You’ve heard of activated charcoal before. Maybe you’ve even seen some of your favorite beauty bloggers and Instagram influencers use this popular beauty treatment, but still, you’re not so certain how it works, what it does, or what it even really is.
If this sounds familiar, today we’re going to clear up all your questions about activated charcoal, so you can, once and for all, decide if activated charcoal is right for you and your skin.
So first…
To create activated charcoal, carbon-rich materials are burned at high temperatures. From there, the newly powdered charcoal is charred with additional materials such as chloride salts. Next, any excess material is washed away and you’re left with pure charcoal. The high temperatures are what cause the charcoal to be considered “activated.”
But hey, this isn’t a science class. What is activated charcoal as it relates to skincare? Activated charcoal is a black, slightly gritty substance that is usually added to a cleanser or used as a skincare mask to help “suck out” dirt, oil, toxins, and any other impurities that might be lurking beneath the surface of your skin.
The result is a brighter, cleaner, more even complexion.
What benefits can I expect from activated charcoal?
As mentioned, regular use of activated charcoal will leave your skin looking clear and bright.
Beyond those relatively obvious benefits, there are some other benefits of activated charcoal that we would like to point out to you:
As we’ve mentioned in previous blog posts,harsh scrubbing and overwashing your face often leads to breakouts and irritation. With activated charcoal, because it is capable of attracting impurities like a magnet, you’ll never have to harshly scrub at your skin to get that deep clean feeling.
Simply apply, gently scrub with just your fingertips, and rinse away. The activated charcoal does all the work for you. Easy.
2. Skin FEELS clean
Speaking of deep clean… While we all love the sound of clean and clear skin, it’s even better when our skin also FEELS clean and clear.
While some of the more popular masks and cleansers available might leave your skin feeling greasy, stripped, or just plain irritated, activated charcoal leaves skin feeling soft, pure, and rejuvenated. Try activated charcoal for yourself, and you’ll experience skin that not only looks clear, but also feels clean.
3. Minimize the appearance of pores
Tired of overly large pores? With activated charcoal in your skincare regimen, large pores quickly become a thing of the past. In other words, not only are your pores the cleanest they’ve ever been, but they’re also tight and small. Sounds like the best of both worlds, right?
4. Slight exfoliation
Because of the gritty texture of activated charcoal, you’ll also be pleased to know that you’ll get some slight exfoliation benefits, helping to scrub away any excess dry skin that might have built up between now and your last exfoliation session.
Also, keep in mind, while the idea of “slight’ exfoliation might not sound as appealing as “major’ exfoliation if you’ve learned anything from us about exfoliation, it’s that over-exfoliating your skin can cause problems.
When you over-exfoliate with harsh scrubs, you often irritate the skin, which can quickly and easily lead to breakouts. With activated charcoal and its gentle nature, you don’t have this problem.
Not to mention, activated charcoal is natural, which is always a bonus in our books.
If you want to learn more about exfoliating your skin, read this article to discoverwhich exfoliant will be best for your skin type.
Bottom line: Activated charcoal is definitely one of those skincare must-haves that we think should be a part of every women’s skincare routine.
But how do you get activated charcoal into your routine, you might be wondering? No worries, we’ve got you covered!
In particular, we highly recommend trying out these three best-selling Jolicoeur products:
For an everyday clean that will leave your skin looking its best on a daily basis, try GALAXY. If you’re looking for something that will leave you squeaky clean from head-to-toe, COCONUTS ABOUT YOU is your best bet. And, if your skin is in need of some serious TLC, try out ZEPHYR.
Or hey, try out all three!
In our books, the more activated charcoal, the merrier.