Originally published on February 23, 2023 | Last updated on March 30, 2025
Activated charcoal soap has taken the beauty industry by storm with its ability to cleanse the skin of impurities, reduce acne, and much more. It has become a staple in many skincare routines, and it’s no surprise why! In today’s post, I’m going to discuss five incredible benefits of activated charcoal soap that make it a must-have in your beauty routine.
What is Activated Charcoal Soap?
As the name suggests, activated charcoal is the key ingredient that sets this soap apart from others. Activated charcoal is a form of carbon that has been treated with oxygen to make it highly porous and able to absorb impurities.
Activated charcoal soap is made by combining activated charcoal with a base of natural oils and lye. The activated charcoal used in the soap is typically made by heating coconut shells or other plant materials to extremely high temperatures in the presence of steam or air. Once the activated charcoal is made, it’s blended with a mixture of oils and lye to create soap. The oils used in the soap can vary but, due to their moisturising properties, coconut oil, olive oil and shea butter are often chosen. The soap mixture is then poured into molds and left to cure for several weeks until it hardens into a bar of soap. It is then ready to use!
5 Incredible Benefits of Activated Charcoal Soap
Treats Oily Skin
If you have oily skin, you know how challenging it can be to keep your skin looking matte and shine-free throughout the day. Oily skin is caused by excess sebum production, and if it’s not managed properly, it can lead to clogged pores, blackheads, and acne breakouts.
Due to its ability to absorb all of the excess oil, activated charcoal soap is an excellent solution for those with oily skin. When you wash your face with the soap, it will clean out dirt from your pores while also absorbing all of the excess oil on your skin’s surface. This helps to keep shininess at bay and help improve the appearance of congested skin.
Clears Skin Blemishes
Acne breakouts can be frustrating and challenging to deal with. What’s more, they can leave behind blemishes, scars, and dark spots on your skin. Activated charcoal soap can help you achieve a clear, spot-free complexion as it helps to remove toxins from the skin.
As it has a porous surface, this makes activated charcoal excellent for detoxing the skin. This is because it has the ability to trap the toxins, impurities and bacteria that sit in the pores. When you wash your face with the soap, it will remove this from the skin, which can greatly help to reduce acne breakouts and prevent blemishes.
Reduces Pore Size
Due to environmental aggressors such as UV rays, blue light, pollution and dust, our pores can become enlarged and more noticeable. Thankfully, charcoal soap can help with this.
By removing dirt, clearing clogged pores and deeply cleansing the skin from all of the impurities that can cause pore congestion, activated charcoal soap can significantly reduce the size of your pores. After using it regularly, you’ll be able to notice a reduction in the size of your pores. Your skin will be left looking radiant, smooth and glowy.
Prevents Premature Ageing
If you are wanting to prevent premature ageing by reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, then activated charcoal soap may be just what you need.
As the soap is very rich in antioxidants, this can help to fight the free radicals that can damage your skin and accelerate the ageing process. The fact that the soap also tightens and firms the skin helps with achieving fresher, younger-looking skin. Using the soap regularly will help prevent premature ageing and result in firmer, smoother, radiant skin.
Gently Exfoliates
As activated charcoal soap has quite a gritty texture, it makes an amazing natural exfoliator. Exfoliating is a key part of an effective skincare routine. It helps to remove dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, revealing a brighter, smoother, and healthier-looking complexion.
When you wash your face with the soap, it gently exfoliates your skin, removing all of the dead skin cells and impurities from the surface of your skin. This helps to leave your skin looking healthy, radiant and at its best. (Note — remember not to overexfoliate! 1 or 2 times a week works best.)
Tips for Using Activated Charcoal Soap
Now that you know about the incredible benefits of activated charcoal soap, here are some tips for using it effectively:
Use warm water: When using charcoal soap, it’s important to use warm water, as this can help to open up your pores and allow the soap to work more effectively.
Don’t overdo it: While charcoal soap can be incredibly beneficial for the skin, it’s important not to overuse it. Using it too frequently or leaving it on the skin for too long can lead to dryness and irritation.
Moisturise your skin after using the soap: After using charcoal soap, it’s important to moisturise your skin to help prevent dryness.
Test it out first: If you have sensitive skin, it’s a good idea to test the soap on a small area first to make sure that you don’t have an adverse reaction.
Read the ingredient list: When purchasing activated charcoal soap, look for brands that use natural ingredients. In addition, avoid harsh chemicals, as these can be damaging to the skin.
Where to Buy Activated Charcoal Soap
You can purchase natural activated charcoal soap from Amazon and beauty stores.
As you can see, activated charcoal soap has some amazing skin benefits. It can help a wide range of skin dilemas, from acne and oily skin to wrinkles and dullness. With its natural ingredients and powerful detoxifying properties, it’s no wonder that this soap has become a staple in so many skincare routines. So, whether you’re looking to clear up acne or simply brighten up your complexion, give activated charcoal soap a try for yourself!
Have you ever tried activated charcoal soap before? I’d love to know your thoughts!
Glad I came across this article as I have never heard of charcoal soap. Will definitely try for the exfoliation benefit.
I would give this a try and see how it worked for me. I hear lots of great things about charcoal.
I didn’t know this was still around. I used some of that kind of soap when I used to have bad breakouts
I have never tried activated charcoal soap before but it sounds like it has a lot of benefits!
That is cool to learn that the activated charcoal comes from coconut shells. I like the soaps benefits.
Wow…. I had no idea of the many benefits that this soap provides. My brother has used it for a while now and I am gonna have to try it for myself! My daughter might love it too!
I’ve seen activated charcoal soap before but I’ve never tried it. The benefits sound great so I’ll have to pick some up soon!
This is so cool, what a really great and very informative post you have here! Thanks for sharing this with us
I can’t see any drawbacks to using activated charcoal soap!
I used to use this soap and loved it. It has so many great benefits.
I should try this. I’ve been getting breakouts lately and they’re pretty annoying to get rid of.
I should give this a try to help with my blemishes. Thank you for the great info!
I’ve actually been wanting to try activated charcoal soap. I can see from reading here, it definitely has so many wonderful benefits. Will definitely be trying it now, thank you!