Natural handmade tallow soap recipe: black magic
Since I started making my own soap, I've been enjoying trying new recipes, especially adapting them to use beef tallow. See my post about Pure tallow soap for most about why I want to use up the tallow rendered from our own beef.
When I read about how this lady found that activated charcoal soap helped with adult acne, I really wanted to make some and give it a try. I have had acne on and off since high school, and it really bugs me. I found a a recipe for ctivated charcoal soap here, and then adapted it to suit tallow, with 25% coconut oil for suds. It makes a really nice face wash, although I can't say its cured my acne completely.
I ordered activated charcoal powder here (if you are going to make a few recipes with it, then buy the powder not the capsules, I couldn't be bothered opening them all to get enough out for soap!). You don't need much at a time, so a 150g jar should last for a while. (Here's a similar product on Amazon - affiliate link).
Around the same time I saw the soap recipe I also saw this recipe for a charcoal drawing salve, which is supposed to be useful for skin conditions that need "drawing" like acne, boils and skin infections. I made my basic herbal salve, and added activated charcoal, bentonite clay, lavender and frankincense essential oils. It smells lovely. It does look grey on my skin, so its best to use at night (although it does also smudge on my pillow case).
250g coconut oil
250g olive oil
142g caustic
2 Tbsp activated charcoal
2 Tbsp bentonite clay
Eucalyptus essential oil
Activated Charcoal Salve
100mL olive oil (can be infused with skin healing herbs such as calendula)
10g beeswax
2 tsp bentonite clay
30 drops essential oil (e.g. 15 drops lavender, 15 drops frankincense)
2 drops vitamin E
You can find out more about tallow soap in my eBook Make your own natural soap
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