European Clay And Charcoal: A Detoxifying Melt And Pour Soap Tutorial
After making one of my favorite soaps to date, I knew I needed to make another soap with charcoal. This time, I wanted to switch things up a little and make one a little more geared for my hubby, and males in general. My husband is super prone to ingrown hairs and in general, could use a little extra exfoliation and skin cell detoxifying. I especially chose the green european clay as it is best known for helping with any sources of inflammation and is naturally antiseptic and antibacterial. The activated charcoal also allows for a gentle exfoliation and detoxification of the skin.
I also chose my essential oils for skin health as well as masculine scent. Tea Tree oil is great for skin and preventing acne and infections as it has great anti inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Cedarwood also has great antimicrobial and anti inflammatory properties but also has a relaxing woodsy scent that instantly calms the senses. I also added Cypress as it is a powerful astringent so it can help with inflammation and also can help relieve muscle tension and soreness.
When you combine all the ingredients, this makes for a soap that treats and fights ingrown hairs and body acne, cleans and detoxifies the skin, and calms the body and mind. Sounds awesome right?
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Ingredients And Supplies Needed
This recipe makes approximately 6 standard size rectangular soap bars
1 Lb. Aloe Vera Melt And Pour Soap Base
0.5 Lb. Clear Melt And Pour Soap Base
2 Tsp Activated Charcoal
2 Tsp European Green Clay
Black Sea Salt (Optional)
Knife
Spoon
Spray Bottle With 70-99% Alcohol
Green Clay And Charcoal Melt And Pour Soap Recipe
1. Dice both melt and pour soap bases into 1-2 inch cubes, separating them by type into two microwaveable containers.
2.Beginning with the clear soap base, microwave soap in 30 second increments until all is fully melted. Stir well.
3.Add 2 Tsp Activated Charcoal into the melted clear soap and stir well.
4.Add 10-20 drops each of Tea Tree, Cedarwood, and Cypress essential oils. Stir all together well.
5.Fill soap molds 1/3 of the way with this melted clear/charcoal base.
6.Next, you will melt your diced aloe vera soap base in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Once all is melted stir well.
7.Add 2 Tsp European Green Clay to the melted soap. In order to incorporate the clay into the soap base you will need to stir and press any chunks of clay to the sides and bottom to break up into smaller particles. This will take several minutes to get a smooth mixture. The mixture will look “speckled” with clay but should be free of any large clumps.
8.Add 10-20 drops each of Tea Tree, Cedarwood, and Cypress essential oils to the soap mix. Stir together well.
9.Let soap cool slightly to avoid melting the charcoal layer when pouring into the mold. Using a digital thermometer, wait until the soap mix reaches between 125-130 degrees F.
10.Spray the charcoal soap layer in the molds with alcohol to allow for adhering of the new layer.
11.Fill the remainder of the soap molds with the green clay soap layer. Spray the surface with alcohol to eliminate any air bubbles.
12.As an optional step, sprinkled the surface with black sea salt.
13. Let harden completely, gently remove from mold, package, and enjoy!
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