A couple weeks ago, I posted my first IGTV video! My inaugural video was the recipe for my DIY charcoal cleansing balm. This recipe works great to get all that gunk out of your pores without stripping the skin.
I wanted to do a full write up though because not every oil or ingredient will work for every skin type…and that’s important! I also wanted to explain how to use a cleansing balm, because it is a very different process than your normal cleanser. So today, I’ll be giving you the full run down on this awesome DIY charcoal cleansing balm!
But first…coconut oil
Ugh. Coconut oil is such a controversial ingredient! Literally, coconut oil is what made me write a post about this cleansing balm because girrrrrl, I need to explain. I don’t want Susan Yara to chase me down!
REMEMBER: Coconut oil will not work for everyone.
Some people swear by coconut oil in their skin care, and some people swear off it. Here’s one of the reasons coconut oil is controversial: it is comedogenic. Does that shock you? Comedones are clogged pores (AKA white and blackheads). So, when a product says “non-comedogenic”, this is just a fancy way of saying it won’t clog your pores. Coconut oil can be pore clogging depending on your skin type.
Many people use coconut oil as a makeup remover and part of their oil cleansing method. It does have antimicrobial properties and can help kill off any bacteria, which is good if you have acne. What’s also good for acne is coconut oil’s anti-inflammatory properties. So, there are benefits to coconut oil.
While coconut oil in itself is not a hydrator, it also seals in hydration (like most oils). That’s often a misconception about coconut oil and dry skin…it won’t necessarily hydrate but will seal in the hydration from another product. Make sense?
I would only suggest using coconut oil in this recipe if you have normal skin that doesn’t tend to break out. Other oils might be more suitable for your skin type and this recipe is perfectly customizable! Here are some alternative oils to use instead of coconut oil:
Skin type
dry: sweet almond oil, rosehip oil, avocado oil
oily: sunflower oil, jojoba oil
acne prone: grapeseed oil, sunflower oil
sensitive: grapeseed oil
aging: jojoba oil, avocado oil
normal: coconut oil
Ok, now that Susan won’t yell at me, let’s get to the recipe, shall we?
DIY Charcoal Cleansing Balm Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4c oil of choice (see above)
- 2 heaping tablespoons raw African shea butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon activated charcoal powder
- 10 drops geranium essential oil
- 2 droppers full calendula extract
Method
- add oil and 1 tablespoon shea butter to small glass mason jar and stir to combine
- microwave 30 seconds to soften
- add other tablespoon shea butter and stir to combine thoroughly (microwave another 30 seconds if needed)
- add rest of ingredients
- stir to fully combine and refrigerate 20-30 minutes to solidify*
*after that, cleansing balm can be stored at room temperature
How to use
- using clean fingers, scoop out a quarter size amount
- rub between finger tips to emulsify
- massage on to dry skin for 1 minute
- place warm wash cloth (as warm as you can tolerate) on face to steam pores for at least 10 seconds (the longer the better)
- use wash cloth to gently wipe cleanser off face
- follow with a toner and rest of skincare routine*
*There will be a thin layer of oil on your skin. It is my preference to gently wipe some of the oil off using my toner, then continue with the rest of my skincare routine. My skin is sensitive to layering too many products, but yours might not be.
Experiment with what works for you; most people don’t remove the layer of oil and let it serve as their moisturizer. See what your skin likes. It might like the extra oil or it might be too much for it to get used to. Everyone’s skin is different.
Why it Works
1. Won’t strip skin
We will get to the ingredient benefits in a second. First, the process of using a cleansing balm or oil does not strip the skin. Remember, like attracts like, so an oil will attract another oil and gently remove your skin’s “bad” oil (that is mixed with dirt, makeup, debris).
This DIY charcoal cleansing balm has ingredients that won’t strip your skin of essential oils, will nourish, protect, and also unclog congested skin. After cleansing, your skin will feel comfortable and supple, not dry and tight.
2. Pore steaming
The process of steaming your pores with a warm washcloth softens the pores, allowing clogs to be set free. A lot of cleansers on the market over dry skin and when skin is dry, the pores cannot release trapped debris. You need your pores to be soft in order for the bad stuff to be able to escape.
3. Beneficial ingredients
Activated charcoal – Fun fact, if you ingest a toxic substance, you might be advised to down some charcoal. Why? Because charcoal acts as a magnet, pulling out anything harmful. Cool, right? This same thing happens when you use it in skincare. Activated charcoal pulls the gunk out of your pores to be cleared away.
Calendula extract – Calendula helps to regulate oil production, which lessens the occurrence of acne. It also has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. It heals the skin and is even used for wound care and diaper rash!
Geranium essential oil – Geranium essential oil tightens skin, protects against aging, increases new skin cell turnover, regulates oil. It is also used in aromatherapy to help with fatigue, stress, anxiety, and sadness while enhancing feeling of well being and relaxation. The geranium scent will make this cleansing ritual a nourishing spa experience! Here’s a great post by Byrdie Beauty on essential oils in skincare.
Raw African shea butter – Raw African shea butter is full of vitamins and fatty acids, promotes collagen, treats acne, soothes and softens skin, and leaves skin nice and plump (great for fighting wrinkles!).
What to expect
If you notice some bumps on your skin, don’t be alarmed. If you have been overstripping your skin with other cleansers and experienced surface dryness, you likely have a lot of stuff in your pores that has been itching to come out, but couldn’t. Now that your skin is softer, your pores can relax and release clogs.
You can start slowly with oil cleansing and only use this DIY charcoal cleansing balm once a day or a few times a week at first so your skin will get used to it. After that, I use it once a day in the evening. For my skin, cleansing with micellar water in the morning and a balm in the evening gives me a great balance of hydration and cleansing.
Right now, I am experiencing a few breakouts in a place I have never broken out…my temples. I suspect that I never properly moisturized that area properly because it’s not one of the main places of the face to focus on. So I’ve had pores that needed to release stuff for who knows how long.
Other than that, I have been using this particular DIY charcoal cleansing balm for about 2 weeks now and my pores are smaller, there are less blackheads on my nose, chin, cheeks, and forehead, and my skin feels so comfortable. The charcoal has brought plugs/blackheads to the surface for super easy extraction, effectively clearing the pore. Finally.
So, I can tell you that this works if you stick to it. This whole cleansing ritual has really given me a nice little 2 minute wind down at the end of the day which has been lovely and something I’ve come to appreciate. Cheers to healthy skin!
-Kristen