Charcoal Soap Pics

[ZandarKoad]

Well here's the batch during cutting. It looks great, but I do think it will end up bleeding black all over. It's OK, all these are being given away as gifts. Hehehe!

The more I read about it, the more I like Activated Charcoal.

 

[CaliChan]

That would actually be an amazing gift for christmas!!!
they look great!

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Woo! That's a lot of black soap!
Is it scented?

 

[ZandarKoad]

Woo! That's a lot of black soap!
Is it scented?

NOPE! It's a MAN SOAP.

It actually has LESS of a scent than my unscented non-charcoal version of the same soap. I think the charcoal absorbs some scent...

The scents seem to be almost as expensive as the entire cost of all the other ingredients combined. These bars are all function and no form. I should really stop making soap I like, and start making soap for other people... Since these are all gifts anyway! We'll probably start making more fruity tuti bars once my wife gets into it. She just gave birth, and still has an embroidery machine she wants to master. She'll know more about what all her women friends want in their soaps.

Also, just so you know, those are not full bars. They are only about 1.5 oz a bar, + or - 0.3 oz.

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Man soap has to be Unscented? C'mon now! I sell a lot of scented Man soap...my charcoal man soap is scented with Anise, Patchouli, and Lavender...very manly man.

You're right...sometimes the scent is as expensive as the total base ingredients!

Cute kid, by the way!

 

[terminatortoo]

The charcoal doesn't turn your washcloth black does it?

 

[ZandarKoad]

The charcoal doesn't turn your washcloth black does it?

It probably does. I'll test it after a few weeks.

 

[Trxflyer]

Wow, that's black! Looks awesome. Did you use any other colorants (Alkaneet, Annato, Coffee) to increase the blackness? I made activated charcoal soap and I was disappointed as it came out a dark gray. I didn't know if that was the nature of the soap or I didn't use enough charcoal of if I should have added another colorant to the mix.

 

[Aponi]

Now that's a black soap!!!!

I use activated charcoal and make Charcoal 'n' Dead Sea Salt soaps (round) and the black doesn't run when you use it. I marble the soaps with goats milk - I've posted pics on here - have a look. Activated Charcoal is easy to work with, the salt is touchy.

 

[Desert Karen]

That is a serious haul of soap. It looks like space is at a premium. Where do you cure your soap? I live in a 1000 sq. ft. apartment, just me and hubby as the kids are all grown (10 grand kids! My newest is 8 day's old). I have two of those plastic drawer storage units, 3 drawers that are fairly deep. I've tried to avoid mixing them in close proximity so the scent of the essential oils don't intermingle. The good thing is that I live in a dry climate, and I can set my soaps outside while it's warm (it was 82* today) and they are ready in about 3 weeks. The bad thing is my supplies take up a fair amount of space in my bedroom. I WISH I had a garage or even a laundry room.

 

[ZandarKoad]

That is a serious haul of soap. It looks like space is at a premium. Where do you cure your soap? I live in a 1000 sq. ft. apartment, just me and hubby as the kids are all grown (10 grand kids! My newest is 8 day's old). I have two of those plastic drawer storage units, 3 drawers that are fairly deep. I've tried to avoid mixing them in close proximity so the scent of the essential oils don't intermingle. The good thing is that I live in a dry climate, and I can set my soaps outside while it's warm (it was 82* today) and they are ready in about 3 weeks. The bad thing is my supplies take up a fair amount of space in my bedroom. I WISH I had a garage or even a laundry room.

I hear ya. Yes, it is very tight on space. We are a family of 7 as of 6 days ago. I think our house is somewhere around 1200 square feet. I've got a few ideas for building a big old drying rack using wood pallets ('cause I can get them free), but we have no remaining floor space. They would need to be hung from the ceiling. I want something that's much lighter than the pallets though. Right now I've got all the bars laid out on cardboard covered in wax paper, and laying all over my wife's sewing room since she just gave birth.

 

[Momonga]

Awesome looking soaps, Zandar, and I like the spokesmodel there too. Definitely sells the "man soap" angle! And congrats on the new baby.

Karen, my husband and I had such a fabulous lifestyle in a 950 sq. ft. condo in downtown San Diego. Luxury fittings, and it was lofty and airy, with such a gorgeous view... and then I started crafting. And the apartment got smaller, and smaller, and smaller, and smaller! And then I had a baby. Forget it! I feel you!

 

[melstan775]

Zander, break down your pallets and use the wood for
Shelves near the ceiling!

 

[Rick Nelson]

Those plastic bread trays, the ones used to deliver bread to stores, would make excellent drying racks. They stack on top of each other, and have the depth of a loaf of bread. I'm trying to find a place to buy a few. I asked the guy who delivers bread to WalMart, and he didn't know where they buy them. I'm sure they are available somewhere.

 

[kellistarr]

Wow! I was totally thrown off by those dinner plates! Reminded me of when I had little tykes. That is a lot of soap! I'm amused by your enthusiasm.
I like charcoal soap, especially if its scented with a lemon fragrance and shea butter is thrown in the recipe.

 

[ZandarKoad]

Well, I couldn't wait any longer, so we used a bar of the black soap. It was very hard when I attempted to squeeze it, so I think it's fully dried. It does seem to dissolve slightly faster than regular soap when left wet on the sink, but I think that's because of the natural glycerin. We made a few soap drying dishes that seem to work very well to keep the soap dry after each use.

The soap bleeds black EVERYWHERE. The suds is black, the water turns black, the residue is black. But it all washes away very easily with warm water, and doesn't appear to stain any fabrics. It's scary when you first use it, but I really think it's perfectly fine.

 

[melstan775]

woo! WTG Zander!

 

[three_little_fishes]

The color is great!! Charcoal is on my soap bucket list. I've never used it, but I've heard it was good for acne.

 

[Badger]

The black is wonderful and that is a *lot* of soap! I think I might add charcoal to the list of things for me to try also. Too many soaps, not enough money!

 

[ZandarKoad]

The black is wonderful and that is a *lot* of soap! I think I might add charcoal to the list of things for me to try also. Too many soaps, not enough money!

I know, right? I need to find buyers to fund my obsession.