What is activated charcoal, and why is it so beneficial? The difference between regular charcoal and activated charcoal is that activated charcoal has been treated with oxygen. According to HowStuffWorks, this process opens up millions of tiny pores between the carbon atoms, allowing the active charcoal to absorb odorous or colored substances from gases or liquids.
The nature of activated charcoal – in particular, its huge surface area – means that it is able to attract and trap many carbon-based impurities.
Activated charcoal has many uses in home health and personal cosmetic care. People use it to support everything from kidney and gastrointestinal health to use in water filtration, teeth whitening, oral health, deodorant, and skincare.
One popular way of using activated charcoal in home health and personal cosmetic use is in soap. Specifically, activated charcoal cold process soap.
Here are some instructions for making your own activated charcoal cold process soap recipe.
Activated Charcoal Cold Process Soap Recipes
General Instructions
If you have a favorite cold processed-soap recipe, or simply want to experiment with different mixtures, oils, and scents, here’s a basic template you can follow for adding activated charcoal to any cold process soap.
- Remember, activated charcoal is not water soluble! So you’ll need to add 1 teaspoon of activated charcoal to 1 tablespoon of a lightweight liquid oil in order to incorporate it into your soap recipe.
- Activated charcoal can be added directly into your cold process soap, but mixing it with oil first helps cut down on potential clumping.
- Start with about 1 teaspoon of dispersed charcoal per pound of soap. Remember that this will add a gray color and swirl to your soap, and the more you add, the darker it will become. But don’t worry, if your soap is light gray, that doesn’t mean you’ll end up with a light gray lather.
Keep those tips in mind, and you can incorporate activated charcoal into any of your favorite soap-making adventures. See how in the recipe below!
Activated Charcoal and Tea Tree Oil Facial Soap Recipe
Besides your ingredients, the only supply you’ll need to make this – and any of the following – refreshing, cleansing soap recipes is a rectangle silicone mold (12 count is standard but not required.) You will also be using precise measurements, so a syringe or eyedropper will help.
Try making this soap with the following ingredients:
Ingredients
- 1.8 ounce castor oil.
- 9 ounce coconut oil.
- 14.4 ounce olive oil.
- 9 ounce palm oil.
- 1.8 ounce tamanus oil.
- 5.1 ounce sodium hydroxide lye.
- 10.1 ounce distilled water.
- 1.7 ounce tea tree essential oil.
- 2 tablespoon activated charcoal (see below recommendations).
- 2 teaspoon sodium lactate (optional).
For full directions on how to take these ingredients and turn them into a delicious-smelling bar of soap, head on over to Soapqueen to read more.
For the highest quality ingredients and components to include in your own DIY activated charcoal cold process soap recipe, check out these products from Enzymedica and Solaray.
Enzymedica
Enzymedica is a company that develops dietary supplements specifically for healthy digestion and metabolism. They’re known as “The Enzyme Experts” and all of their products support a healthy digestive system.
For your favorite activated charcoal cold process soap recipe, we recommend Enzymedica’s Activated Coconut Charcoal. Activated Coconut Charcoal from Enzymedica is made from ultra-fine, food-grade powder, and it supports natural detoxification, alleviates occasional bloating and gas, and helps lessen body odor from within.
Solaray
Solaray carries not only quality herbs, but also a complete line of vitamins, minerals, and other specialty products. One of the best nutritional supplement brands available, Solaray has a reputation of innovation, quality and consistency in its complete line of vitamins, minerals, and other specialty products.
One of those specialty products is Solaray’s Activated Coconut Charcoal Powder 500 Mg. The uses for this activated coconut charcoal powder are virtually limitless. It can be mixed with cosmetics, toiletries, personal care items, used for detoxification, and more. And yes, that list includes use in your favorite charcoal cold process soap recipe.
What’s the activated charcoal cold process soap recipe you always recommend?