Activated Charcoal: Benefits for Your Skin
You may be familiar with the hype surrounding activated charcoal. It’s become popular not just in skincare products, but in supplements, toothpaste, detox plans, and even food trends like coffee or ice cream.
While there is still a lot to be learned about this natural, yet powerful, substance, it is known for drawing out and absorbing toxins, making it a great ingredient for pore cleansing. In fact, there are many activated charcoal benefits for your skin, as long as you use it appropriately. This guide can help you learn more about activated charcoal, including what it is, how it works, and where you can find it.
What Is Activated Charcoal?
First and foremost, activated charcoal is different from the charcoal you use when grilling for your backyard barbecue. Do not rub that stuff on your skin! While both are produced by heating an organic product to super-high temperatures, activated charcoal is heated twice so that it produces its signature large surface area with many pores, which allows it to absorb a significant amount of impurities. Many food-grade and skincare options are actually made from coconut husks. The result is a finished product with a naturally deep black color that is highly absorbent.
…activated charcoal is heated twice so that it produces its signature large surface area with many pores, which allows it to absorb a significant amount of impurities.
Activated charcoal is an impurity absorber. It's used in water purification to remove harmful metals and pollutants, making the water safer to drink and tastier too. For many years, medical professionals have used activated charcoal to absorb ingested toxins and poisons quickly, preventing the body from absorbing them instead. When used as part of your skincare routine, activated charcoal works like a magnet to draw out toxins, dirt, and oil from your skin and pores.
How Does Activated Charcoal Work?
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The process of making activated charcoal results in particles of a highly porous material with an exceptionally large surface area. These key properties allow the charcoal to absorb a high number of impurities and toxins. While these characteristics make it very effective for digestive use in certain situations, the benefits of active charcoal for your skin are also notable. With such a large surface area and a high porosity, there is plenty of space for unwanted substances to bind to the charcoal, including the dirt, oil, and bacteria that can accumulate on your skin.
Benefits of Activated Charcoal
If you struggle with pimples, blackheads, and clogged pores in general, you could see major skin improvements by adding activated charcoal to your skincare routine.
1. Draws Out Impurities
Charcoal is known for its ability to absorb impressive amounts of toxins, especially relative to its size. Remember, every time you touch your face, you're transferring germs and bacteria to your skin. Just a bit of activated charcoal can remove serious pore buildup, resulting in healthier and more beautiful skin.
2. Removes Excess Oil
Too much oil on your skin can be a problem, as it often leads to blackheads, clogged pores, and breakouts. Using products that are fortified with activated charcoal can help manage excess oil and even combat oily skin, which means you could see fewer pimples developing in the first place.
Using products that are fortified with activated charcoal can help manage excess oil and even combat oily skin…
3. Deeply Cleanses and Detoxifies
Activated charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out toxins and dirt from your pores. This property allows it to achieve an even deeper clean than many traditional cleansing products. Using activated charcoal products in your skincare routine can purify your skin and prevent pimples by drawing out dirt and toxins, limiting excess oil, and preventing pore buildup. With this type of prevention and treatment, you can enjoy fewer breakouts and clearer skin.
How Do You Use Activated Charcoal?
Charcoal skincare products are easy to find these days. They're also great for almost every skin type because activated charcoal is natural and does not cause irritation when used as directed, even on the most sensitive skin types. Even so, those with oily skin may see more immediate results. Add these products to your daily routine for a cleaner, fresher, healthier complexion.
Keep in mind that charcoal can absorb other products from your skin, including any beneficial topicals that you may apply with moisturizers, serums, or spot treatments. For this reason, charcoal should be the first step in your skincare routine, and be sure to rinse thoroughly afterward. It can actually help prep your skin for the rest of your routine so that your pores are open and ready to absorb more beneficial nutrients.
Here are some products where you can find activated charcoal:
Clay Masks
Activated charcoal is often paired with clay, as both are used to absorb excess oil from the skin. Charcoal clay masks help to open up the pores and draw out the dirt that often leads to dull, oily skin and leave you with bright, cleaner skin. Use it twice a week if you have oily skin, or limit it to just once a week for normal to sensitive skin.
Charcoal clay masks help to open up the pores and draw out the dirt that often leads to dull, oily skin and leave you with bright, cleaner skin.
Cleansers
No matter what your skin type or concerns, everyone should wash their face twice a day to maintain a clear and healthy complexion. Choosing a cleanser that's made with salicylic acid and charcoal can help you combat oily skin and acne more efficiently. These products deep clean and penetrate pores to stop breakouts in their tracks. They're a great option for daily use, especially after you've worked up a sweat.
Pore Strips
Few products offer the immediate gratification of clear pores quite like pore strips. They can remove weeks of gunk that can build up there. Charcoal enables the pore strips to absorb even more dirt and oil while drawing out blackheads, leaving your skin looking and feeling more fresh and clean. Use pore strips once or twice a week for a deep-down clean, but remember not to use them on broken or damaged skin until after it's healed.
It's important to note that, just as with other powerful skincare ingredients, activated charcoal should be used in moderation and as instructed. Its highly absorbent nature could cause it to dry out your skin, especially if you leave it on for too long or use it too often. Always follow the product recommendations and instructions to help avoid this. If you start to notice some dryness, use it less frequently. Remember to moisturize your skin after cleansing and treating as well.
Key Takeaways
- Activated charcoal is treated charcoal that has a large surface area and is highly porous.
- The large surface area and high porosity of activated charcoal allow it to absorb impurities like oil, dirt, and toxins.
- Activated charcoal can be found in numerous products, including masks, cleansers, and pore strips.
