Before we dive into all the incredible benefits of activated charcoal soap, let’s explore where modern-day soap came from—and why we’re going back to our ancestral roots.
The bar soaps, shampoos, and face wash products we use today are very different from what our ancestors relied on. In fact, our modern soap products (more accurately, detergents) only became popular in the last hundred years or so.
Historically, soap was made from natural resources, like beef tallow, olive oil, lard, lye, and ashes. These soaps were extremely effective—lifting grease and dirt without drying out the skin or exposing the user to toxins.
All of that changed during World War I and World War II. Animal fats were rationed and became increasingly difficult to source. At the same time, the chemical industry took off in the United States—with companies manufacturing chemical products for the war effort and the home front. The public desperately needed soap, and chemical companies were happy to fill the gap in the market.
A century later, we’re still using these chemical detergents (although, the recipes are more refined). Chemical companies wanted to keep their profits and—with government funding—started marketing detergent as a revolutionary alternative to traditional soap.
But are chemical detergents actually better than nature-made products?
No, certainly not.
Soaps made with traditional materials (like tallow, olive oil, lard, and lye) nourish our skin barrier. They use animal fat and other natural resources that would otherwise go to waste. Not to mention, animal-based fats are almost bioidentical to our skin—meaning they provide skin-building properties our skin craves.
On the other hand, chemical detergents expose us to ingredients that our bodies struggle to even recognize. Parabens and sulfates, for example, are known hormone disruptors. Plus, detergents add pollution to the environment in the form of forever chemicals and microplastics.
There are better options.
One of our favorites is activated charcoal soap.
Activated Charcoal Soap Benefits
Activated charcoal has been around for thousands of years. It was used by the ancient Egyptians and is still used today in hospitals to relieve certain types of poisoning.
Medicinally, activated charcoal works by soaking up excess toxins and expelling them from your body. In soap, we use activated charcoal for a deep clean—removing dirt, grime, and makeup from your pores without stripping the skin.
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Clarifying and Detoxifying
Activated charcoal is the ultimate natural detox. It can bind to toxins and flush them out of the body. And when applied to the skin, it has the same effect. The activated charcoal soap binds to dirt in your pores and washes it out. It’s particularly helpful for teenagers and anyone else prone to clogged pores and oil-induced acne.
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Gentle on Sensitive Skin
Activated charcoal is an ancient resource. It’s long been used on the skin and in the body with little to no side effects. Since it’s naturally sourced (and often combined with soothing ingredients like tallow or olive oil), it’s gentle on sensitive skin. The goal of any soap is to add nourishment and cleanse without stripping the skin barrier—and charcoal soap does this well.
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Locks In Moisture
Charcoal soap requires a soap base—something like lard, tallow, coconut oil, or other natural oils. Combined, these ingredients cleanse the skin and lock in moisture at the same time. This process cuts down on the need for multiple skincare products and leaves you with a fresh face.
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Controls Oil Production
Since charcoal soap is so effective at soaking up toxins and bacteria, it can also help manage excess oil. The overproduction of oil is often the result of an imbalanced gut or skin barrier damage. Rebalancing your oil production with charcoal soap can help you relieve breakouts while your gut or skin barrier is restored.
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Anti-Inflammatory
Bacteria, dirt, and pollution are all common causes of redness, acne, and irritation. Charcoal soap works as an anti-inflammatory in a roundabout way—deeply cleansing the pores to remove irritation from within. Often, it’s combined with other anti-inflammatory ingredients, like coconut oil, that soothe and rejuvenate the skin.
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Charcoal Soap for Acne
Charcoal soap is our go-to remedy for acne. This is because it’s so good at clarifying and detoxifying clogged pores (a common driver of acne). Acne often pops up due to imbalances in the body or a disrupted skin barrier (or both). A simple three-step method can help:
- Use charcoal soap to cleanse and detox your pores while controlling oil production.
- Moisturize with tallow and coconut oil to restore your skin barrier.
- Eat a diet of whole, nutrient-dense foods to restore your gut.
Ingredients to Look for in Charcoal Soap
As a general rule, look for ingredients you can pronounce. Adding toxins and chemicals to your skin while you’re actively trying to cleanse your pores is unhelpful. Plus, you don’t need a ton of ingredients to create an effective charcoal soap. A simple oil base (preferably a mix of animal fats and cold-pressed plant oils) combined with activated charcoal and essential oils should do the trick.
How to Use Charcoal Soap
Lather the charcoal soap in your hands before applying it generously to your face. If you’re wearing makeup, rinse and repeat this process once. Then, dry your face with an organic cotton towel. Apply a natural moisturizer like tallow balm to finish.
Make Your Own Activated Charcoal Mask at Home
If you’re still skeptical about charcoal soap, you can test out the power of charcoal at home. Try this recipe:
- 1 Tablespoon of water
- 1 Tablespoon of activated charcoal
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A squirt or two of raw honey
Mix in a bowl until dissolved and then apply generously to your face. Once dry, rinse off the mask with water and apply a natural moisturizer. As with any detoxing product, you may experience some slight purging at first. Just be sure to use high-quality ingredients and use them consistently. The purging should calm down after a few days.
Purely Sourced Activated Charcoal for Soap
Not only do we care about nontoxic and minimally processed ingredients, we care about how they’re sourced. From farm to skin, it’s the small details and responsible sourcing that truly make a difference in a product’s quality.
Our activated charcoal soap is made from just three ingredients: 100% grass-fed tallow (responsibly sourced), cold-pressed organic virgin olive oil, and charcoal from bamboo.
These ingredients feed your skin with vitamins and minerals while allowing the detox process to be uninterrupted by toxins or poor-quality ingredients.