Do you know our one not-so-secret ingredient that makes your skin glow? If you guessed charcoal, you are correct!
Activated charcoal is the little black dress of the health and beauty scene. It appears in shampoo, toothpaste, face masks, and supplement capsules. This power-house product offers many benefits for your skin, hair, teeth, and overall health.
What is Activated Charcoal?
As the name tells us, activated charcoal is charcoal that has been activated. It gets activated by exposing it to high heat which makes it have a purer structure with more surface area. This means the activated charcoal becomes a porous substance that's able to absorb toxins.
One of the reasons activated charcoal is so popular in skincare products today is because of its absorption abilities. This jet-black powder has the power to bind to small, pesky materials that get under our pores and cause dirt and chemical buildup.
5 Reasons Activated Charcoal Good For Your Skin:
Minimizing the Appearance of Pores
Pores act as a gateway for the oils (sebum) that your body naturally produces. When your pores aren’t cleaned, you risk infection and blockage, which can cause acne and blackheads.
You can’t get rid of your pores; your body needs them. Some people were born with bigger pores than others, but you can minimize the appearance of your pores by ensuring that you clean them with a well-balanced activated charcoal product, and then follow your cleansing routine with a moisturizer.
While a proper washing routine is essential to minimizing the appearance of pores, there are other steps you can take to prevent pore blockage:
- Keep your dirty, oily hands away from your face!
- Use a sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful rays.
- Skip aggressive exfoliation because it aggravates your pores. Opt for a gentle enzyme exfoliant instead of a harsh scrub.
- Don't skip the moisturizer! But don't use too much either. And we highly recommend that you use an organic facial moisturizer, that doesn’t contain harsh chemicals that can irritate your skin.
Remove Toxins
Some skin experts think that activated charcoal masks can help remove impurities from your skin. That’s because it acts like a magnet, absorbing bacteria and toxins. This might leave you with a clearer complexion.
The popularity of activated charcoal in skin care products is because of its super ability to absorb. This jet-black product binds to tiny materials that go down the pores, building dirt and chemicals underneath.
Improve Acne
Acne is the lovely result of oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells building up in our pores. It can lead to painful redness, swelling, irritation, and scarring. Acne is inflammation of the pores, often caused by a buildup of bacteria, dead skin cells, or irritants. While you can’t always control acne, it’s important to keep your face cleansed and free of any excess bacteria that might cause an acne flare-up.
The good news is that charcoal soap is great for treating acne. It absorbs excess oil naturally as well as any toxins that may cause skin blemishes.
You'll also find that it's more beneficial than your typical acne-fighting cleanser. It works to clear redness and leave behind beautiful glowing skin. If you're struggling with blemished skin, then using charcoal soap is a great addition to your beauty regimen.
Gently Exfoliates
Because of its gritty yet soft texture, activated charcoal serves as a natural exfoliant. It can slough off dead skin cells to reveal the healthy glow of the fresh new skin underneath. Using a soap that contains activated charcoal is a great way to exfoliate your skin.
With its ability to remove dead skin cells, you'll get a healthy skin glow over time. By tightening pores and reducing inflammation, you'll find that your skin remains youthful and elastic over time.
Cleanse Excess Oils
Oily skin types often say they love activated charcoal because of its awesome ability to absorb excess oil. While a regular face wash might clean the surface of oily skin, activated charcoal reaches deep into the pores and soaks up extra oil.
The absorbing power comes from the large surface area inside the activated charcoal. When you look at it under a microscope, activated charcoal particles look like little sponges. Going into the skin via a face wash or facial scrub, the charcoal powder works its magic specifically in your pores.
Best Ways to Use Activated Charcoal in Skincare
There is no right or wrong way to start using activated charcoal in your skincare lineup. The main thing you want to make sure of is to find a product with quality, natural ingredients that will help your skin and not cause more harm. Every day our skin fights to keep itself healthy and regenerating.
Damage from UV rays from the sun, subtle toxins in everyday pollution, or chemicals from the food or beverages we consume all eventually affect the health of the skin. We believe this is why a healthy lifestyle and proper skin care are so important!
Charcoal Face Scrubs
Face scrubs are every person’s best friend for getting that smooth, deep clean feel we all love. Using a charcoal face scrub could very well change the game for your skin if you need that extra help.
You can also put together your own activated charcoal face scrub, like Hello Glow's DIY version. Just combine equal amounts of activated charcoal, witch hazel, and aloe vera gel, and then add a drop of tea tree essential oil. Apply to your face and massage into the skin with soft, circular motions for about a minute before rinsing.
Cleansers & Soap
As we mentioned before, cleansers with activated charcoal pack a powerful punch for any skincare resolutions. Depending on your skin type, there is likely a type of cleanser that can help you reach optimal cleansing.
When you have sensitive skin, finding the right soap for your skin type is important. Maybe even sensitive soaps don't work well for your sin. However, charcoal soap is a great benefit for even the most sensitive of skins. It extracts the excess oil from your skin but also moisturizes and nourishes dry skin.
It's great for sensitive skin and can be used safely when you have skin allergies and redness. If you're concerned about your soap choices, try using it in a small part of your body and notice if you have any negative reaction. It's likely that this soap will be both safe and effective for you.