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LisaLise offers online education of natural plant-based cosmetics via e-books and courses

How to Make Soap Free Cranberry Cleansers

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A look inside the LisaLise natural cosmetics lab with free formulas, DIY how-to's, ingredients tips, sneak peeks, and more.

How to Make Soap Free Cranberry Cleansers

Lise

If you think these look like white chocolate with a berry cream filling, I would absolutely agree with you. But I am pretty sure you would rather use these no soap cleansers to gently and effectively cleanse your face rather than take a bite.

The simple mix of clay and fats makes these cleansers great for all skin types (even sensitive) and will leave your skin feeing clean, refreshed, and moisturised. If you tend to have drier skin in the winter months (or your skin normally feels 'taut' after cleansing), these cranberry hearts might just become your faves.

Although these are ‘layered’, it isn't strictly necessary to do the layering part. The batch is split up and half is tinted with violet clay – just for fun.

Top Tip: Use a mold that is generally used for chocolates to make single-use sized cleansers. Molds for small guest soaps can also be used.

This is an updated version of my original formula (developed 10 years ago). Holy moly time flies when you’re having fun formulating!

This batch size will fill a single tray

LisaLise's No-Soap Cranberry Cleansers

Ingredient Grams
Cocoa Butter 22.0
Shea Butter (raw or refined) 20.0
Castor Oil 18.5
Sweet Almond Oil or Apricot Kernel Oil 18.5
Cranberry Powder 5.0
Kaolin White Clay 26.0
Violet Clay 13.0

Method

  1. Melt the cocoa butter and castor oil slowly over low heat (a water bath is ideal). Remove from heat

  2. Add shea and sweet almond oil and stir until the shea is melted.

  3. Pour half of the mixture in another container.

  4. Add cranberry powder, violet clay and 6 g of the kaolin clay to one half, and the remaining kaolin clay to the other half.

  5. Stir each until homogenous.

  6. Pour a thin layer of the white clay mixture into the mold and chill for a few minutes.

  7. Pour a layer of the violet clay mixture (use the entire portion) and chill again for about 5 minutes.

  8. Finish by adding the remaining white clay mixture.

  9. Chill a few hours (or overnight) until fully set.

  10. Unmold.

Your cleansers are ready to use.

Ingredients Tips

  • The shea in this formula is either raw or refined shea butter. If you want to substitute with shea nilotica (which is quite a bit softer than shea butter), lower the amount of shea to 14 g and increase the cocoa butter to 28 g.

  • Both the violet clay and cranberry powder can be bought right here. (If you don't speak French, you may want to go through Google translate). This supplier ships worldwide.

Storage Tip

Store dry and dark (some prefer storing in an airtight container in a cool place)

These cleansers are anhydrous and as such do not require a preservative but will need to be kept free of moisture for optimal shelf life.

How to Use a Soap Free Cleanser

For one application to face and neck you will need approx 3-4 g (1 heart).

  1. Soften the cleansing bar by rubbing it between your palms, then apply the softened mixture to face and neck and massage gently. (Optional: some prefer to moisten the skin lightly before applying)

  2. Wipe off with a moistened cotton round or washcloth.

  3. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

  4. Enjoy your fabulous skin

Make a Whole Collection of Products

If you want to make more preservative free skincare, there’s an entire collection of beginner free formulas in the e-book below.