Charcoal effectively clears clogged pores of dirt and impurities, the build-up of which causes acne, blackheads, and whiteheads. You can make an acne mask using activated charcoal, clay powder, and apple cider vinegar.
Activated black charcoal banishes blackheads and detoxifies the skin for bright and glowing skin.
Charcoal Masks Can Cause Infections And Acne
Your skin can actually get worse after you use a charcoal mask. According to Tampa dermatologist Dr. Seth Forman, some masks can cause scarring, infection, and hyperpigmentation. Your acne can also return with a vengeance.
A clay mask is best for skin issues such as irritation, acne, excess sebum, and enlarged pores. A charcoal mask will help those with more specific issues, like accumulation of dead skin and bacteria.
Because they work to draw out excess oil and bacteria, these masks have a drying tendency. If you have sensitive skin, a charcoal mask may irritate your face. Activated charcoal has antibacterial properties. That's why charcoal masks can remove bacteria that may clog your pores and cause acne and blackheads.
Even though activated charcoal is generally safe to use on your skin, there are a few safety precautions to keep in mind. Don't overuse the mask. Once or twice a week is enough. Using it more often may dry out your skin.
The main difference between charcoal and activated charcoal is that charcoal is obtained by burning wood in the absence of oxygen. Activated charcoal is obtained by burning carbon-rich materials at higher temperatures, with the addition of other substances.
Charcoal in skincare
“Charcoal is known to absorb 100 to 200 times its weight in impurities, making it an excellent natural ingredient to help purify and deep-clean skin,” Wendy Brooks, director of global product development at Origins, told NY Daily News in 2014.
All you need to do is to mix a tablespoon of baking soda with two tablespoons of water. Apply this paste for about 15-20 minutes, and wash it off with lukewarm water. Baking soda is a natural exfoliator, and its antibacterial properties keep the chances of any irritation and infection at bay.
Along with blackheads, these devices can remove oil and dirt from your skin pores as well. They are also effective in removing any residual makeup from your skin pores. You can also use blackhead remover strips specially designed for your nose to keep it free of blackheads.
Blackheads often go away in early adulthood, though some people will continue to experience them throughout their lives. Your healthcare provider, medical aesthetician or dermatologist can help you manage your blackheads.
"Depending on the needs of your skin, it can be used anywhere from one to three times a week, as it will cleanse your pores and neutralize some environmental toxins," Dr. Shamban tells me via email. "Do not use daily as it can soak up the natural oils and moisture in your skin."
In theory, yes, you can use charcoal instead of activated charcoal. However, regular charcoal won't be anywhere near as effective. You also could expose yourself to chemical additives or impurities.
Cook the charcoal for another 3 hours to activate it.
Return your charcoal to the (cleaned) metal pot and put it back on a fire. The fire will need to be hot enough to boil water for the charcoal to activate. After cooking for 3 hours at this temperature, the charcoal will be activated.
The charcoal is “activated” when it's heated to a very high temperature. This changes its structure. Heating gives the fine carbon powder a larger surface area, which makes it more porous.
Activated charcoal can cleanse the pores of the skin and clear bacteria, dirt and oil clogging them. Activated charcoal is known to be excellent for clearing acne and blackheads, lightening blemishes, reducing oiliness and also for whitening teeth.
Moreover, due to its incredible exfoliating properties, activated charcoal helps shed dead skin cells, makes the appearance of dark spots less visible and deeply cleanses the skin. It also balances excessive oil production on the skin without drying it out.
Activated Charcoal Face Mask Benefits
Activated charcoal is a highly absorbent ingredient that helps to reduce acne and improve overall skin appearance by drawing dirt, toxins and bacteria out from your skin and pores. When used as a mask, it also absorbs excess oils from your skin, leaving it smoother and less shiny.
Surprisingly enough, charcoal and clay share many similarities. They both remove toxins and impurities from the skin and treat acne. However, clay masks are ideal for normal and dry skin types that usually feel stripped from charcoal masks. Clay masks are much more hydrating than charcoal masks.
No-rinse peel off masks and particularly, black peel off masks, also effectively remove blackheads that may be clogging the pores. As the mask dries off on your skin and becomes tighter, it also extracts dirt, bacteria, blackheads and whiteheads.
-Place a warm towel over face to open pores. -Apply a generous layer of mask. -Leave on 10 minutes. Rinse well.