Activated Charcoal & Tea Tree Oil Shaving Soap

Activated charcoal has long been used as a home remedy for bee stings, poisonings, and to remove toxins from the body, but did you know it make a great addition to bar soap or shaving soap. Activated Charcoal in soap is detoxifying, exfoliating, clarifying and makes your skin feel great without drying out your skin. If you are prone to break outs or acne Activated Charcoal Soap can helps gently exfoliate and draws out dirt and oil that can clog pores.

Adding tea tree oil adds natural antifungal and antiseptic properties and has long been known to help with clearing up acne by limiting the growth of bacteria. This soap can also be used to everyday bathing or face washing routines.

Using a Shaving brush and soap is by far a better way to shave than a can of chemical cream or gel. The alcohol and propelant used in compressed cans can dry out your skin and doesn't provide the best shave you can get. A brush will gently raise the hair and exfoliate dead skin helping to prevent ingrown hairs and razor burn. Adding a Brush and Soap to your shaving routine will help if you are prone to acne and it is great for the environment. Shaving soap last longer than any can of chemical cream and with no can or waste to throw in the trash can.

Step 1: You Will Need

1. Activated Charcoal
2. Tea Tree Oil
3. 1/2 ounce Shea Butter
4. 1lbs Glycerin Soap

If you can't find any of these ingredients at your local stores you can buy them online.

Step 2: Glycerin Soap Base

There are many varieties of glycerin soap base from goats milk, honey, olive oil, or with the shea butter included. The important part is choosing a soap with a high glycerin base, because the glycerin improves the razors ability to glide accross the face. This will prevent razor burn and limit cutting the skin. I prefer to add shea butter seperately so that I can choose the amount of shea butter that goes into my shaving soap.

Remove one pound of Glycerin Soap Base and cut it into small cubes for quicker melting. Add 1/2 ounce of shea butter. Melt with a double boiler, or in the microwave starting at 40 seconds and adding 10 seconds at a time until the soap is completely melted.

Step 3: Activated Charcoal

Using 10 charcoal caplets, seperate the capsels and pour the activated charcoal powder into a bowl. Pour about 1 cup of melted glycerin soap base into the mixing bowl and stir. Once the charcoal powder is blended pour the cup of mixed charcoal soap into the rest of the melted soap base and stir.

Step 4: Charcoal and Tea Tree Oil

Add 10-15 drops of tea tree oil to your mixed charcoal soap and stir. (you can add peppermint oil if you don't like the smell of tea tree oil)

Pour the Mixture into cupcake molds and allow at least 1 hour to cool.

Step 5: Shaving Puck

After the shaving mold hardens you can remove a perfectly shaped shaving puck that will fit in your shaving bowl or mug. Use a brush to lather up and enjoy.

Comments

[BenP30]

How much is the activated charcoal in ounces? Because I got a big bag of activated charcoal to make lots of products. Thanks in advance!!

[PamelaY1]

Tea tea oil is very concentrated to the point that pregnant women should not use it. My husband found when applied to his face, it became slightly irritated even without a shave. Have you any feedback about this and is there a substitute scent?

[Michael C]

For sensitive skin you can use lavender, chamomile, rose hip, etc. The scent is yours to play with as long as you can tolerate it.

[jesterod.]

can you use the clear glycerin? or the honey glycerin?

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Party-2-Pound-Clear-Gly...

http://www.amazon.com/Honey-natural-Glycerin-Melt-...

[Michael C]

Yes you can use either as long as it is melt and pour

[jesterod.]

i went with the honey one i shall make it when i get the deliverys the soap and shea butter are the ones i could not find local

[Michael C]

Shaving with brush and soap takes time do build up a lather. Too wet and it will be runny, to dry and you won't be able to get a good lather. The trick is to let your brush soak in hot water for about 5 min. Shake once to remove excess water, than start working the brush over the bar until you get the consistency of whip creme. If you need to add water just a small amount will do.

[sogseal]

Thanks ill try that technique out. I got the same brand but clear soap instead of white.

[sogseal]

Awesome tutorial! just made my and shaved! although i have one questions if you dont mind answering. How to get it more lather, it felt like i just used regular soap to shave hehe. thank you

[mobinh]

Awesome tutorial. I'm a classic shaver myself and have always wanted to make my own soap. Thank you.

[jellyhead]

Great idea, I will definitely try this. But where did you get the razor?

[Michael C]

The razor is a Gillette from the 1940's, I got lucky and found it at an antique shop. I collect them. If you PM me, I can give you some tips on finding one.

[awil1520]

I plan on making this as soon as I can make it to the store, but what I really wanted to say is I jut started shaving with an older razor like that. I got a Gillette from the 30's at an antique store. Best shave iv ever had, but I tend to break out really bad. So thank you for the instructable.

[Michael C]

Do you use an alumn block after your shave? you may be shaving to aggressive. Using an alumn block will only sting if you have cuts, so it is used as an indicator to improve your technique. Short strokes, and Try a variety of different brands of blade until you find the one that works best. Believe it or not, some razor blades feel different and some are sharper than others. Sharper isn't always better, so pick a blade that fits your skin.

[Clemtasm]

Do the soap and tea tree oil inactivate the carbon? Do they saturate the pore space in the carbon and render it into play carbon black? Is the effective concentration of tea tree oil reduced as a result of this cancellation? I wonder if diatomaceous earth would make a decent substitute regarding exfoliation properties.

[Michael C]

I don't know if the carbon is rendered inactive. I do know that there are many soap makers that use actited charcoal as an ingredient. Some oils and alcohol is unaffected by active charcoal, I guess without an Electron microscope or other instruments I would just be guessing. I do know that diatomaceous earth might be to abrasive and you could instead use bentonite clay.

[bruno13069]

I have a Burma-Shave brand brush, which is ironic because Burma-Shave was the first BRUSHLESS shaving soap. I usually use the store-bought pucks which fit nicely into the bottom of a coffee mug.

[antioch]

True story, bro.

[bruno13069]

I used to use a craft-made liquid soap from my local Farmer's Market, but the lady who made it moved (Chocolate Mint. Nice smell with a hint of skin tightening afterwards.) Then I used anti-bacterial soft soap. Nice lather, but left too much stubble. The massage of the brush is awesome!

[antioch]

Interesting, I'm taking notes.