This natural activated charcoal facial soap recipe for acne prone skin is crafted with clay, essential oils and activated charcoal to detox skin, calm inflammation and aid in acne prevention. Keep reading to learn more about the natural ingredients used to craft this DIY facial soap. Plus how to make your own charcoal facial soap recipe to use as part of your daily skin care routine for acne prevention.
Formulating a charcoal facial soap recipe.
If you’re like me, you have regular breakouts due to those monthly and unwelcome, hormone changes. However, as someone with both combination and maturing skin, I wanted to create a homemade facial soap recipe that would not only help to curb the “adult” acne, but also wouldn’t strip my entire face of completely of oil. This is especially important during winter when I tend to have overly dry cheeks despite an oily t-zone. Therefore I created a natural activated charcoal facial soap recipe that provides the perfect combination of skin loving ingredients with acne fighting prevention.
About the ingredients in my charcoal facial soap recipe.
Activated charcoal.
The activated charcoal in my activated charcoal facial soap recipe works to gently draw out impurities in the skin, removing dirt, grime and environmental toxins.
Essential oils.
I also included two essential oils prized for their anti-acne skin care benefits. They are lavender essential oil and tea tree essential oil. In addition to its antibacterial properties, lavender essential oil also has anti-inflammatory benefits when used in skin care. Therefore, lavender essential oil not only fights the bacteria that can cause acne, it also helps to soothe and calm skin. In addition, tea tree essential oil, also lends to acne prevention due to its antibacterial properties.
Spirulina powder.
My charcoal facial soap recipe also includes spirulina powder. Also known as blue/green algae, this powder is naturally rich in vitamins and minerals that help to nourish skin.
Moroccan Rhassoul clay.
Similarly to activated charcoal, clay also helps to draw out oil and toxins. Therefore I chose to use red Moroccan rhassoul clay in my charcoal facial soap recipe. This mineral rich clay has a higher magnesium and silica content than other natural clays, making it especially useful for facial treatments and skin care.
Natural botanicals.
Rosehips powder also makes a lovely addition to my charcoal facial soap recipe. This ingredient is prized for its natural antioxidant and anti-aging skin care properties. While chamomile powder is added to soothe skin inflammation.
Carrier oils & butters.
Coconut oil is used in this facial soap for its cleansing power. However, I’ve also included a combination of carrier oils and butters for their skin conditioning properties. These natural soap making ingredients shea butter and jojoba oil, grape seed oil, olive squalane and evening primrose oil. This combination of ingredients help to create a rich, luxurious charcoal facial soap recipe.
In addition, as many soap makers choose to no longer use palm oil for soap making, I formulate my charcoal facial soap recipe to be palm oil free.
Activated Charcoal Facial Soap Recipe
Ingredients:
14.4 oz. pomace olive oil
7.2 oz. refined coconut oil
7.2 oz. rice bran oil
3.6 oz. grape seed oil
1.9 oz. jojoba oil
1.4 oz. evening primrose oil
1.2 oz. shea butter
.3 oz. olive squalane oil
1 Tablespoon carnauba wax(about 9 grams)
12 fluid oz. distilled water
4.6 oz. lye/sodium hydroxide
At trace:
1 Tablespoon activated charcoal powder
1 Tablespoon spirulina powder
1 Tablespoon red Moroccan Rhassoul clay
1 Tablespoon rosehips powder
1 Tablespoon chamomile flower powder
1 oz. lavender essential oil
.15 oz. tea tree oil
Instructions:
My activated charcoal facial soap recipe fits one of my wooden loaf soap molds. (You can learn how to make your own here.) The final soap making recipe yields approximately 10-12 4.3-5 oz. bars depending on how they are cut.
You’ll need to follow my basic cold process soapmaking instructions in order to make my charcoal facial soap recipe. In addition, you should also take all necessary safety precautions, including eye protection, adequate ventilation and gloves.
Begin by measuring out 12 fluid ounces of distilled water. Pour the water into a non-aluminum, heat safe pitcher or large glass pyrex measuring cup that’s free of crazing or scratches.
Next use a digital kitchen scale to weigh out the lye. Slowly pour the lye into the water. Then stir into the distilled water until all of the lye has dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Next, weigh out the soapmaking oils, shea butter and wax. Combine in a large non-aluminum pot. Place the pot on the stove and melt at medium heat. Once until all ingredients have melted, remove from heat. Set the soap making fats aside to cool.
While the lye-water and soapmaking oils cool, you need to line your mold. (This step applies only if you are using a wooden soap mold. There is no need to line a silicone loaf soap mold.)
Then measure out the activated charcoal, spirulina powder, clay, rosehips powder and chamomile powder. Combine in a small container and set aside.
In a separate container, weigh out the essential oils and set aside.
When your ingredients reach between 110 to 115 degrees F you are ready to make soap. You’ll want to mix this soap at a slightly higher temperature due to the addition of the wax.
You can add your dry ingredients to the charcoal facial soap batter at trace. However, if you are concerned about a fast trace in which thoroughly incorporating all of the dry ingredients may prove challenging, stir the dry ingredients into the soap making fats prior to adding the lye. Then use an immersion/stick blender to mix the dry ingredients in the oils.
Now slowly pour the lye-water into the soapmaking oils and stir with an immersion/stick blender until you reach a light trace. At that point, stir in the essential oils. You would also need to add the dry ingredients at this point if they weren’t added previously. Mix again with the stick blender until you reach a medium to heavy trace. Then pour the soap batter into your prepared soap mold.
Cover the mold, and if using a wooden loaf soap mold, insulate the charcoal facial soap. Set aside for 24 hours.
After the insulation period, unmold the activated charcoal facial soap and cut into bars. (Learn how to make a loaf soap cutter here.) Then set your facial soap bars in a cool, dry location to cure for 4-6 weeks prior to use.
Looking for cute labels for your homemade charcoal facial soaps? The cigar band labels pictured on these homemade soap bars are from Lilac & Lavender Blog. For your convenience, I’ve created a pdf file using these designs to create printable cigar band soap labels. Just print (in landscape format,) cut and wrap! (Download the printable lavender cigar band soap labels here.)
More facial soap recipes.
If you like my charcoal facial soap recipe, then be sure to also try this similar soap recipe. A more traditional acne soap recipe with lavender & tea tree soap also contains activated charcoal powder. However, there are fewer ingredients called for in that charcoal facial soap recipe.
You can also try one of these other homemade facial soap recipes:
- Activated Charcoal Liquid Soap Facial Cleanser Recipe
- Natural Carrot Complexion Cold Process Soap Recipe
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