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Charcoal and Sea Salt Spa Soap Bars

Make a double-sided tea tree, charcoal sea salt soap for a deep-cleansing spa experience in the comfort of home.

By Jan Berry
Published on October 6, 2020
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Jan Berry

Create a spa experience in the comfort of your own home with soaps and scrubs designed to polish, cleanse, and pamper. You’ll appreciate the clean lines of Charcoal & Sea Salt Spa Bars, Floating Dead Sea Mud Bars are sure to become a favorite, and Pink Grapefruit Pedicure Scrubs will get your feet in tip-top shape for sandal weather.

Yields 4 bars.

These simple yet elegant, double-sided bars feature deep-cleansing charcoal, along with skin-clearing tea tree oil, soothing lavender essential oil, mineral-rich sea salt, and a touch of silk for added luxury. In this recipe, I divided the essential oils, scenting the charcoal half with tea tree, and the white half with lavender. For a more blended fragrance, you can combine both essential oils into the melted soap base before dividing it in half and proceeding with the recipe.

  • 16 ounces shea or goat’s milk soap base
  • 3/8 teaspoon lavender essential oil
  • 4 oval soap molds (4 ounces each)
  • Rubbing alcohol, for spritzing
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon charcoal, diluted in
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons rubbing alcohol
  • 1/4 teaspoon tea tree essential oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon liquid silk amino acids, optional
  1. Place soap base in the top of a double boiler over medium-low heat, and heat until melted, stirring often, about 20 to 30 minutes. Alternatively, melt it in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or so.
  2. Evenly divide soap between two containers.
  3. Stir lavender essential oil into one container, and mix well. Evenly divide mixture among four soap molds, filling each one about half full. Immediately spritz the tops with rubbing alcohol, and quickly sprinkle each with 1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt. Spritz again, generously, with rubbing alcohol, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.
  4. Into the second container of melted soap, stir in the diluted charcoal, tea tree essential oil, and silk amino acids, if using. Monitor the temperature, bringing it below 135 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent melting the lavender layers.
  5. When the charcoal soap is ready, spritz the lavender soap layers in the molds with rubbing alcohol, and then evenly divide the charcoal soap between the molds, filling them almost to the top. Spritz again with rubbing alcohol to eliminate any air bubbles on the surface.
  6. Let the soaps cool completely, about 2 to 3 hours, or until hardened.
  7. Unmold the bars, wrap them tightly, and store them in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight.

NOTE: For a cool, minty version, to the first container (white layer), add 1/2 teaspoon of French green clay mixed with 1-1/2 teaspoons of rubbing alcohol, and use peppermint essential oil in place of lavender.