Activated Charcoal for Skin

Activated charcoal has become increasingly popular within skincare products and routines. Activated charcoal isn’t quite the same stuff that's left behind after a fire. It goes through a process by which its structure is changed under very high heat. This structure change means that activated charcoal has an increased surface area and is more porous as a result. These porous properties are what makes activated charcoal for skin so effective, as it draws out dirt and toxins from the skin.

 

Activated Charcoal Skin Benefits

1) Removes Impurities From Your Skin
Activated charcoal is highly porous, which means it can draw out impurities from your skin. In simpler terms, it sucks out all the dirt!

This can be beneficial for your skin all over the body, but activated charcoal for face cleansing is the most popular use. This is because your face is often more prone to collecting dirt and an area that people are most conscious about keeping clean. Using charcoal for face cleansing will help to keep your skin clean and healthy (it’s also very satisfying to watch the dirt being drawn from your face!)

2) Controls How Oily Your Skin Is
Your skin naturally produces oil to prevent it from becoming dry and damaged. Depending on your skin type or hormonal changes, skin can become oily and lead to breakouts. This is normal and everyone experiences it at some point. Using activated charcoal for face routines can help to control how oily your skin is. As well as drawing out dirt and toxins, activated charcoal can also draw out oil from your skin. This means that less oil is built up and your skin can perform better at combating breakouts.

3) Helps To Reduce Acne
Acne is caused by a buildup of oil, dirt and dead skin cells that block your pores. Consequently, your skin struggles to defend itself against spots and breakouts. Activated charcoal helps to remove any impurities in the skin - which keeps your skin healthy and prevents the breakout of acne. Activated charcoal also has antibacterial properties, which can fight against the inflammation and appearance of acne.

4) Radiant skin
Everybody wants healthy, radiant looking skin, and why wouldn't they? Having clear skin can help to improve your confidence and give you a spring in your step. Using activated charcoal for skin care routines can help you to achieve this. By removing impurities and helping to control the oiliness of your skin, activated charcoal creates a healthy environment for your skin to work at its best.

 

How Often Should You Use Activated Charcoal For Skin?

Whilst the number of activated charcoal skin benefits are plenty, it is important not to over use it. Using activated charcoal for skin care routines too often can cause your skin to become dry and damaged. Damaged skin is less effective at combating breakouts and acne, so be careful. We recommend using activated charcoal for skin care twice a week to avoid any adverse effects.

 

Activated Charcoal For Different Skin Types

Sensitive skin: People with sensitive skin often find that harsher ingredients can irritate their skin. This can be in the form of dry, red or blotchy skin, so people have to be weary about what a product is made from. The beauty of activated charcoal is that it’s gentle on the skin, so it shouldn't irritate people with sensitive skin.

Oily skin: Oily skin can be caused by hormonal changes or occur naturally for some people. Activated charcoal helps to remove oil from your skin.

Combination skin: People who have areas of both dry and oily skin have combination skin. Using activated charcoal for combination skin routines should help to balance out both factors.

Normal skin: People who do not have overly dry or oily skin have normal skin. With normal skin, activated charcoal works just the same, removing impurities and excess oil.

 

How to use activated charcoal in skin care

Different products containing activated charcoal are available for people to try. These include:

• soaps
• cleansing lotions and gels
• face masks
• face scrubs
• exfoliants
• facial wipes
• moisturizers
• toners

Depending on the product, someone may use activated charcoal daily or weekly until their skin improves. The percentage of activated charcoal and the type of product determine this.

Additionally, people may purchase activated charcoal powder to add to a homemade face mask or scrub. Someone can find recipes for this online, which may include other ingredients such as:

• coconut oil
• aloe vera
• rosewate

 

Summary

Activated charcoal has adsorbent properties that make it useful for medical professionals to use in the emergency room for poisoning. However, there is little evidence to support its use as a skin care ingredient, and manufacturers base claims on its general detoxification properties.

If a person wants to try an activated charcoal product on their skin, it is usually safe to do so, but they need to discontinue using it if the product irritates. In addition, it is important not to take activated charcoal internally unless they receive guidance from a doctor.