Beneficial Uses Of Activated Charcoal For Skin

#1 What is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal is a black powder that has no taste or odour. It is a form of charcoal (usually derived from wood, peat or coconut shells) that has been heated in order to increase its ability to absorb things.

In fact, it is so effective at grabbing and binding substances such as alcohol, drugs and poisons that it has been used for many years in hospitals as an alternative to stomach pumping.

Since it doesn't get absorbed by the body, activated charcoal will help carry out toxins before they can reach the bloodstream. You just need to consume it while the compounds are still in your stomach.

As for its safety, Dr. Michael Lynch, medical director for Pittsburgh Poison Center and assistant professor in the department of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, thinks even a daily dose of activated charcoal has minimal risk (although I don't suggest using it as often as that).

#2 When to Use Activated Charcoal

Most of the time, our bodies are capable of eliminating toxins on their own. But according to Dr. Jeffrey A. Morrison, it's not a bad idea to take activated charcoal after a night of heavy drinking or a fried-food binge.

To avoid all your confusion, we have listed down the primary advantages of activated charcoal and how it actually helps you to resolve skin issues.

#3 Acne Problems

Activated charcoal can solve any acne problem if directly applied on to. You'll need: Activated charcoal capsules 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel 1 teaspoon of tea tree essential oil Mix all the three ingredients together and apply the paste gently on the acne-affected areas. If used for twice a week, you will begin to see the results. Do not use dirty hands to apply the mask.

#4 DIY Eyeliner And Mascara

You do not need to spend money on cosmetic products that directly or indirectly harm your skin. All you need is one thin liner brush, activated charcoal and water. By mixing the water with activated charcoal, it can be applied as an eyeliner or even a mascara. You just need to get a perfect brush for each.

#5 Whitening Armpits

This is a solution that every girl would want, as dark armpits are very common due to various skin issues. It is also quite embarrassing to face this issue. The best natural product you can use to make your armpits fairer is by applying activated charcoal paste. If applied daily, it will show you remarkable results.

#6 Make pores smaller and cleaner

Throughout the day, toxins from the world around us clog our pores. When your pores aren’t clear, neither is your complexion. Activated charcoal’when used in a face mask‘binds to and helps pull the dirt out of your pores, making them less visible (it’s the oil and dirt that makes them appear bigger). This leaves your face feeling fresh. (Use it with an exfoliating scrub to get the dead skin off and experience an even deeper clean.)

#7 Activated Charcoal Deodorant

Much less research has been done regarding its efficacy as a deodorant, but if you want to give it a try, there’s no harm—charcoal is inert, and won’t irritate your skin. A number of new natural deodorants and underarm care systems featuring activated charcoal have come onto the market, and they sound promising—or at least, worth trying.

PiperWai (as seen on Shark Tank!) makes an aluminum-free, natural cream deodorant using activated charcoal and essential oils to absorb sweat and odor. And natural deodorant company Rustic MAKA has developed a 3-part underarm care system (soap and konjac sponge, exfoliating mask, and antioxidant serum).

#8 Soothe and heal bites, cuts and skin irritations

Whether you were stung by a bee or had a cut from the kitchen that’s wound up infected, activated charcoal can help speed the healing and relieve the symptoms. For minor skin ailments’including insect bites, stings, cuts, scrapes and minor infections’activated charcoal can be applied topically. The activated charcoal, when applied as a paste, helps absorb venom and infection. It will also bring down swelling and lessen pain. To make the paste: slowly add water to a bit of activated charcoal powder and mix until it is a spreadable consistency.

#9 Add volume to your hair

When your hair feels weighted down it’s usually not only a feeling. If you’re carrying around enough dirt, your hair will start to sag and regular shampooing may not be getting it all out. Regular shampoos remove surface dirt, but activated charcoal will pull out even more. The other difference, and this is big, is that activated charcoal isn’t going to leave the residue regular shampoos will, so your hair will feel lighter and have more volume.

#10 Helps Remove Impurities

Remember how we talked about charcoal’s adsorptive ability? No, this isn’t a misspelling of absorption, but a different process that involves attracting chemicals and toxins using an electric charge. The surface of activated charcoal, filled with millions of tiny pores, has a negative charge that attracts and binds with positively-charged toxicants.

The adsorptive ability of activated charcoal is so powerful, in fact, that for the last 100 years it has been used internally as an antidote to serious poisoning.

This adsorptive quality can have a powerful effect when it comes to binding to impurities on the surface of our skin, such as dirt, pollutants from our environment, and build-up.

#11 Gently Exfoliates

In addition to removing impurities, activated charcoal’s slightly gritty texture makes it a great option for gentle exfoliation.

Exfoliation is essential for removing buildup on the surface of our skin, which can clog pores, further exacerbate blemishes, and result in an uneven, dull appearance. Activated charcoal helps us achieve even, supple skin with a one-two combination of exfoliation and simultaneous purification. Plus, it’s gentle enough to use on sensitive skin since the granules are so small.

#12 Treat acne

Depending on the specifics of your acne’how severe it is, what’s causing it and what else is going on’activated charcoal may be able to help. In soap form, it’s slightly gritty, which might provide just the gentle exfoliating you need. It will also absorb oils and toxins on and below the skin. You can use it as a spot treatment if you don’t want to use it on your whole face’just think of it as a mini mask for your blemish.

#13 Anti-Aging

Although aging is a natural part of our life, sometimes it can occur earlier where it can be caused by the food we eat, environmental changes, and dirt around our workplaces and homes. This toxic and chemical overload can cause skin damage and poorly functional organs.

#14 DIY Activated Charcoal Detox Mask

Ingredients:

1/2 Tablespoon Activated Charcoal Powder

1/2 Tablespoon Rosewater (or regular if you don’t have it)

1/2 Tablespoon Bentonite Clay

Optional: Dab of raw honey for hydration

Instructions:

Combine charcoal, rosewater, and other ingredients if you’re adding them. Know that this mixture will be slightly runnier than many other types of masks.

Apply to a clean face and let sit for 10 minutes.

Rinse and pat dry.

#15 A routine use of this facial mask helps prevent chronic skin problems such as

Dry skin issues

Oily skin

Acne

Blackheads

Whiteheads

Scars

With fans of charcoal claiming that it not only improves skin, but also creates voluminous hair and whiter teeth - it’s worth giving this natural substance a try as part of your beauty routine.

Enjoy!

#16 Side Effects of Using Activated Charcoal

Respiratory effect

An accidental of charcoal administration to the lungs can result in respiratory distress. The respiratory effect mostly occurs in adults.

Ocular

Ocular infection occurs if the abrasive grits from the charcoal come into contact with your eyes. Charcoal is in powder form- you should be careful when handling it to avoid contact with your eyes.

Metabolic side effects

When you take multiple doses of activated charcoal, it combines with sorbitol and this combination causes hypomagnesaemia, dehydration, and shock.

#17 Conclusion

It may be trendy right now, but activated charcoal is a fantastic tool to keep in your beauty and wellness arsenal.

It's especially relevant if, like me, you have a history of alcohol or certain foods causing problems with your skin. I always felt that my complexion looked worse the day after eating out or (duh) having a few glasses of wine. Now I know it's because of these toxins, bad gut bacteria and the resulting hormonal imbalances.

As the saying goes, prevention is the best medicine. If you can't avoid an offending substance completely, then your next best bet is to mop it up with the charcoal. If you remember to take it as soon as possible after ingesting the toxin, it can ward off many of the issues you'd normally spend hours or even days trying to treat.

I'd love to hear if this remedy works for you!