Soap for Acne ?

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mountainsparky

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We have been quite busy making soap. All is well. I was asked about making a goats milk CP soap that would help with acne in teens. Any suggestions ? PLEASE.
 
I've heard good things about salt bars and acne so I think Jezzy made a good suggestion.

I've used activated charcoal and French green clay in soap for my nephew. It helped him but I thought I used too much babassu in it. (Babassu really helps to unclog pores.) I felt it was overly stripping and may have caused the oil glands to over produce. Although his face did look better after using it so maybe I worried too much. Also, I used way too much charcoal and clay in it which might have contributed to the drying effects. Next time I intend only to use 1 tsp of each ppo. Someone mentioned she thought bamboo charcoal was better for acne but I don't know if there really is a difference.

This is just a suggestion but you could try goat milk with green clay to start and see how it turns out.
 
I gave one of my pumice bars away to a family friend a while back and she came back to me and told me that her friend had used it. He suffered from acne/greasy skin/blackheads he said that his skin had never felt so clean and clear especially his nose. I didn't intend on making that soap to help with acne but after what he said I guess pumice might be good for the T zone where pores can get really clogged it gives a little boost with it's abrasiveness?
 
I make my girls neem soap that they like real well when they have breakouts. I do add a little ground patchouli for exfoliating & olive powder. The patchouli is grond very fine and the olive powder is dissolves. I also add 5% babassu for the pore cleaning properties and grape seed oil for moisture, and a blend of eo's. Some seem to have real problems with very harsh cleaning soaps, as it can overact the oil glands and since the skin is broken out and inflamed I would not want to add more irritation.
Carolyn Z
czwickandsuds.com
 
I think all the previous suggestions are great.
I would consider adding anti-microbial essential oils especially Tea Tree which is well-known for being good for acne. Lavender is also anti-microbial. Consider adding them on the higher end of acceptable percntages for essential oils in soap.
I also like to use exfoliants like apricot kernel meal or poppy seeds. And finally, and this is just speculation, but I think for soap for acne I would superfat with a less comedogenic, unsaturated fat like Almond Oil, wheat germ oil or olive oil rather than the rich saturated fats of Shea, Cocoa Butter or Mango Butter.
 
My daughter and I can't use salt soap and neither can many of my friends that come to me for face soaps. I use 50% olive oil recipe and also infuse some olive oil with chamomile and calendula petals and sub that in for some of the olive oil in the soap. *I also add tea tree eo. I also grind into powder calendula petals and hand mix them into the batch after it hits trace then pour into molds and pop into the freezer for 2 hours then into the fridge until the next day. Unmold, cut and cure at least 8weeks.

I started out at 5% superfat with 1% tea tree and 2 then 3% SWO added and with each test batch they've said it worked better each time but felt it could be stronger in the tea tree area. I up'd the Tea Tree until I'm now at 2.5% and I've changed from sweet almond oil to shea butter at 3%. Once it's cured I'll send it out to the testers and see what they think now. I also make this recipe without Tea Tree for just a mild soap for sensitive skin for friends and family and they all love it. And as a note, I also use these bars on my own face and my daughter uses them too so there's personal experience with each bar.

I know I'm on the path because several felt that while still needing work, they've cancelled their facial system orders elsewhere or no longer have to drive to get their cleanser and they love that.


*This just reminded me of a post I made the other day on EO's and realized, since I make this soap only every 3 months or less that I completely forgot that I DO add this one in hopes of benefits coming through in my soaps *durr* lol
 
There's a recipe on the teach soap site that I have used (slightly modified). Everybody who has tried it swears by it. Main active ingredients are grapeseed oil, clay, tea tree and lavender EOs.
 
Salt bars! I use a 95% coconut 5% castor bar with 60% of the oil's weight in salt. It is excellent as a facial soap on anyone's skin. My teen daughter loves it for keeping her face clear, and I like it because it feels clean. I just follow mine up with pure shea butter.
 
I wouldn't add anything too exfoliating. Anything too harsh can actually worsen acne. (I know--I'm a sufferer.)

Also, I'd caution the chamomile. It's a relative of ragweed and if you're allergic to ragweed, you can react to chamomile. Anything with chamomile in it makes my face sting.
 
I use kokum butter for my face soaps I read it is non poor clogging moisturizer but I really don't have too many breakouts except around pms time. I make with green tea and add French green clay and green tea powder. Again neither my daughter and I have bad issues. But my step daughter does and she says it is great. My daughter is really liking the salt soap I just made a coconut milk with kelp and se clay I am.hoping will be good for more mature skins.!

No I am planning a cream soap amassed a scrub I will tell you how that works out when.I am done.
 
Do be advised not to market the soap as having anything to do with treatment or prevention of acne, or it will be classed and regulated as a drug.
 
Thank you all very much. We have tea tree oil and lavender EO so I will adapt and conquer and use my cousins son as my test person, if he is willing.
 
Stacy is very correct, about how you advertise it is such a fine line that makes a product a drug. My neem is one of my best sellers but I never sell it saying it will help cure anything. My customers make up their own minds. If asked any questions I just tell them the properties that are claimed for the neem oil and recommend they look it up.
C Zaha
 
Also, I'd caution the chamomile. It's a relative of ragweed and if you're allergic to ragweed, you can react to chamomile. Anything with chamomile in it makes my face sting.

I have warned folks about the chamomile causing ragweed allergies to flare up from the first time I used it in anything, even before I even knew of my mil's ragweed allergies. Knowing what it was made from she no more then opened the wrapping on a bar I gave her at Christmas, took a good sniff and walked straight to the kitchen and stuck it in a Ziplock bag and handed it back with a hug. They are having mold issues in their house (I didn't know about) so her asthma is very touchy and one good sniff set off her allergies and gave her a wheeze. We swapped it out for an unscented gm soap instead and she loved it.

I've never had it sting and none of my testers have mentioned it but that information is good to know. I'll add that to my notes on it.

I don't advertize -any- soaps as good for curing or helping with anything but if asked "what's good for X" I can point them to several bars that contain things that are reportedly good for X with the caution that it doesn't mean it really works. Most folks I've dealt with so far read what's in them and already seem to know what's good for what.

Edited for typos although I think some would have agreed with the rageweed typo :D
 
Just so you know I decided yesterday I am.no longer using salt soap as a face soap and went back to my hemp and green tea soap it is much better for me. My daughter still likes the salt Soap.
 
My older daughter and I share the same oily skin type. It gives her really bad (boils inside her ears) acne and me adult acne, grrrrrrrrrrr.... I have made a CP soap based on sunflower oil with added Cambrian Blue Clay. Both of us are using my Cambrian soap and follow with Cambrian Clay mask. It really helps.
 
I will have to look into that clay. When.I switched to salt soap for the week I Benedict up breaking out worse than I have in years my cousin and my daughter have been using it for 3 months they love it.
 
If you wish to try the clay, there is a discussion about it here http://soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29814

I have made a soap with Sunflower oil instead of Olive Oil and a Cambrian Blue Clay added to it. So far I love the creamy texture of the Sunflower soap and the added benefit of the Cambrian Blue. My 12 years old is pretty happy with the results and so am I. The Sap value for Sunflower is pretty much the same as the Sap value for Oo.
 

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