Charcoal Powered Skincare?

When you think of skincare products, charcoal isn't necessarily the first ingredient that comes to mind. But charcoal adds more than just a dramatic jet black color to our facial cleaning and care products. What's the deal with activated charcoal, and what sort of benefits can it lend to your complexion?

Activated Charcoal, in its simplest form, is carbon, processed to have extremely small particle sizes. (The average diameter of a particle of activated charcoal is only 7 microns, or around 15 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. They're tiny. This extremely small particle size means that the surface area of the powder, is massive compared to the volume, and this has a lot of benefits for chemical reactions or absorption. This is the same stuff used in charcoal filters, and in hospitals for treating poisoning.

For skincare, the charcoal makes use of its absorption abilities to draw toxins from the skin and bind them to the individual particles. In a mask, this leads to less dirt and debris in your pores, and a brighter complexion. It also helps to absorb excess oil and gently exfoliate. Our Detox Face Soap combines the charcoal with slightly grittier bentonite clay to exfoliate and brighten skin. For those with acne prone skin, activated charcoal can be beneficial as either a spot treatment or a daily cleanser as it controls oil production, and removes the toxins that can lead to blemishes. It also tends to be less irritating than some other acne treatments, which can strip your skin of healthy oils and moisture.

For more info on how we make use of activated charcoal, and how it can be complemented with other ingredients, check out our Face Collection.

-Tyler