CHARCOAL!

First of all, hi! Thank you all for your kind words, tips and recommendations from my post about my acne issues. I was so encouraged by FB, Instagram and blog comments and a bunch of emails from people, saying that they were also struggling with adult acne. It’s amazing knowing we’re not alone in our body image struggles, amiright?!

I am going to compile some of the tips and products I heard about from a lot of people soon, but today, want to share about ALL THINGS CHARCOAL! I was recently chatting with my friend Brooke about skincare and the benefits of charcoal and afterwards, decided to investigate more and try out some charcoal products! According to allure, “Activated charcoal, carbon that’s been treated to increase its absorbency, isn’t new. It’s been used in hospital emergency rooms for years to treat alcohol poisoning and drug overdoses. It works by attaching to toxins in the stomach and absorbing them before the bloodstream can. The theory behind including activated charcoal in beauty products is similar: It’ll act like a magnet to attract and absorb dirt and oil. Activated charcoal is especially useful if you live in a city, where your skin is constantly bombarded with pollutants.”

In addition to absorbing oil and dirt, other benefits of activated charcoal are that it makes pores less visible and cleaner, helps treat acne, soothes skin irritations like cuts, scrapes and bug  bites and MORE! {Read more here}

Here’s a round-up of some skincare products with activated charcoal! From top left, clockwise:

FIG + YARROW Organic Clay Mask – $23 // This mask is a dusty black powder that you can mix with water (or, according to allure, mix with aloe for soothing, yogurt for softening). it’s best for oily skin, because it also contains oil-absorbing kaolin clay and is good not only for your face, but neck, chest and back.

Beautycounter’s Charcoal Cleansing Bar – $28 // I discovered Beautycounter from my friend Brooke and am obsessed with everything I’ve tried from the brand. All of their products are clean, safe, chemical-free, etc. – something MOST makeup and skin care brands AREN’T! This charcoal bar “detoxifies and absorbs impurities in your skin without drying it out, resulting in a smoother, brighter complexion.” It’s made with antioxidant-rich, organic green tea and hydrating organic coconut oil.

Beautycounter’s Purifying Charcoal Mask – $45 // Another Beautycounter gem that I need to try out! This mask “gently exfoliates, draws out impurities, and soothes the skin. The formula helps improve skin’s overall condition by refining the appearance of pores and increasing elasticity.” According to their site, 90% of people reported “skin feeling clean and renewed”, 94% reported that “the mask absorbed excess oils” and 97% reported “refined and smoothed skin” after just two weeks!

LUSH Coalface Cleansing Charcoal Bar – $14 // I’ve been a long-time LUSH fan and heard great things about this Coalface bar! It’s best for combination to oily faces. The powdered charcoal “absorbs excess sebum and acts as a mild exfoliator, while rosewood and sandalwood oils reduce redness and clear up blemishes.”

Herbivore Bamboo Charcoal Detoxifying Soap Bar – $12 // I just bought this bar in Nashville because I’m a sucker for pretty packaging, but have LOVED the results from using it daily so far! The soap bar “deeply cleanses, exfoliates, and detoxifies, working especially well with oily, combination, and blemish-prone skin types. ” Herbivore products are also vegan, formulated without gluten, cruelty-free, and 100 percent natural.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask to Clear Pores – $26 // This is a charcoal mask that “draws out deep-dwelling pore-cloggers” helping with dullness and uneven skin texture. It was the #1 selling mask a few years ago and still is a top seller at Sephora. You can also get a mini version for only $4 at Sephora that you can use 3-5 times with one container!

Have you tried any charcoal skincare products? Would love to hear your recommendations!