The Beauty Benefits Of Activated Charcoal
I was in the bathroom the other day and noticed some black looking paste on the sink next to the toothbrushes. Later, I went to my beauty cabinet and noticed a small jar full of that same looking black paste, but more of a gel this time.
Later that night, when my roommate and I returned from our Saturday night shenanigans, I saw her take a capsule with the same black looking substance inside. “Okay,” I said. “What is this black concoction that I have been seeing all over the house lately, and why are you now swallowing it?”
It turns out it is one of the latest beauty and health crazes, and she is now hooked on it. The substance is activated charcoal. That is correct, my roommate has been ingesting, applying, etc. charcoal in its activated form.
The first question that came to mind was, “What exactly is charcoal?” Charcoal is mostly known for being used to make fires, since it burns better than wood. It is made from pure carbon in a process that takes several days of cooking wood in a low oxygen environment. Charcoal is actually not coal. Coal is found naturally beneath the earth’s surface, while charcoal is made from wood. So no need to relive any negative Christmas memories of when you were given a lump of coal in your stocking for not behaving as little girls should. What you will be using is activated charcoal, which is charcoal that has actually been treated with oxygen, which results in making it quite porous so it can serve as an absorbent agent and, unlike coal, is actually quite rewarding to use for your health and beauty needs.
The touted benefits of activated charcoal that have been trending include:
Whitens teeth
If used consistently, activated charcoal, because of its toxin removal properties, can whiten stains accumulated over a period of time. Some people use it alone on their toothbrush, but consider using it on top of your toothpaste to make sure you are still cleaning your teeth of bacteria while adding the whitening properties of the charcoal. A difference can be seen in teeth in about two weeks.
To use a a whitener:
- Open a capsule and place powder into a small container.
- Dip toothbrush with toothpaste on it into the container.
- Wet toothbrush with water from the sink.
- Brush teeth.
Removes bacteria from clogged pores
You can also incorporate activated charcoal as a daily wash or a facial mask since it is said to draw out bacteria and toxins from your pores like a magnet. You can make your own face wash or mask, or try it out blended with some of the facial products you already use by mixing in the powder. Start with a facial mask and notice what differences you see in your complexion to decide if you want to use it as a daily wash or as a weekly facial mask.
How to use for a facial mask:
- Open two capsules and pour powder into a container.
- Mix bentonite clay into the container with the powder.
- Add enough water to make it into the type of mask you would like.
- Apply to face and leave on for 15 minutes
Born and raised in the DMV, Emma Blancovich has a big appreciation for discovering things to do around town, such as new restaurants to try and supporting the local music scene by attending live shows. During the week she is an editor for trade associations, but on the weekends you can find her hiking up trails with the latest fitness gadgets then getting ready for a night out using the latest beauty and health products.