The skincare space has always welcomed new ingredients owing to its dynamic and evolving nature. Sometimes, they silently whoosh under the radar but some garner quite the attention piquing every grooming enthusiast’s curiosity. Thanks to the introduction of activated charcoal in recent years, the skincare and grooming space saw a steady stream of black-hued products like charcoal face masks in a sea of milky white serums, moisturisers and the like. So, what makes this soot such a fawned-over additive? Let’s explore.
How Is Activated Charcoal Made?
Activated charcoal is derived from carbon-rich natural sources like coconut shells, wood, bamboo and rice husk. These materials are burnt at high temperatures in closed drums without oxygen. This is also called carbonisation. It’s done to get rid of any toxic, volatile fumes and other impurities. The next step is activation in which the pure carbon-based charcoal is exposed to certain chemicals to make it porous. This final product is a fine, black powder with a larger surface area.
How Does Activated Charcoal Work?
Due to its porous nature, activated charcoal has a larger surface area to efficiently draw out impurities and toxins. It has a history of being used as an antidote to cure cases of poisoning as it prevents the toxic substance from spreading. Leveraging the absorbent nature of the ingredient, the skin care space saw the emergence of charcoal face masks for healthy, glowing skin. Here are some benefits of charcoal face masks.
Benefits Of A Charcoal Mask
Absorbs Excess Sebum/Oil
If you have active oil glands, it can oftentimes leave the face feeling greasy, heavy and dull due to oxidation. When you let an activated charcoal face mask sit on the skin for a significant amount of time, it can absorb the excess oils, giving your skin a lightweight mattified feel.
Draws Out Impurities
Pollution, dust and grime are no strangers to your skin. When exposed to such environmental stressors, it can disrupt the skin’s pH balance and its natural moisture barrier. Activated charcoal’s surface area draws out these impurities gently to keep the skin clean and the moisture barrier intact.
Helps Refine Pores
Weather conditions like extreme heat and humidity can enlarge the pores due to excess sweat and sebum production. This causes dirt and pollution to easily stick to the skin which ultimately congests and plugs the pores. Activated charcoal extracts all the unwanted gunk to cleanse the pores and refresh the skin.
Provides Gentle Exfoliation
The skin goes through a natural skin cell turnover process in which your body routinely replaces matured skin cells with new ones to keep the skin looking healthy. While some of the old skin cells shed, some stay behind on the topmost layer of the skin and over time clog the pores, hindering the new cell turnover. A gentle exfoliation routine with activated charcoal scrubs away the dead skin cells for softer, clearer-looking skin.
Improves Skin Texture
External factors and hormonal changes lead the skin to experience a plethora of concerns like clogged pores, dead skin cells, excess oil production, dullness and sun damage. This results in an uneven, rough texture. Using a peel-off or clay mask with activated charcoal targets said skin concerns for smooth, refined skin. This also helps the rest of the skincare product to absorb better into the pores to nourish it.
Reduces Breakouts, Heat Bumps and Blackheads
Though we all wish for smooth skin perpetually, breakouts and raised blackheads are common occurrences that can lead to scarring and spots. In some sensitive skin types, pimples can be red, bumpy and painful. Using charcoal-based clay masks as spot treatments is an effective way to get rid of clogged sebum, dirt and bacteria to relieve inflammation and get smoother skin.
Restores Skin’s Natural Glow
Excess melanin production is the skin’s common response to sun damage which results in hyperpigmentation issues like melasma, sun spots and uneven skin tone. Activated charcoal speeds up new skin cell generation, getting rid of damaged skin cells and excess melanin production.
Types Of Charcoal Masks To Choose From
Peel-Off Masks
Peel-off masks are ideal for those who have a normal to combination skin type. This mask goes on like a hydrating base which dries down on the skin like an adhesive mask. In general, peel-off masks take 15–20 minutes to work, making it an easy-to-use face mask for when you have little time to spare. Plus, it’s also travel-friendly.
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Sheet Masks
Though activated charcoal is mostly directed to people with oily, acne-prone skin, people with dry skin and sensitive skin can also reap the benefits of a charcoal face mask from time to time for detoxified, purified and exfoliated skin. For such skin types, we recommend hydrating serum-based sheet masks that will draw out all the impurities without stripping the natural oils from the skin. These take between 15-20 minutes to show results. For better results, keep these refrigerated for an additional cooling sensation to soothe skin irritation and redness.
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Clay Masks
These are the most common types of charcoal face masks. These are preferred when you want to give your pores a deep cleanse. Most clay masks have a kaolin and bentonite base, two ingredients that are rich in minerals to absorb excess oils and impurities. That’s why we recommend charcoal clay masks for those with oily, acne-prone skin. An important caveat, however, is to not let the clay mask dry out for too long on the skin. This will make it harder to cleanse off the mask, leaving the skin extremely dry and red. The key is to use a thin layer for no more than 15–20 minutes so they penetrate the pores without being too overpowering.
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