03/21/2023
Do you know you skin?
Oily, Dry, Sensitive, Acne or Combination Skin problems?
Knowing your skin type helps you better understand how to take care of it without using harsh ingredients.
I will be starting a series on the different ingredients that you can use to treat various types of problem areas for your skin.
Today's ingredient is Activated Charcoal
As the name tells us, activated charcoal is charcoal that has been activated. It gets activated by exposing it to high heat which makes it have a purer structure with more surface area. This means the activated charcoal becomes a porous substance that's able to absorb toxins.
One of the reasons activated charcoal is so popular in skincare products today is because of its absorption abilities. This jet-black powder has the power to bind to small, pesky materials that get under our pores and cause dirt and chemical buildup.
The top 5 benefits of Activated Charcoal for the skin:
1. Removes impurities
If you love to use a lot of different skin or makeup products, over time some microparticles can get clogged in your pores and cause blemishes like pimples, blackheads, or overall dirt buildup.
Using an activated charcoal cleanser or face scrub is a great way to fight off the negative effects of these impurities under your skin. It’s safe to use regularly. But if you tend to have dry or sensitive skin, use a scrub as a weekly deep cleansing. Those with oily skin will benefit more from a regular or daily charcoal face wash.
2. Cleanse Excess Oil
Oily skin types often say they love activated charcoal because of its awesome ability to absorb excess oil. While a regular face wash might clean the surface of oily skin, activated charcoal reaches deep into the pores and soaks up extra oil.
3. Decreases Blackheads
Generally, cleaner pores mean fewer blackheads. Blackheads are pores or small hair follicles that have been clogged with buildup from dirt, products, or natural oil our bodies produce, called sebum.
Activated charcoal skincare products help deep clean the buildup that causes blackheads. And even though many charcoal products help remove such buildup, it also works as a preventative substance to keep the blackheads from forming before they get worse.
4. Soothes Acne Prone Skin
Some activated charcoal face products even help soothe acne. Everyone gets acne from time to time, but we know some skin types are more prone to regular acne than others. It can feel like a struggle when trying to find a solution or relief.
Acne is inflammation of the pores, often caused by a buildup of bacteria, dead skin cells, or irritants. You can’t always control acne. It’s important to keep your face cleansed and free of any excess bacteria that might cause an acne flare-up.
Remember how we said activated charcoal is known widely for its antibacterial benefits? This is one reason it can help keep acne-prone skin in its best condition.
5. Skin Exfoliation
Who doesn’t love the feeling of a freshly exfoliated face at the beginning of one’s skincare routine? Let us tell you that the feeling is worthwhile especially when using a scrub that contains all the above benefits of activated charcoal.
When exfoliating the face, activated charcoal helps deepen the cleansing process. Instead of stripping the top layer of the skin with harsh chemicals or textures, a gentle activated charcoal scrub can remove the deepest debris from pores while absorbing the tiny molecules most other exfoliating scrubs leave behind.
Plus, it’s pretty cool to use a scrub that is so dark in color you can fully see which spots are getting cleaned. All to rinse it off revealing a super shiny face ready for more skin love.
In conclusion, using this one ingredient as a stand alone skin care routine can improve the condition of your skin.
The visible skin benefits of activated charcoal are:
Exfoliation without stripping the face of natural oil
Deeply cleansing to pores
Soothing for acne
Removes blackheads
Relieves skin impurities
Detoxifying and purifying
Shrinks pores
Tightens the skin
Antibacterial and antifungal
Can help treat insect bites
