This blog will show you how to make a solid charcoal facial cleanser.

Solid bar formulas are becoming increasingly popular amongst consumers, and rightly so, since they are excellent for several reasons.

For consumers, they are easy to use, carry (especially if you travel a lot), and look fabulous on the bathroom shelf. They also require minimal packaging, an essential factor for supporters of green cosmetics. 

For formulators, well, where do I start? It’s simple to make and versatile, meaning you can personalise it to work with your brand, target customer and ethos. You could sell it in a paper box or get a soap tin container. 

THE INGREDIENTS (well, some)

The bar's base is Olivem 1000, a lamellar, non-ionic emulsifier. Many formulator schools use this as their go-to emulsifier, and our group members asked us not to use it (sorry, gang). Rightly so, this wouldn’t be my choice for lotions and creams. There are other, more elegant emulsifiers since the industry is changing quickly. However, in a cleanser, Olivem 1000 is excellent. You don’t need to worry about its soaping effect; it is also widely available, so you have no excuse for not making this formula.

I also added palm-free Stearic acid, an emollient which helps solidify the formula without a wax. Stearic acid is also a component in lipids, so you are probably already familiar with it. In facial skincare, stearic acid is an excellent choice for cleansing products; it also works well with our next ingredient, SCI powder.

SCI is a powdered surfactant that has a more skin-friendly pH than other powdered surfactants, and it is relatively gentle. It is the base of many solid cleansers, so it was obvious to include it in this formula. I like working with it but make sure you always wear a mask to avoid breathing in the fine particles. 

Moving on, almond oil and poppy seed oil are fantastic for all skin types. I added kaolin clay which is a good choice for two reasons. Clays are excellent skin cleansers, making the bar feel less oily. Our key ingredient is a charcoal powder which may help draw impurities out of the skin and remove excess oil. Since we have natural lipids, we must use an antioxidant such as tocopherol, but you could also use rosemary extract. Finally, we are adding a mango scent, a natural fragrance from Aroma-Zone, France. These fragrances are naturally occurring compounds, such as constituents of essential oils, that are explicitly blended to create a new scent.

HOW TO USE

Use on wet/ damp skin. Wet your hand and swirl the bar around in your hands just like you would a soap bar. Apply it on your skin, and massage it well to remove all grime and dirt. Rinse well with water and use your favourite toner and moisturiser after.

THE FORMULA