Activated charcoal soap is one of those beauty secrets that are not so secret anymore!

Activated charcoal soap bars with textured sides, a soap cutter, and lavender flowers on a wicker mat.

It sounds a bit strange, I know. But it’s becoming ever more popular to use it in facial soap due to its incredible benefits of drawing out impurities and dirt from the skin.

I’ll admit that I was skeptical of using activated charcoal soap on my face at first, thinking it might cause a breakout or aggravate my skin, but boy was I wrong.

I just needed to understand how it works and why it’s so good, and now I love it.

It’s a regular part of my skin cleansing routine. I use it as a deep pore cleanser to keep spots and blemishes at bay and give my skin a good cleaning once or twice a week.

In this post, I’ll share my favorite activated charcoal soap recipe, so you can try making it yourself.

Please carefully read the instructions in the recipe, as it is imperative to use the exact measurements and set aside the proper time it takes to make activated charcoal soap.

Homemade charcoal soap bars with ragged tops on wooden drying board.

Table of Contents

What is charcoal soap good for?

The exciting thing about charcoal is that it’s been used for centuries in beauty products without us realizing it – often as an addition to other cleansing products.

This pure black powder is powerful stuff. Even the Egyptians loved it for its detoxifying benefits, showing how long it’s been popular.

Activated charcoal soap benefits

But is charcoal good for the skin?

Yes! It’s excellent on oily skin and acne, being a great cleanser, helping draw out dirt and impurities and balance the skin’s sebum.

It’s also great to help tighten pores and improve the skin’s texture, smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles.

On normal skin, it’s lovely to use as a gentle cleanser, or perhaps twice a week, as it can also be exfoliating depending on the amounts and consistency used.

Activated charcoal helps remove unsightly blackheads, which contribute to spots, therefore helping purify and refresh the skin.

It’s fantastic for removing grime built up over the day and leaving skin refreshed and clean.

Activated charcoal can even be used in face masks and scrubs or as a paste blended with water to whiten teeth (not the soap version – just plain activated charcoal!)

Homemade activated charcoal soap bars with riveted sides, dried lavender on a white plate.

Does charcoal soap lighten skin

There have been rumors that charcoal is suitable as a skin lightener, but in fact, there’s little evidence of this being true.

Perhaps there’s confusion here, as charcoal tends to reveal the natural skin color from its cleansing abilities?

So perhaps this is where the claim comes from. Your skin will look clearer and brighter due to using charcoal in your skincare routine.

Where to find activated charcoal

Activated charcoal is not the same as the charcoal you buy for your bbq, don’t worry! Just in case you were wondering. It’s a reputable beauty product and safe to use.

Activated charcoal has been heated at a high temperature to ‘activate’ it, meaning it becomes more porous, so it collects more dust, toxins, and particles (aka impurities from your skin)

You can find activated charcoal in powder form in pharmacies and some grocery stores and online.

How to make charcoal soap?

As with all of my recipes, we’re using only natural ingredients in the homemade charcoal soap.

You’ll need a heat-proof jar and large bowl to mix the lye and liquid in, plus a scale to weigh the ingredients.

And you’ll need soap molds. I recommend using these ones as the soap turns out really well-formed from them and they do not stick.

Stack of homemade soap bars with textured sides, white splotches and fancy tops.

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Always take proper precautions when working with lye. Lye Is necessary to make soap, but in its natural form, it can damage the skin, cause burns, and even blindness.

Work in a well-ventilated area, or outside if possible, and always wear goggles, long sleeves, and gloves.

Here are the charcoal soap ingredients you’ll need:

Avocado Oil 6 oz
Palm Oil 4 oz
Castor Oil 8 oz
Coconut Oil 14 oz
Oil & Fats Total: 32.00 oz

Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) 4.70 oz
Liquid 10.51 oz
Lye & Liquid Total: 15.21 oz

Charcoal 1 tbsp

Total Batch Yield: 47.21 oz

And here are the instructions:

Use a digital scale to measure out the water. Then, add it to the heat-resistant container.
Slowly add the lye to the water. Stir the lye into the water until dissolved. Note that the chemical reaction will cause it to heat up quickly. Set aside to cool to about 120-130°F
Melt the coconut and palm oil in a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat.
Once melted, set aside to cool slightly.
Add all the oils to a metal mixing bowl.
Pour the lye water in with the melted fat and oil a little at a time and mix with an immersion blender.
Continue adding the lye water and mixing between each round until the soap comes to trace
To check the “trace,” hold the immersion blender over the bowl; if the soap drips and pools up on the top, it’s come to the correct trace.
Whisk in activated charcoal
Pour the soap into the mold and let dry for 24 hours up to 3 days.
Cut into bars and allow them to cure for 5-6 weeks before enjoying.

The trick when making activated charcoal soap is the waiting time. You must be patient with it and leave it for the number of weeks stated before using it.

It’s hard, I know, but so worth it!

Charcoal soap piled on top of each other with lavender springs.

How to use charcoal soap

The answer to this question depends on the type of skin you have.

If you have oily skin, you could use a charcoal soap as a daily cleanser.

With normal skin, perhaps two to three times a week is enough.

This recipe is very gentle and kind to the face, as it contains coconut and avocado oil which complement the cleansing abilities of the charcoal.

My only concern would be if your skin is dehydrated. Charcoal soap may dry the skin further in some instances.

It draws out excess oil and impurities, so if your skin is naturally dry, I would use this soap once a week and use a moisturizing soap bar the rest of the time.

My advice with every product is to try it on a small area first and see if it’s suitable for your skin type.

I hope you love making this recipe! Please drop a comment below if you do make it and let me know what you think. And if you are looking for more great soap bar recipes, be sure to try some of these other favorites below.

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