Activated charcoal and tea tree oil soap might not have the loveliest scent or the prettiest color, but still should be one of the “go to” recipes for natural home soapmakers. These two ingredients can offer great value for the skin – and the facial complexions of users of any age.
I first made activated charcoal and tea tree oil soap simply to have a festive Hallloween style soap in the dish during a children’s party celebrating the holiday. I decked out the soap dish with little plastic white ghosts and orange pumpkins.
The effect was adorable and quite well received, but actually using up the soap after the party sold me on the benefits of these two ingredients as a part of my family’s natural skin care routine year round.
Why Activated Charcoal Is Good For The Skin?
- Activated charcoal helps to unclog pores and remove impurities nestled even deeply in the skin – including blackheads.
- Activated charcoal also helps to remove dead skin cells, leaving the skin both looking and feeling far more supple and smooth … and possibly even younger.
- It may help attract any heavy metals and other unwanted chemicals and toxins and remove them from the skin.
- Activated charcoal can help minimize the appearance of large pores.
Why Tea Tree Oil Is Good For The Skin?
- Tea tree oil boasts both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the swelling and redness often associated with acne, common minor skin rashes, and possibly even scars.
- The essential oil may also help clear the skin, and make it feel and look smoother.
- The oil may be more potent than zinc oxide and clobetasone butyrate creams against eczema.
- Tea tree oil may help fight oily skin.
Activated Charcoal And Tea Tree Oil Soap Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- soap molds – purchased or homemade
- Glass measuring cup with a spout
- Mixing spoon
- toothpicks
- Sharp knife
- rubbing alcohol – optional
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon activated charcoal or 4 standard-sized capsules
- 2 pounds goat’s milk melt and pour soap base typically, you can get roughly 10 bars of standard size soap out of this much base
- 4-8 drops tea tree oil
Instructions
- Use the sharp knife to cut about four chunks from the goat’s milk melt and pour soap base.
- Place the chunks in the glass measuring cup – preferably one with a pour spout for ease of use later when the finished recipe is being poured into molds.
- Microwave the goat’s milk soap base chunk for about one minute.
- Remove them from the microwave oven, and stir.
- Place the glass measuring cup back into the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all chunks of the goat’s milk melt and pour base are gone and you have a typical thick milky substance left in the glass measuring cup. Do not just microwave the soap base for a few minutes and skip the stirring in-between steps; these steps help prevent scorching, which can ruin the base. The image on the right shows how the base after being microwaved for 1 to one 1 1/2 minutes. It took roughly 2 1/2 minutes to completely melt it.
- Put the soap molds on the kitchen counter or other level and hard work surface so they are ready to use once the activated charcoal and tea tree oil are added into the mixture. It’s essential that this be done quickly before the base begins to harden again. I highly recommend placing silicone soap molds onto a baking sheet if you’re going to transfer them from where they are poured into the refrigerator or another spot, to cure.
- Open up the activated charcoal capsules.
- Stir in the activated charcoal, and combine completely.
- Add the tea tree essential oil drops, and stir again to ensure all of the ingredients are completely mixed together.
- Coating the mold lightly with rubbing alcohol can help prevent the formation of air bubbles and help to create a smooth finish on the bottom and sides of the bar.
- Pour the activated charcoal and tea tree oil goat’s milk soap mix into the molds.
- Take a toothpick, and pop any air bubbles that develop on the surface of the bars of soap.
- The filled soap molds can be placed in the refrigerator to cure – typically takes about half an hour. If left to cure at room temperature, it can take two to three hours to fully harden.
The soap should not be stored in a Ziploc bag or plastic container until it has cured completely.
When created and stored properly, a goat’s milk melt and pour soap base should last approximately one year before it can show signs of diminished scent and texture.
Tara lives on a 56 acres farm in the Appalachian Mountains, where she faces homesteading and farming challenges every single day, raising chickens, goats, horses, and tons of vegetables. She’s an expert in all sorts of homesteading skills such as hide tanning, doll making, tree tapping, and many more.