Charcoal season: How activated charcoal improves skin tone

Activated charcoal is everywhere these days.

It's available as a tooth powder or toothpaste for teeth whitening. You can take it as a capsule to cure a hangover, to treat acute poisoning, or to eliminate stomach gas. The Google search results list goes on.

With such a variety of uses, what does it do for the skin? Let's look at its properties to make it make sense.

What is activated charcoal?

Activated charcoal comes from the same charcoal that we barbeque with. Charcoal becomes activated when high temperatures combine with gas to expand the charcoal's surface area. The result is highly porous charcoal that acts like a sponge.

How does activated charcoal work?

Because it's so porous, activated charcoal acts as a magnet to remove toxins from the body. It's ground down into a powder before its added to the toothpaste, poured into a capsule, or added to soap in our case. 

Toxins bind to the charcoal as it is eliminated from the body as the body can't absorb charcoal. As the charcoal leaves the body, the toxins go with it.

How does activated charcoal help the skin?

Activated charcoal binds dirt and toxins on the skin and washes them away. Removing these impurities helps to clear up scars from acne, as well as treats oily and combination skin.

Plus, we add peppermint oil in our activated soap to add an antiseptic and clears the pores. It's great for the face and the body. Sound tempting? Give it a try.