How to Make a French Clay Cleansing Bar
I've been playing around with ideas for lotion bars and a couple of other 'solid' products for a while now, so when Lola posted a recipe for a bentonite butter bar (link below), I was immediately inspired to try a version with lavender.
This bar can be used as a facial cleanser (ideal for normal, dry, and mature skin). It can also be used as a hair cleanser (ideal for curly-kinky-coily hair). Isn't it cool when a product can multi-task? Best of all, this is so easy-peasy to do, you will be finished in no time!
The Ingredients
27 gr (1 oz) clay42 gr (1,5 oz) cocoa butter
57 ml (1,9 oz) oil (almond, jojoba, or your own lavender-infused oil)
dried lavender (not necessary – but decorative)
25 drops lavender essential oil (boosts the gentle cleansing effect)
The Equipment
Mold that holds 100gr (3,5 oz)Mixing bowl (or beaker that is big enough to mix in)
Stirring implement
Lets' get started, shall we?
Melt the cocoa butter slowly over low heat.
(The little bowl at the bottom of the pic is because I couldn't bear to throw out the leftover mixture.)
Comments
I am now a clay cleansing bar convert! I love how they give me the same skin feel as using the oil cleansing method but are so much more interesting to make. And I like the added benefit of the clay for exfoliating my skin. The only problem is I've used one of the 8 bars I made and I already want to make some more. I may have to start washing my whole body with them to use them up faster.
I'm so pleased! I know what you mean about wanting to make more. I have had a question about using these all over for very sensitive skin, and the answer is yes, you can.
Go for it. ;)
Are you in a very warm climate? Did you refrigerate the bar and it still didn't harden?
If that is the case, then it sounds to me like the cocoa butter/oil ratio is somehow off. May I ask if you worked in ounces or grams?
One thing that is a common mistake is the interchanging liquid and weighed ounces. (I find working with ounces incredibly confusing)
Let's see if we can save this mix!
My suggestion: remelt the portion you have along with (approx 15-20 grams) of cocoa butter (half the original amount). Then cool the mixture again. If it hasn't stiffened up in the fridge after an hour, you'll have to re-do again with a bit more cocoa butter (although I'm pretty sure this will set you up)
It's ok to remelt the mixture - if you keep everything at low heat and go slow, you should be fine.
Please let me know how it goes!
I made this recipe followed everything you said, i use sweet almond oil not jojoba oil. But the problem is 48 hrs now, it doesnt get into solid or bar but still be liquid and the clay is in the bottom. I am in thailand, last night i put in my bedroom with the air con about 25 celcius.
May you help what i should do to make it as bar or solid?
Thank you Madam. I do love this bar after reading your blog.
Best regards,
Tanya
Thank you so much for you kind words! Let's see if we can fix your bar, shall we?
As you can see from the picture, this bar 'layers itself' with the clay settling on the bottom and most of the fats on the top, so in that respect you have done everything correctly. However, the layer on top should solidify at room temperature. Did you use the correct amount of cocoa butter? This is what makes the bar go solid. Most other butters are softer, so you do need to use either cocoa butter or mango butter for this bar to solidify properly. At 25 degrees celsius it should solidify.
As a fix, you could remelt the entire mixture and add some additional cocoa butter to it.
I know the different climates and temperatures does make a huge difference in how butters react, so I'm afriad you will probably have to experiment a little with how much cocoa butter to use. As a starting point, I would add an additional third to half of the original amount.
Please let me know how it goes!
I will fix and contact you for the result.
You are very loving, i appreciate and very impressive.
Best regards,
Tanya
I love the honest way you blog about your skincare-making adventures ... it's good to see a blog like this without the b/s! Haven't made a clay bar, as I'm currently all about Micellar Waters for cleansing - fun and easy-peasy! But I have a pretty new mould, so I might have to have a go ...
However, what I'm cheekily writing to ask is: is that an induction hob you're using? I've been thinking of buying one for ages and now I see you can melt butters directly on it I just have to have one!