The uses of activated charcoal cannot be undermined. Ranging from making your face glow to removing dirt and grime from your skin, the benefits are unparalleled. In fact, these very properties of charcoal have been made use of in the beauty products that are manufactured by well-known brands across the globe.
Let us find out more about charcoal as a beauty product under the following sub-heads, namely:
- Benefits of charcoal mask
- Benefits of charcoal mask for acne
- Activated charcoal for skin benefits
- How to use active charcoal
Charcoal powder activated
The charcoal that we are talking about in this context is very different from what you have been hearing all these years. When we talk about charcoal, the first thing that comes to our minds is “barbecue”. But that is different charcoal altogether. The charcoal we will highlight in this write-up is what we call charcoal powder activated or activated charcoal powder.
By activated charcoal, we mean that the charcoal undergoes treatment to make it suitable for being used in beauty products. The treatment or heating is done so that its toxin absorbing capacity is greatly enhanced.
This is usually achieved by a number of chemical processes like increasing the surface area and so on. Having cited the difference between the charcoal used for barbecue and the one that we use for beauty treatment as an activated charcoal face mask, let us go through the above points one at a time in the paragraphs that follow.
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Benefits of charcoal mask
The benefits of the charcoal mask are many-
- It helps in removing dirt, dust, grime, that build-up to form toxins beneath the skin. Also, exposure to harmful UV rays can ruin your skin and cause extensive damage. Using a facial mask that has activated charcoal as one of the ingredients can do away with the harmful effects of the above. In return, you get healthy-looking and glowing skin.
- One of the activated charcoal for skin benefits is that it helps to balance the excessive oil that is produced. It clears out your complexion by balancing your facial skin.
- If you have dry skin, make sure the frequency with which you use the charcoal powder activated facial mask depends on your skin type.
- Charcoal powder activated mask also helps in regulating pores. Often, pores get clogged due to the build-up of dirt and dust. Using this mask will help in eliminating the impurities and lead to unclogging of pores.
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Benefits of charcoal mask for acne
Activated charcoal is equally good for treating acne problems. Blackheads, whiteheads, and acne result when the pores get blocked and infection occurs in the pores or there are blocked pores that cause breakouts.
Depending on how severe your acne is, if you use a charcoal facial mask at least twice or thrice a week or as per the instructions of your beautician, it helps to reduce acne to a great extent. Just remember, a charcoal mask for acne will just be not enough.
You have to do away with stress, improper and unbalanced diet. Also, you have to make certain changes in your lifestyle. By doing so, you will be able to complement the benefit of the charcoal facial mask for acne.
As far as applying the face mask for acne is concerned, if you do not want to apply it on the entire face, opt for spot treatment. Dab a little on the acne and leave it on for some time.
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Activated charcoal for skin benefits
Aside from being used as a facial mask for spotless and flawless skin, it has other benefits too. If you suffer from redness of the skin, get rashes on your skin, do not worry. Take a pinch of the activated charcoal powder and apply it to the area. You will find it heals faster.
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How to use active charcoal face mask
Having said about the several benefits of activated charcoal for skin, let us find out how you can use it for optimum use. You can follow this stepwise guide for the same-
- First of all, as you always do, cleanse your face with a cleanser that suits your skin type. If you have a clean face before you apply the mask, the effect will be much better. This is because the penetration of the activated charcoal into your skin will be optimum.
- Take an amount that will cover your entire face. Spread it evenly over your forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. Avoid the eyes. When you massage the mask into the skin, use your fingertips to do so. By doing so, the pressure that you apply for massage will not be too little nor too hard.
If you are not comfortable using fingertips, make use of a brush that has soft and delicate bristles. Harder ones will cause abrasion to your facial skin. So, choose wisely.
- As mentioned above, when you are using activated charcoal powder, avoid the eyes and it is best to keep your eyes closed when you are close to the cheeks or forehead.
- Allow the mask to settle down on the skin. Let it dry for at least 15 to 20 minutes. When you feel your face stretched after a while, rinse off with water that is lukewarm.
- Let your face dry. Do not dry your face hard. Pat dry for best results. Follow it up with moisturizing.
- Repeat the process as often as you want to. Too frequently following up with an activated charcoal powder mask may not give you the best results. Opt for moderation. Too much of it is not good. It might dry out your skin too much. The best way to decide the frequency is to be aware of the reason why you want it in the first place. Whether it is for acne, redness, rashes, insect bite, and so on. Also, it will depend on the type of skin you have. It might be dry, oily, or combination skin.
How to buy the best-activated charcoal for skin benefits?
You will come across many that use DIY recipes for making their own facial masks. However, if time is a constraint, you can buy from the market too. However, when you buy from the store, what must you look for in the activated charcoal powder? Let us find out.
If you have oily skin
Look for a charcoal mask that will have clay as one of the ingredients. Clay helps in absorbing excess oil from your skin. Not only that, it has been found that your clogged pores open up too with the help of clay mixed in charcoal powder.
If you have dry skin
If you happen to have dry skin, avoid clay in the charcoal mask at all costs. Instead look for ingredients like jojoba oil, olive oil, and hyaluronic acid that will keep your skin hydrated.
There are many brands that are available in the market. They contain various ingredients. Make sure you read them before you pay.
Last but not the least, if you have sensitive skin, it is best not to use facial masks that contain parabens, dyes, and fragrances.
In a nutshell, the usage of activated charcoal powder will depend entirely on the type of skin you have the purpose for which you are applying the facial mask.
