Soap: Bamboo Charcoal

Name: Soap: Bamboo Charcoal
Brand: Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve
SKU: scharcoal
Price: 10.95 USD
Availability: InStock

A great deep cleansing activated charcoal body and complexion soap made with bamboo charcoal, sea salt, bentonite clay and tea tree oil. Charcoal cleans dirt and debris from pores.

Title:

Full Bar 5.6 oz

Trial Sample Bar 1.7 oz

$10.95

Quantity

Product Overview

Good For: Normal to Oily Skin, Acne-Prone Skin

A great deep cleansing natural body and complexion soap made with bamboo charcoal, sea salt, bentonite clay, and tea tree oil. Charcoal adsorbs (yes, adsorbs) dirt and debris from pores leaving skin clean, soft, and smooth, and black clay helps replenish depleted minerals.

Tea tree's antibacterial properties help fight acne without drying skin
Mineral-rich sea salt helps cleanse and tone
Bentonite clay deep cleans pores and helps treat problem skin
Gentle exfoliation removes dead skin cells, leaving skin ultra-clean and very smooth
Organic virgin hemp seed oil, rich in vitamin E, penetrates the skin to moisturize and soothe
Great for acne-prone skin--naturally deep cleans without drying
Read about Bamboo Charcoal

How To Use

How Should I Use Natural Soap to Clean My Face?

We believe in simple, effective cleansing for your complexion and that is accomplished with natural soap and water. The purpose of soap is to combine with oil and dirt on the body, which allows water to wash it away. The method you use to cleanse your skin, especially your face, is really personal preference. We thought we would share just a few examples.

Hand Lathering is usually the suggested method for cleansing delicate facial skin.

Use lukewarm water to create a creamy lather in your clean hands.
Gently massage the lather over your face using circular motions with your fingers.
Rinse with cool water and pat dry.

Washcloth Washers: A washcloth can help remove dead cells and invigorate your skin. A gentle massage with a soft washcloth can help keep facial skin smooth and clean.

Rub the bar on a soft, clean, wet cloth to create a creamy lather.
Apply to your face by a gentle massage using circular motions.
Rinse with cool water and pat dry.

If you are using a washcloth:

Exfoliating or scrubbing too hard may cause the skin to become red and irritated.
Use a clean washcloth, especially if you are prone to acne. Washcloths can re-deposit dirt and grime right back onto your skin.
Washcloths can have soft or rough fibers. You want to use soft, NOT rough fibers on your face.

Never share washcloths or other accessories and replace or clean them often.

A Few Other Pointers:

Use warm, not hot, water to wash your face.
Use cool water as a final rinse to close your pores.
Avoid products made with synthetic ingredients that can irritate facial skin.
Avoid products that contain alcohol which can cause skin to become tight and dry.
Apply a moisturizer immediately after washing your face while skin is still damp.

Effective, Feel Good Ingredients

The goal is simple: to Harness the Power & Simplicity of Nature® to cleanse, soothe, heal, and protect your skin and hair!

Our unique formulas rely on moisturizing oils and butters, healing botanicals, and pure essential oils. We choose every ingredient with one end-result in mind….the BEST possible natural skin care for YOU!

Featured Ingredients

Bamboo Charcoal

Organic Tea Tree Essential Oil

Bentonite Clay

All Ingredients:

Organic Coconut Oil*

,

Organic Palm Oil (Sustainable)

,

Organic Canola Oil

,

Organic Sunflower Oil

,

Distilled Water

,

Sodium Hydroxide^

,

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

,

Organic Castor Bean Oil

,

Organic Cocoa Butter*

,

Organic Hemp Seed Oil

,

Bentonite Clay

,

Bamboo Charcoal

,

Organic Tea Tree Essential Oil

,

Mediterranean Sea Salt

,

Organic Rosemary Oil Extract (ROE)

*Ingredient is Fair Trade Certified

^Used in the saponification process to turn oil into soap and glycerin. None remains in the finished product.

Please Note: We don't skimp on the charcoal. The deep color may cause staining on light colored washcloths. Stains should disappear after laundering, but we make no promises.

Frequently Asked Questions

How To Wash Your Hands To Help Stay Healthy

Regular handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) says that for good hand hygiene all you need is plain soap and water.

Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community.

Five simple and effective steps can help reduce the spread of illness so you, your family, your friends and the general public can stay healthy.

Hand washing is a win for everyone . . . except for the germs!

CDC recommends cleaning hands in a specific way to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. The guidance for effective hand washing was developed based on data from a number of studies.

Wash often and follow these five steps every time you wash your hands!

1. Wet your hands with clean, warm running water and apply soap.

When dealing with cold and flu viruses, as you wash your hands the soap molecule burrows its way into the fatty envelope of a virus and literally pulls the virus apart.

2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap.

Soap and friction help lift dirt, grease, and microbes—including disease-causing germs—from the skin so they can be rinsed down the drain.
Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Lathering and scrubbing hands creates friction, which helps lift dirt, grease, and microbes from skin.
The entire hand should be scrubbed. Microbes are present on all of the wrinkly surfaces of the hand, especially under the nails.
How long are 20 seconds? About the amount of time it takes to hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
The ideal length of time for handwashing can depend on other factors for example, if hands are very dirty or if you are caring for someone is ill.
Evidence suggests that washing hands for about 15-30 seconds removes more germs from hands than washing for shorter periods.

4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.

If you are using a public restroom use a paper towel to turn off the faucet after hands have been rinsed.

5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

To date, studies have shown that there is no added health benefit for consumers (this does not include professionals in the healthcare setting) using soaps containing antibacterial ingredients compared with using plain soap.

Information is taken from the CDC.gov website

Read our blog "Simple Soap Can Help Decrease the Spread Of Viruses"

View Answer Page

Why Choose Chagrin Valley Natural Soaps

Aren't all handmade natural soaps the same? . . .

The answer is NO!

Saying a soap is "handmade" says nothing about quality of the ingredients or the knowledge and skill of the soapmaker!

Chagrin Valley is not just another soap and skincare company. We are committed to healthy skin, healthy people and a healthy planet.

We are a USDA Certified Organic Company specializing in luxurious, organic, handmade natural soaps and shampoo bars rich in natural glycerin for healthier skin and hair.

It's all about the ingredients! Inspired by our love of nature, we use organic herbs, seeds, flowers, vegetables, fragrant spices, fruits, pure essential oils and purifying clays for their exceptional skincare benefits and to provide natural color, aromatherapy, texture, or gentle exfoliation. Nothing artificial, nothing synthetic, no GMO’s, just natural wholesome ingredients.

Chagrin Valley's Natural Soap & Shampoo Bars Are...

all natural
made with USDA Certified Organic ingredients
handcrafted in small batches using the old-fashioned Cold Process Method
made with sustainable and fair trade ingredients
certified cruelty-free
free of detergents
free of synthetic fragrances
free of synthetic colors
free of artificial preservatives
free of artificial foam boosters
free of alcohol and petroleum products
free of synthetic additives
free of GMOs
biodegradable
mild and nourishing
rich in natural glycerin
magnificent long-lasting lather
cured for 8 to 10 weeks

Our soap making process uses only natural and organic ingredients. Why add artificial ingredients to a handmade product?

"Are All Handmade Soaps The Same?"

"12 Reasons to Use Natural Soap"

View Answer Page

How Big are Chagrin Valley Natural Soap and Shampoo Bars?

Natural Organic Chocolate and Honey Soap Bar for dry skin Although we get asked this question often, it is a very difficult one to answer, because the bottom line is . . . how old is the bar? Is It freshly cut or has it been allowed to cure?

Handmade soap and shampoo bars made using the cold process method and at the end of the soap reaction (saponification), they still contain water. The curing process allows excess water to evaporate.

Our freshly cut full-size bars are soft and weigh approximately 6.4 to over 7.4 ounces.

These bars will lose approximately 12% of their weight as most of the water evaporates during the first 6 to 8 weeks of curing time. This means that an average fresh bar, at 6.8 ounces will weigh approximately 6.0 ounces after about 8 weeks.

At Chagrin Valley Soap, our soap and shampoo bars are cured for about 10 to 12 weeks before selling and moisture will continue to evaporate over time as the bar ages. So, as our soap and shampoo bars sit waiting for a new home they will continue to shrink in size.

Some soap makers use the fresh-cut weight on their packaging, but we feel that is an inaccurate description. We use the average weight of our bars after at least a 10 week curing time.

While some companies allow their soaps to cure for only 4-weeks, but we know that our longer, slower curing time ensures a milder, harder, longer-lasting bar, with a very rich lather.

Some soap companies shrink wrap their soap bars to help prevent continuous shrinkage due to evaporation. We have a few big problems with that idea. First of all, we know that we definitely do not need any more plastic added to our planet. Secondly, although we know there will continue to be a small weight (and scent) loss over time, we prefer that over sacrificing the quality of our soap.

Since each of our soap/shampoo recipes is different and the percent of liquid used varies, the amount of water that evaporates over time and the bar size will also vary.

The average weight of Chagrin Valley full-size natural soap and shampoo bars is about 5.6 to 5.8 ounces after 10 weeks of curing. The average full-bar dimensions in inches are approximately 3.75 x 3 x 1.

Our Natural Soap and Shampoo Trial Size Sample Bars weigh approximately 1.5 to 2 ounces.

Summary of the variation in weight

Our soaps are a handmade product
As our curing bars sit and wait for a new home, they will continue to lose water weight and shrink a bit
Since all of our recipes are different, the amount and type of liquid used to make each recipe differ and the more liquid used in the recipe, the more they will shrink as they cure
In Winter the dry heat will often cause bars to shrink a bit more
No plastic wrapping
The good news is that the older bars will last longer and lather even better

Compare our bar size! Most handmade soap companies sell bars that are about 3.5 to 4.5 ounces. Our customers have told us that they like the larger size bars.

When you compare the prices of other soaps, please compare SIZE and ingredients as well!

For a great explanation of the process involved in making soap please read our blog, "How We Make Soap"

View Answer Page

Why isn't the USDA Organic or OEFFA Organic Logo On This Product?

Organic certification is based on organic farming and agriculture standards, as a result the list of allowable non-agricultural ingredients (like clay, salt, mud, etc) is based on raw materials used in agriculture or food production not personal care products.

Since clays like kaolin and bentonite have farming/agricultural uses, they appear on the list. Unfortunately, ingredients like Pumice, Dead Sea Mud and Bamboo Charcoal are not used in farming or food production and thus do not appear on the list.

Products that use these ingredients like our Clay Facial Masks, and Bamboo Charcoal, Loofah Pumice Foot, and Dead Sea Mud soaps, as well as our Mud & Clay and Rosemary Mint Charcoal Shampoo Bars cannot display any organic symbol or even state that they are organic.

Since we are a certified organic company, we are not allowed to use any certified organic label or call any products that contain these ingredients "organic," even though they are made with certified organic ingredients that meet the same rigorous standards as those required for our "Organic" products.

Even though we can't label these products organic, if you read the ingredient list you will see that we still use USDA Certified Organic ingredients whenever possible.

For more detailed information, please read our blog, "What Do All of the Organic Labels Mean?"

View Answer Page

How Long Will A Bar of Natural Soap Last?

Short Answer

Natural Organic Soap Sweet Basil How long a natural soap bar will last depends on:

how many people are using it
how often you bathe or shower
how you use the bar

For one person showering every day, a well-drained bar should last for about one month.

Longer Answer

Natural soaps are normally softer than commercial soaps because they retain their natural glycerin (which is removed in commercial soap production) and contain no artificial hardening chemicals, synthetic waxes or free alkali.

We also superfat our soaps (add extra oils or butters) and use "softer" oils so that Chagrin Valley natural soaps are more emollient and leave skin feeling moisturized.

Different oils impart different qualities to soap. Some add lathering qualities, some moisturizing, some hardness, and so on. Compared to other natural bars, we use a larger percentage of extra moisturizing and conditioning oils in our soaps and shampoo bars. These oils produce a bar that may not be as hard as bars with less conditioning oils.

How you use the bar will also affect its lifespan. For example, do you use a washcloth, an exfoliating accessory, or only the bar? Although exfoliating loofahs and sponges are great they will use up the soap much faster than a washcloth or the "only the bar" purists.

Our Natural Soap Will Last A Long Time With Proper Care

Don't let your soap sit in water
Store soap on a well-drained soap dish
Allow soap plenty of fresh air to dry between uses
Never place soap where shower water can continuously hit it
If your bar ever gets waterlogged and becomes gooey, simply set it on a draining soap dish or stand it on its edge for a few days and let it dry out thoroughly

Cute Story: A customer called to say she loved our soaps but could not buy them anymore because they did not last as long as other soaps. A week later she called to place an order and apologize. Her husband, who would NEVER use her natural soaps before, fell in love with her new Juniper soap . . . and he showered twice a day!

To maximize the life of your soap, keep it in a well-drained soap dish so it can dry between uses.

We sell a handcrafted solid white oak soap dish. The deep ridges are perfect for keeping your all natural handcrafted soap dry between uses. White Oak is the wood used in shipbuilding.

A tip passed on by one of our customers whose kids always leave the soap in a water puddle: cut the large bars in halves. Then alternate the halves, allowing a longer drying time between uses.

View Answer Page

Don't I need to use antibacterial soap to protect my family from germs?

The Short Answer

NO! Adding antibacterial chemicals to soap does not keep your family safe from germs.

I understand why folks (especially those with children) are choosing products labeled “Antibacterial,” hoping to keep their family safe in the war against germs.

According to Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER).

"Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water.

In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.”

Simply washing your hands with old-fashioned natural soap and water rids your skin of most fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Soap does not kill germs, it surrounds them and carries them away.

The Long Answer

Please read our blog: Antibacterials: More Harm Than Good!

View Answer Page

Do Your Natural Soap And Shampoo Bars Have An Expiration Date?

The Short Answer

Yes And No!

Although handmade natural soaps usually get better with age, we recommend using our soaps within 12 months of purchase. Our scented soaps should be used within 3 months after removing them from the box.

Although the soaps will not be "spoiled" after that time, you may notice some changes as natural soap ages.

some natural colors may fade over time
the scents from pure natural essential oil scents will fade over time

The changes in color and scent happen even more quickly in our sample size bars.

These small natural soap bars have a much greater surface area to volume ratio which allows essential oils to evaporate from the surface more quickly. However, the scent may still be there when you lather up.

I have found some ancient bars hiding in my closet that years old. The scents were gone, but the lather was incredible!

The Long Answer

For a more detailed discussion please read our blog, "The Shelf Life, Color & Scent of an All Natural Soap."

How You Can Help Prolong Shelf-Life

Natural soaps need to breathe. Exposure to air promotes hardening of your soap and contributes to longer-lasting quality. Soap should be left unwrapped in their boxes or wrapped with breathable materials. Tight wrappers cause humid conditions by preventing evaporation of moisture.
Our soaps are packaged in breathable, recyclable, sustainable packaging! Keep your natural handmade soaps in a dry, cool place away from sunlight, excessive heat and humidity.
Our scented soaps, like Lavender Rosemary, can be placed in a muslin bag, old clean sock, or wrapped in a piece of cloth and put in your linen closet or dresser drawer to give a delightful fragrance to your linens and clothes while waiting to be used.

View Answer Page

Is There Lye Your Natural Soap?

Is There Lye In Natural Soap?

If you are asking the question:

Do you use lye (sodium hydroxide) to make Chagrin Valley natural soap?

The answer is -- yes, of course.
No lye -- No soap!
All REAL soap is made with lye (sodium hydroxide mixed with a liquid).

Any skin or hair cleansing product made without sodium hydroxide is not soap, it is a detergent.

If you are asking the question:

Is there lye in a bar of Chagrin Valley Natural Soap or Shampoo?

The answer is "No."

When the chemical reaction of making soap, called saponification, is complete, the lye and oil molecules have combined and chemically changed into soap and glycerin.

If the soap is made properly, the lye is used up in the saponification process to turn oil into soap.

There is no lye present in the finished bars of soap or shampoo. While all real soap must be made with lye, no lye remains in our finished product after saponification (described below).

But, It Doesn't Say "Lye" or "Sodium Hydroxide" on My Soap Bar Ingredients

If it is real soap or contains read soap, it is made with lye!

Some commercial "soap" bars and all handmade soap bars are made with lye even though the words "sodium hydroxide" or "lye" do not appear on the labels. Does your bar of "soap" contain ingredients such as...

saponified oils: oils and butters are mixed with sodium hydroxide and a liquid (usually water).
sodium cocoate: the generic name for the mixture of coconut oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
sodium palmate: the generic name for the mixture of palm oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
sodium palm kernelate: the generic name for the mixture of palm kernel oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).
sodium tallowate: the generic name for the mixture of beef fat (tallow) with sodium hydroxide (lye).
sodium olivate: the generic name for the mixture of olive oil with sodium hydroxide (lye).

These words are not usually used to deceive consumers. But soap makers know that consumers are afraid of the word "lye."

At Chagrin Valley we believe that today's consumers are pretty savvy and the best practice is to educate.

View related natural skin care blogs

"Is There Lye in Natural Soap? Won't it Harm My Skin? Information about lye and the chemistry of soap making

"How We Make Soap"

View Answer Page

Is Your Palm Oil From Plantations That Protect Our Rainforests?

We often receive emails from concerned customers that have read about the devastating effects that palm plantations can have on tropical forests.

At Chagrin Valley Soap we treasure our planet and its inhabitants. We know that although we play a very small part, we must always make choices that are ecologically and socially responsible.

As the global demand for palm oil continues to increase we want to be part of the global initiative that changes how that palm oil is grown.

Our Palm Oil is grown and manufactured according to standards for sustainable practices set forth by Palm Done Right.

Certified Sustainable

Certified sustainable by RSPO (The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) and Palm Done Right

Our USDA organic palm oil variety carries RSPO Certification, otherwise known as Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, guaranteeing the sustainability and traceability of the palm oil production throughout the supply chain.

It has RSPO-IP (Identity Preserved) certification which is one of four certification levels offered by the RSPO and carries the highest and strongest level of sustainable guarantee with traceability of each lot of palm oil back to the field of origin. With Identify Preserved sustainable palm oil, the entire batch of palm oil is from a single identifiable certified source and kept separate from all non-certified batches.

Palm Done Right presents the first fully integrated, 100 percent organic supply chain in the palm oil industry. Palm Done Right requires a fair labor certification, organic certification, Non-GMO Project Verification, and has the highest level of certification — Identity Preserved — offered by the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

As the global demand for palm oil continues to increase, we believe that if both manufacturers and consumers demand Certified Sustainable palm oil, producers will grow Certified Sustainable palm oil. That is the only way to really protect our rainforests.

If there is no demand for sustainable palm oil, growers will continue their cheaper unsustainable practices, because no one is paying them for a sustainable product. (If you build it, they will come!)

Please read our blog, "Will A Palm Oil Boycott Really Help?"

View Answer Page