent plant extract. Buy alcohol-free.

Chemist Warehouse, Priceline.

$8–12 per 200 ml

Aloe vera gel

Soothing, hydrating. Pure inner-leaf gel.

Chemist Warehouse (Aloe Vera gel 99%), or scrape a home-grown leaf.

$8–12 per 250 ml

Dried calendula petals

Pot marigold — soothing in infused oils.

Austral Herbs, Herbie's Spices online, health-food shops, or dry your own.

$8–12 per 100 g

Marshmallow root

Mucilage-rich root that gives slip.

Austral Herbs, health-food shops.

$8–12 per 100 g

Dried rosemary

Shine and scalp tonic. Grows anywhere in Australia.

Supermarket spice aisle or your garden.

$2–4

Chamomile tea

Soothing for skin and pets.

Any supermarket.

$3–5 per box

Green tea

Antioxidant, astringent.

Any supermarket.

$3–5 per box

Hibiscus powder

Tints and shines hair.

Indian grocers, Austral Herbs.

$6–10 per 100 g

Freeze-dried strawberry powder

Natural flavour and colour for kids' toothpaste.

Health-food shops, Woolworths (baking aisle), online.

$8–12 per 50 g

Raw honey

Humectant and antibacterial.

Farmers' markets, supermarket. Raw/unheated.

$10–15 per 500 g

Rolled oats

Blitzed to flour for masks and pet rinses.

Supermarket.

$2 per 500 g

Lavender essential oil

Calming scent, mild antimicrobial.

Aussie Soap Supplies, Escentials of Australia, Perfect Potion, Chemist Warehouse.

$10–18 per 15 ml

Buy pure essential oils, not 'fragrance oils'.

Tea tree essential oil

Antimicrobial, antifungal. Australian-grown.

Thursday Plantation (supermarkets, chemists), Aussie Soap Supplies.

$8–15 per 25 ml

Toxic to cats and dogs — cleaning only, rinse surfaces pets lick.

Eucalyptus essential oil

Fresh scent, antibacterial, degreasing.

Bosisto's at any supermarket.

$8–12 per 50 ml

Not around cats.

Lemon essential oil

Degreasing, bright scent.

Aussie Soap Supplies, Chemist Warehouse.

$8–12 per 15 ml

Peppermint essential oil

Fresh for oral care.

Aussie Soap Supplies, Chemist Warehouse.

$8–12 per 15 ml

Not for children under 6.

Rosemary essential oil

Scalp stimulation.

Aussie Soap Supplies, Perfect Potion.

$8–12 per 15 ml

Clove essential oil

Kills mould spores.

Aussie Soap Supplies, Chemist Warehouse.

$8–12 per 15 ml

Strong — gloves. Not around cats.

Frankincense essential oil

Resinous scent for mature-skin blends.

Perfect Potion, Aussie Soap Supplies.

$20–30 per 10 ml

Isopropyl alcohol

70% for sanitising equipment; a splash in glass cleaner.

Chemist Warehouse, Bunnings, supermarkets (as rubbing alcohol).

$5–8 per 500 ml

Distilled water

Purified water for anything you'll keep. Tap water carries microbes and minerals.

Supermarket (demineralised water near the laundry aisle), Bunnings.

$2–3 per 2 L

Vegetable glycerine

Humectant — draws moisture to skin and hair.

Chemist Warehouse, supermarkets (baking aisle), Aussie Soap Supplies.

$5–8 per 200 ml

Natural preservative

A broad-spectrum, ECOCERT-approved preservative (e.g. Geogard ECT / Preservative Eco, or Leucidal). Required for anything containing water.

Aussie Soap Supplies, N-Essentials, Escentials of Australia.

$10–15 per 50 ml

Use at the rate on the label (usually 1%).

Water-soluble PVA film

Polyvinyl alcohol film that dissolves fully in water. Sold as embroidery stabiliser and as water-soluble bags/film.

Spotlight (Vilene Solufleece / 'wash-away stabiliser'), Lincraft, eBay and AliExpress ('water soluble PVA film').

$10–20 per roll

Choose thin (25–35 micron) film.