Detoxifying Activated Charcoal Soap
Our rationale for making cold processed organic Activated Charcoal Soap is primarily as a skin detoxifier, with the added benefits of organic avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and shea butter for extra skin nourishment and moisturisation.
At Barcaldine Botanicals we DO NOT USE Palm Oil in any of our products, as we don’t believe any palm oil is sustainable, but that’s another blog in itself! It’s incredible how cheap palm oil is and likely why it’s become ubiquitous in processed food and cosmetics!!!
Barcaldine Botanicals Organic Activated Charcoal Soap
Our Soap contains unique combinations of organic olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil and shea butter combined with activated charcoal and organic essentials oils of lavender and teatree. This is a perfect combination for cleansing and nurturing skin prone to hormonal breakouts, acne, oily and combination skin, or alternatively can be used for deep cleansing and detoxification of normal skin. It’s antibacterial and detoxifying properties make a great natural, organic addition to any skincare regime. It also provides perfect deep cleansing for removing dirt and grease from dirty hands!!!
What Is Activated Charcoal?
The Science Behind the Soap
Activated charcoal, or activated carbon, is obtained by the intense burning of natural materials including wood, coal, peat, coconut or olive husks at intense temperatures. The process produces a porous sponge like compound which is then milled into a fine powder.
Barcaldine Botanical’s activated charcoal is pharmaceutical grade, environmentally friendly, animal friendly, and obtained from coconut shells that have been mechanically recovered without the use of monkeys. This is a chemical-free natural process performed by superheating with steam. This intense heat alters the carbon compound producing numerous small pores with a huge surface area, creating a porous compound with superb binding abilities. 1 gram of activated charcoal has a binding surface area larger than a football pitch up to 1,000 square metres for skin adsorption. On the skin, these charged particles bind and draw out positively charged pollutants, toxins, dirt, bacteria, and excess sebum, hence its ability to act as a potent detoxifying agent.
Uses of Activated Charcoal
Activated Charcoal has been evidenced in medicinal use for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used it as a poultice to clean wounds and the Hindus used it for filtration of water. Also, in the 18th century, pharmacists and chemists studied charcoal to discover its abilities to provide protection from toxins. Presently, activated charcoal (one of the processed forms) is used in water filters as well as an antidote for poison. Activated charcoal may have an antibacterial effect by absorbing harmful microbes from wounds, is used in toothbrushes to lower bacterial colonisation rates, and more recently research is suggesting that wastewater Powdered Activated Charcoal treatment is a promising technology for the removal of micropollutants including antibiotic resistant bacteria released into our water systems.
The Benefits of Activated Charcoal Soap for Your Skin
So, if you haven’t realised yet we are huge fans of activated charcoal for binding all the dirt, grease, germs, bugs, excess oils, and any other environmental pollutants from your skin. It’s an inert, organic compound so allergy and sensitivities are incredibly rare!! With all the antibacterial, antifungal, pore-cleansing, impurity-fighting and exfoliating, your skin is left radiant and rejuvenated. Detoxifying your skin of unwanted debris means an improvement in overall appearance.
It’s A Great Detox for Any Skin!!
Antimicrobial Benefits
Activated charcoal has been evidenced to have a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity and also inhibits bacteria and fungus in skin and clogged pores from proliferating. This has been shown to clean wounds and speed up the healing process from acne and skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis.
Deep Pore Cleansing
This amazing ingredient provides deep pore cleaning due to its major adsorbing properties. By binding to impurities and bringing them to the surface, detoxifying dirty skin from environmental chemical pollutants has never been easier.
Reduces and Tightens Skin’s Pores
Because of its adsorbent properties leaving skin clog-free, pores are less likely to overproduce sebum. With continued use of activated charcoal, over time pores become smaller therefore major oil production is no longer needed.
Gentle Exfoliation
Powdered activated charcoal is slightly gritty so it makes an excellent exfoliant! Exfoliation removes the dull, dead layers of skin so that new and healthier skin underneath can shine it's brightest.
Precautions
Activated Charcoal is super adsorbent and overuse on normal skin may lead to drying. The combination of organic oils provide nourishment and moisture however, should your skin start to feel dry, then combine your charcoal soap with another soap and confine it to T-zone areas on a daily basis, or as required.
References
1. Contemp Clin Dent Jul-Sep 2018;9(3):463-467.doi: 10.4103/ccd.ccd_309_18. Comparison of Bacterial Contamination and Antibacterial Efficacy in Bristles of Charcoal Toothbrushes versus Noncharcoal Toothbrushes: A Microbiological Study, Mitali et al
2. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2019;20(1):63-75.doi: 10.2174/1389201020666190207095556. Effect of Powdered Activated Carbon as Advanced Step in Wastewater Treatments on Antibiotic Resistant Microorganisms Damiana, Ravasi et al
3. Biomacromolecules 2019 Aug 12;20(8):3031-3040.doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b00598. Epub 2019 Jul 15 Acidity-Activated Charge-Convertible Silver Nanocomposites for Enhanced Bacteria-Specific Aggregation and Antibacterial Activity, Qianqian Guo et al
4.Antibacterial and Adsorption Characteristics of Activated Carbon Functionalized with Quaternary Ammonium Moieties. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ie0608096 (accessed 26/2/2021)
5. Activated Carbon, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/activated-carbon (accessed 26/2/2021)
6. American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists. Position Paper: Single-Dose Activated Charcoal. Clinical Toxicology. 43:61–87. 2005. http://www.clintox.org/documents/positionpapers/SingleDoseActivatedCharcoal.pdf (accessed 26/2/2021)
Cutting a 'loaf' of Activated Charcoal Soap (using a manual cutting technique) into bars
Visit our website page by clicking here if you would like to buy our organic Activated Charcoal Deep Cleansing soap.