5 ways charcoal can benefit your skin
Useful for so much more than barbecuing, charcoal has been highly prized as a skin care ingredient for decades. Beloved for its ability to absorb toxins and bacteria, its use can be traced as far back as the 1500s – relied upon by the Egyptians, as well as Chinese healers who dubbed it the ‘black diamond’ (charcoal and Tiffany sparklers are made of the very same stuff).
When ingested, charcoal removed toxins before the can be digested (it also works as a filter for water – which is why you’ll have seen all those posh see-through bottles with black sticks in them), and works similar wonders when used topically. So here are five key reasons to add charcoal to your daily skin care ritual.
If you’re regularly plagued with acne or aggravated blemishes, using charcoal can help prevent future eruptions. In soap form - such as Baxter of California's {Charcoal Clay Deep Cleansing Bar} - this gentle exfoliation to get rid of pore-clogging dead surface cells (perfect if you’re prone to a dry, flaky complexion), while it acts like a magnet for dirt and impurities, to leave your skin supremely clean and less susceptible to spots.
In cleanser form - Lumity's beloved {4-in-1 Cleansing Balm} does much more than just leave skin impeccably clean. This gorgeous formula gently removes all your make up while purging your pores and resurfacing thanks to charcoal and jojoba beads. What’s more, this sensorial, heavenly-scented confection works well as a glorious mask to intensively nourish depleted complexions in need of some T.L.C. treatment.
In mask form - The Ordinary's {Salicylic Acid 2% Masque} and Versed's {Find Clarity Purifying Mask} work wonders for congested, oily and lacklustre skin, deeply cleanse pores of impurities and grime. Clearer, smoother, more radiant skin, here we come…
This also works wonders for oily or congested scalps. Too-often neglected, your scalp is the key to hair health and charcoal-infused products are a perfect way to equalise and help prolong the time between washes. Briogeo's bestselling {Scalp Revival} collection is brilliantly balancing - eliminating build-up while soothing unsettled, irritated skin.
Due to its pore-blitzing prowess, charcoal helps to 'tighten' pores and make them look much smaller. So if you’re plagued with a pitted complexion, try Peter Thomas Roth’s {Irish Moor Mud Mask}; as well as hydrating and detoxifying the skin, it contains activated charcoal (a special type of charcoal, which has been painstakingly processed to maximise its surface area - meaning it can attract even more dirt and debris), to deep cleanse and help reduce pore visibility.
Many of us have to suffer with dreary complexions – especially those of us living in polluted urban environments. But 'lacklustre' need not be our skin's default setting - by drawing out embedded impurities, your visage can recapture its lost radiance. If this description is resonating, opt for Odacité’s {Synergie[4] Immediate Skin Perfecting Beauty Masque} – a powdered mask which you mix with a teaspoon of water (or honey, or coconut oil - it comes with its own 'recipes'). Boasting a brightening 'dream team' of ingredients -including activated charcoal, enzymes, fruit acids and probiotics - it rapidly resuscitates depleted 'city skin'.
Thought you could only use charcoal on your face? Think again, thanks to the likes of goops' {G.Tox Detox Salt Bath Soak} and Sunday Riley's {Charcoal Smoothie Jelly Body Scrub}, this hero ingredient can give you a full-body detox. So what are you waiting for? Turn your bath into a cauldron of detoxification, draw out impurities and soften your skin while you sit back and relax.
Your brushes will love it too
Not only does charcoal work wonders for cleansing your skin, but it’s also amazing for keeping your kit squeaky clean. Case in point is Beautyblender’s {Blendercleanser Solid Pro}, which is infused with charcoal to eradicate every last trace of make up and grime from brush bristles and sponge surfaces. And if your brushes are immaculate, they won’t transfer any residual grime or bacteria onto your skin – so everyone’s a winner.
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