What's the deal with charcoal in skin care?

Charcoal is the latest buzzword in skin care and for good reason. It works like a magnet pulling out dirt, toxins and impurities from the skin. It can be used for many skin conditions such as breakouts, excess oil production, congestion and enlarged pores.

Charcoal's main use throughout history has been used as an internal supplement for digestive detoxing but recently it's properties have been found to benefit the skin. Activated charcoal is actually charcoal that has undergone a heating process to make it safe for medicinal use. This process increases the adsorptive ability of charcoal making it capable of trapping and absorbing toxins and impurities.  No, not a typo - adsorptive is a process that attracts and binds toxins.

Activated charcoal is likely to be found in cleansers, exfoliators and masks, your typical cleansing products that remove impurities off the skin and clean the skin. It is not a hydrating and moisturising ingredient and is thus not found in moisturisers or serum type products.

Why we love charcoal:

1. Charcoal helps to clear the pores:

If excess oil and impurities are not effectively removed off the skin, they sit in the pores and cause unsightly blackheads. Cleansing with a deep cleansing charcoal based cleanser such as the PAYOT Gelee Nettoyante will absorb and remove these toxins, helping to keep the pores clear. For a deeper cleanse, use with the KUU Konjac Bamboo Sponge with Charcoal.

2. Charcoal helps control oil:

Our skin naturally produces oils to keep it glowing, hydrated and wrinkle free but oilier skins tend to produce too much, this excess oil production is a trap for dirt and impurities which can lead to clogged pores, blackheads and ultimately breakouts. Charcoal will bind and trap these impurities to prevent pore clogging. 

Daily cleansing with a charcoal based cleanser such as the PAYOT Gelee Nettoyante will remove impurities and control excess oil, helping to keep the pores clear. 

3. Charcoal brightens the skin:

With all the trapping and absorbing of the dirt and impurities, your skin will be truly glowing and free of dirt that would otherwise sit in the pores and create a dull looking complexion. A deep cleansing charcoal mask such as  the Dermalogica Charcoal Rescue Masque used once or twice a week will assist in detoxifying and brightening lacklustre skins.

4. Helps to reduce pore size:

Overtime excess oil and dirt becomes trapped in the pores causing them to become enlarged. With the adsorptive abilities of charcoal and the pulling of impurities from the pores, the pores will start to look less visible. Regular exfoliation with Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant will draw out and buff away the impurities for super clean skin and help to reduce pore size. 

We can't help but mention a newbie to our range of products, ECOCOCO Coconut Charcoal Peppermint Body Scrub which offers the skin an invigorating deep cleanse with the cooling properties of peppermint.