Activated Charcoal

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HLN80

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Hello! I was wondering how much activated charcoal to add to a 2.5lb batch of CP soap in order to turn the whole thing black?
 
I have never had AC turn black with such a low amount of usage as WSP states. It will work for m&p but Not cp. I use a lot of AC in soaps and in a batch of 58 ounces of oil it will take a tablespoon or more. I simply warn customers my word of mouth and a warning label on the soap to not use light colored washcloths. This is not my exact statement.... At high usage charcoal soap recipes need to not have high pko or CO since it would be to drying. If I am making swirls I use enough to make the separated batter shiny black. It will be diluted when used to wash with, never has one person complained to me
 
Im going to use 7.2 g per 800 gram soap mold. That includes olive oil, coconut oil, rapeseed with citric acid to prevent DOS, and a few other oils and butters with Vitamin E. Happy soapmaking. Let us know the results.
 
I agree, low amounts won't get black. I've never been able to get a true black no matter how much AC I use, however, if I add a tiny bit of black oxide to my AC, I get a deep true black.

For a 2.5 lb of oil mix, I would use 1 tbsp AC with a 1/4 tsp black oxide.
 
I sometimes use a black mica to up the black. I can get a pure black if I only want to pour off some batter swirls and add AC for black. For a full bar such as my facial charcoal bar I can only go as far as a deep charcoal or the bar becomes to drying
 
I did a bit of reading about it before using, and I opted for adding the powder directly to the emulsified batter, which allegedly creates a deeper colour than if you pre-blend it with oils before adding. I used a rounded teaspoon PPO and I thought it was more than sufficient. Here's the outcome:
Not Gelled:
fullsizeoutput_4edb.jpeg

And gelled:
fullsizeoutput_4d93.jpeg

It's difficult to see because of the swirl, but I think the gelled one creates a deeper black than the ungelled one.
 
Thank you all for this great information!

I did a bit of reading about it before using, and I opted for adding the powder directly to the emulsified batter, which allegedly creates a deeper colour than if you pre-blend it with oils before adding. I used a rounded teaspoon PPO and I thought it was more than sufficient. Here's the outcome:
Not Gelled:
View attachment 37047
And gelled: View attachment 37048
It's difficult to see because of the swirl, but I think the gelled one creates a deeper black than the ungelled one.
that is really beautiful :)
 
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If you ever do try HP, even a lot of charcoal won't get you black if you add it in after the cook for swirling. Just the whole range of grays. Unless you can stick blend thick soap, which I don't wanna put my cheap blender through lol

It also tends to be scratchy. Both cases of course depends a lot on your charcoal powder.

In CP if you're doing a solid black soap I read it's best to stick blend it in. Hand mixing might not get you as dark as you'd probably want sometimes.
 
I did a bit of reading about it before using, and I opted for adding the powder directly to the emulsified batter, which allegedly creates a deeper colour than if you pre-blend it with oils before adding. I used a rounded teaspoon PPO and I thought it was more than sufficient. Here's the outcome:
Not Gelled:
View attachment 37047
And gelled: View attachment 37048
Beautiful soaps! Would you be ok with sharing your soap weight:ac ratio? I'd truly appreciate it!
It's difficult to see because of the swirl, but I think the gelled one creates a deeper black than the ungelled one.
 
Sorry @Carla Burke - only just noticed this :)
I'm a 'fly by the seat of my pants' soaper and I don't write down the exact amount. I used about a generous teaspoon PPO.
:rolling: I love that, tbh! I often drive my family & friends nuts, when they ask for a recipe or 'how-to', for this very reason. Thanks for the guestimation - it will help, a LOT!

There's a shampoo/ soap bar I've been buying from NZ, that I'm hoping to make myself, in a goat milk version. I'm discovering it's one of the best things for getting the goat smell off, after I've been working with them!:shower::nodding:
 
:rolling: I love that, tbh! I often drive my family & friends nuts, when they ask for a recipe or 'how-to', for this very reason. Thanks for the guestimation - it will help, a LOT!

There's a shampoo/ soap bar I've been buying from NZ, that I'm hoping to make myself, in a goat milk version. I'm discovering it's one of the best things for getting the goat smell off, after I've been working with them!:shower::nodding:
Oh - what's the brand?
 
Oh - what's the brand?
It's the Voodoo bar, from BeautyandtheBees.com And, oops! It's not NZ, but Tasmania, Australia

It works great on a lot of things, but it *can* be drying, if I use it very frequently. So, right now, I'm using it only as needed, in between regular use of my goat milk soap. I am hoping to find a happy medium, since I'll be out getting covered in goat smell on a fairly daily basis.
 
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