When you read the words “activated charcoal,” the image that comes to your mind is hopefully that of beauty products, not the black stuff at the bottom of your grill from your weekend barbecue.
Activated charcoal has been on the health and wellness scene for quite some time. Thanks to its ability to bind to toxins, it is used in emergency rooms to treat overdoses and poisoning to prevent the body from absorbing harmful substances.
It’s for the same reason that activated charcoal is being used in various ways in the beauty scene. It bonds to bacteria, dirt, and oil, which are the main reasons for poor skin health. Fortunately, activated charcoal comes in various forms, from capsules to crushed powders, so it’s easy to use, especially if you love to DIY your beauty products! If you want to incorporate activated charcoal into your beauty routine, here are five ways to do it:
1. Clear your acne
The skin’s excessive production of sebum, as well as dirt clogging the pores, are the main reasons acne forms. But, as mentioned earlier, activated charcoal is great at sucking out these toxins and taking them away, leaving you with a cleaner and less oily skin. You can find tons of DIY activated charcoal mask and face wash recipes online or you can simply buy already-made cleansing products and start using them.
2. Whiten your teeth
You’ve already invested in keeping your teeth straight with braces and bonded lingual retainers. Why not take it a step further by removing stains from them using activated charcoal? The thought of putting black goo in your mouth may counterproductive if you want your teeth to go several shades lighter. But this is activated charcoal we’re talking about—it doesn’t leave a black stain behind. Instead, it lifts the yellowish stain from your teeth. Just open two capsules of activated charcoal and mix with a bit of water, dab the paste onto your teeth, leave for three minutes, rinse, and repeat daily.
3. Prevent body odor
Sweat, germs, and other toxins gather in your armpits and produce body odor. Unfortunately, plenty of deodorants can be too harsh for and darken your skin there. With an all-natural DIY activated charcoal deodorant, though, you can prevent smelly sweat and darker armpits, thanks to its absorbent properties.
4. Exfoliate your skin
Activated charcoal is a great ingredient for a face scrub not just because of its ability to remove dirt, oil, and other impurities from the skin, but also because of its texture. The subtle feel of beads of charcoal gives deep cleansing and exfoliation, leaving you with clearer skin.
5. Soothe bites and stings
Activated charcoal not only pulls dirt from your skin; it can also pull out the toxins from insect bites that cause itching, stinging, and irritation. You can make your own activated charcoal salve using soothing ingredients like coconut oil and beeswax. Then, apply the salve to where you’ve been bitten or stung and cover the area with gauze or cloth.
Activated charcoal has plenty of other uses, including adding it to your food or drinks, making it a miracle ingredient for health, beauty, and wellness. But if you’re not ready to ingest it quite yet, the topical solutions above are a great way to introduce yourself to the wonders of activated charcoal.
