JOIN USHard as it may be to believe, charcoal has a lot of benefits to offer in terms of skincare. Activated charcoal can give you a glowing complexion by drawing oil, dirt and other harmful substances from the clogged pores.
Applying charcoal on your face and in your hair might not seem glamorous, but it’s proven to do a lot of good when used properly. Here is how you can use the natural substance effectively to reap its many benefits.
Make pores smaller and cleaner
Throughout the day, toxic particles from the atmosphere come in contact with your skin and clog the pores. As long as you don’t get rid of these pollutants, you cannot get a clear complexion.
Activated charcoal, when used in the form of a face mask, clings to these particles and pulls them out of your pores, cleansing your skin. This leaves your face feeling fresh.
Treat acne
Depending upon the cause and severity of your acne, charcoal can be used to treat it in different forms. In soap form, it’s slightly gritty, which might provide the gentle exfoliating you need. The charcoal will absorb the excess oils and toxins on and under the epidermis. You can use it as a spot treatment if you don’t want to use it on your whole face.
Take care of oily skin
Activated charcoal may be just what you need to balance things out. Used in a cleanser or a face mask, it can remove unwanted oils from your skin, leaving it smooth. Avoid doing this more than once or twice a week, otherwise you might end up drying your skin.
Rid your hair of toxins
Activated charcoal, when used on your hair, can pull out oil, dirt and toxins just like it does on your skin. You can find regular and dry shampoos that contain this ingredient. If you have light-coloured hair, you wouldn’t want to use the dry shampoo as it may stain. The advantage to buying activated charcoal in the form of powder or tablets is that it can be used for multiple purposes.
Add volume to your hair
When your hair feels heavy, it’s usually not just a feeling. Regular shampooing may not be cleansing it properly, leaving it laden with dirt. While regular shampoos remove surface dirt, activated charcoal will do that without leaving behind the residue that the former does. This will leave our hair cleaner, bouncier and more voluminous.
Remedy scalp conditions
Problems like dandruff, redness and oily or itchy scalp may be relieved through treatments that use activated charcoal. You can use it as a scalp mask or mix it in with your shampoo for regular use. The ingredient will work on your scalp the way it does on your skin and hair; pulling out toxins and purifying the skin. It’s unclear how deep into the hair follicle it can penetrate, but the results should be noticeable.
(The author is a make-up artist and owner of Indica Makeover Studios)