How To Make a Rhassoul Cleansing Bar

My latest cleansing bar is this cocoa butter and rhassoul clay combo (looks a bit like cookie dough with chocolate chunks, don't you think?).

Rhassoul (also known as Moroccan soap clay or ghassoul clay), is hands down the most fabulous all-natural, soap-free cleanser for face and hair I have ever worked with.

The clay functions beautifully as a face mask, hair mask, shampoo and body wash, and is tolerated by even the most sensitive skins and scalps. It simply had to be incorporated it into a cleansing bar – great for hair and face!

Rhassoul Up Close

This is the only way I have seen rhassoul clay in this country – in chunks. After leaving these sitting in water for about 5-10 minutes, they soak up the liquid and swell into a beautifully smooth mud – ready for action.

Water is Liquid, Oil is Liquid...

Because these cleansing bars are water-free (and must remain so unless we want to add preservatives), I was halfway hoping the rhassoul chunks would behave the same if left in oil (in my mind I knew full well they wouldn't even think of dissolving in oil, but the experimental demon had taken hold and I temporarily convinced myself that there was a possibility). All this to tell you that rhassoul in powder form may be preferable, but if you only have it in chunk form, it will work just as well (and even reward you by looking like chocolate chunks).

Tip and Fact of Life: grinding rhassoul chunks into powder in (any kind of) electrical kitchen equipment is not a good idea for either the kitchen equipment or your pocketbook.

This recipe is for 1 cleansing bar of approx 100gr (3,5 oz)

Ingredients

30 gr (1 oz) cocoa butter
20 gr (0,7 oz) coconut butter
20 ml (0,7 fl oz) almond (or jojoba) oil
37 gr (1,3 oz) rhassoul clay

Melt the cocoa butter over low heat. Add the rhassoul (now, later or not at all – it won't make a difference because rhassoul is entirely unimpressed with oil).

Add the coconut butter, almond oil and stir.

Pour into mold.

Alternatively: pile rhassoul chunks directly into the mold and then pour the oil mixture over it – the result will be the same.

Let set in the fridge overnight (or a few hours, or however long it takes to solidify). Unmold, wrap in a paper towel and store in the fridge in an airtight bag when not in use. There are 2 reasons for storing in the fridge. The obvious one – so it will last longer – and the not quite so obvious one – to keep the butters solid. This bar goes soft REAL easy.

To use on face:

Cut off a portion. The rhassoul chunks are very hard and the fats are pretty soft, so the bar will break up into bits and pieces like you see here. Grab a few bits (equivilant to a teaspoon) and place in a small cup or container. Add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water and leave for 5-7 minutes so the rhassoul can dissolve completely. The butters will also melt and you will have a nice, thick-ish, smooth mud mixture. Stir the mixture with your finger and apply to your moistened face and neck. Massage face and neck gently with the mixture. Rinse and pat dry. Enjoy your gorgeously cleansed and moisturized skin.

To use on hair:

This is great to use as a conditioning hair mask, or, if you have super-curly hair, you may find this will cleanse and moisturize your hair – all in one go.  Use 1 part bar to 2,5 parts warm water. Put bar into a container and add water. Let sit until the rhassoul is completely dissolved. Stir mixture and apply to damp hair. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then massage through hair (much as you would a shampoo). Rinse thoroughly.

Find More Cleansing Bar Fun Here

Basic Cleansing Bar
French Clay Cleansing Bar
Cornflower and Clay Cleansing Bar
Rose and White Clay Cleansing Bar
Visit the Cleansing Bar FAQ and Tutorial Page