Charcoal Soap Recipe (With or Without Lye)

Mysterious, woodsy, yet bright and refreshing is how I would describe the scent of this wonderful charcoal soap. Certainly more a masculine kind of scent, but one that might appeal to men and women alike. The best thing: YOU can make this soap, no matter if you're a beginner looking for a melt and pour soap recipe or a veteran soap maker who's comfortable working with lye. Here you'll find detailed instructions for both: an easy layered soap (using a soap base) and a more advanced swirled cold process soap.

This little bottle of precious Vetiver essential oil had been sitting on my desk for a very long time. Every now and then I would open it and take a sniff. I was intrigued by the thick, viscous amber colored fluid. The smell was like no essential oil I had tried up to that point: woody, earthy with a hint of smokiness.

Honestly I felt a little intimidated to use it. I had read up on different ways to blend it with other essential oils, and everyone seemed to say that it was good for anchoring scents, but too much would overpower the blend. What I wanted was to figure out a way to have the Vetiver front and center with supporting notes that would enhance it's deep masculine earthiness.

And here's what I came up with:

Jump to:

• Melt and Pour Soap Recipe
• Activated Charcoal Cold Process Soap Recipe (using Lye)
• Activated Charcoal Soap Recipe (Melt and Pour)

Melt and Pour Soap Recipe

No experience required for making this beautiful soap: you melt, you add your scent and color and you pour - it's that easy. And yet the result looks sophisticated with intricate details and interesting layers. This would make a great handmade gift for the fellas in your life.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning at no additional cost to you will I earn a commission, if you choose to click through and make a purchase.

What you'll need:

• Sharp knife
• Heat resistant medium sized container
• Whisk
• Spatula
• 2 small cups (steel or glass is best)
• Silicone soap mold
• Spray bottle (for isopropyl alcohol)
• Digital kitchen scale (optional)

Materials for 8 bars of soap:

• Goat milk soap base (melt and pour soap base): 2 lbs (907 g)
• Activated charcoal: 1 ¼ tsp
• Isopropyl alcohol: 1 teaspoon plus more for spraying top of soap
• Vetiver essential oil: ¾ teaspoon (4 g)
• Cedarwood essential oil: 1 teaspoon (4.5 g)
• Lime essential oil: 1 ¼ teaspoon (5 g)

Instructions:

Step 1: Measure out 1 lb (453 g) of soap base (half of total amount) and cut into small chunks

Step 2: Mix 1 ¼ teaspoon activated charcoal powder with 1 ¼ teaspoon of isopropyl alcohol and stir

Step 3: Measure out vetiver, cedarwood and lime essential oils and combine them

Step 4: Melt soap base in microwave using 20 second bursts or in a water bath

Step 5: Add charcoal and whisk well

Step 6: Add half of the amount of essential oils (eyeballing is ok) and combine

Step 7: Pour melted soap base into each soap mold cavity until half full

Step 8: Spray the top with alcohol

Step 9: Wait until 1st layer is fully cooled and hardened

Step 10: Cut rest of the soap (1 lb) into small chunks

Step 11: Melt soap base in microwave using 20 second bursts or in a water bath

Step 12: Add rest of essential oil blend and whisk

Step 13: Pour melted soap base on top of first layer filling the cavities to the top

Step 14: Spray top with alcohol

Step 15: Wait until fully cooled (at least 2 hour) and gently remove for mold by pushing from the bottom

Step 16: Wrap in plastic or store in an airtight container

Enjoy!

Activated Charcoal Cold Process Soap Recipe (using Lye)

If you've never made cold process soap, make sure to read up on lye safety, equipment needed and my beginner tutorial, before you dive in.

What you'll need:

• three heat resistant containers: one to make the lye solution, one to blend up your soap and a smaller one to separate out the part of the soap that will be colored black
• stick blender
• accurate digital scale
• empty Pringles can
• freezer paper
• tape
• spatula
• whisk
• pipette (optional) to measure out essential oils

Activated Charcoal Soap Recipe (Cold Process): for 30 oz / 840 g of soap:

this recipe uses a superfat of 5% and a lye concentration of 38%

• lye:  3 oz / 84 g
• distilled water: 4.8 oz / 137 g
• coconut oil (30%): 6.3 oz / 180 g
• canola oil (25%): 5.3 oz / 150 g
• shea butter (20%): 4.2 oz / 120 g
• kokum butter (14%): 3 oz / 84 g
• castor oil (6%): 1.3 oz / 36 g
• sesame oil (5%): 1 oz / 30 g
• lime essential oil: 7 g
• cedarwood (virginia) essential oil: 8 g
• vetiver essential oil: 8 g
• kaolin clay: 1 Tbsp
• activated charcoal: ½ tsp

Instructions:

Preparing the Mold:

1. Cut out a piece of freezer paper about 7 x 9 Inches
2. Cut the bottom of the Pringles can off, so that the remainder measures about 7 Inches tall
3. Firmly tape the cap on (you don't want any soap batter seeping out at the bottom)
4. Line the can with freezer paper - the coated side facing inward

Making the Soap:

1. Prepare the lye solution
2. Measure and melt the coconut oil, shea butter and kokum butter over low heat
3. Add canola, castor and sesame oil
4. Wait until lye solution and oils have cooled down to room temperature
5. Prepare kaolin clay by dissolving it in 1 tablespoon of oils from your base
6. Measure and add essential oils
7. Combine lye solution and melted oils and butters by stick blending until emulsified (this recipe traced quick for me, you want to allow yourself time to incorporate colors and swirls)
8. Separate out a third (or 280 g) of the batter and add ½ teaspoon of activated charcoal
9. Add kaolin clay to the remaining batter
10. Thoroughly whisk in the colorants making sure there are no more clumps
11. Create an "in the pot swirl" by pouring the black batter into the white. Pouring the batter in three different spots making a circle, take your spatula and go through each black spots only once moving in a circle
12. Pour the batter into the mold and tap it down to release any air bubbles
13. Insulate the mold with a heavy towel
14. After 18 - 24 hours cut into bars
15. Cure for 3-4 weeks

Want more awesome natural soap recipes? Why not try:

• Lemongrass Calendula Soap
• Cucumber Mint Soap
• Triple Infused Lavender Soap

Until next time. Happy Tinkering!