Many people are looking for ways to improve the quality and look of their skin without spending hundreds of dollars on professional spa facials every few weeks. While those are beneficial for your skin, it is also important to keep up a reliable skin care routine to keep your skin healthy and looking its best.
One step that can be easily incorporated is the use of a charcoal mask.
Although the idea of using a charcoal mask sounds messy and harsh on your skin, there are actually many benefits to this skincare step that will help keep your skin glowing and clear.
Additionally, if you are looking for an all-natural alternative that actually works, charcoal masks might be just what you’re looking for. Here are some reasons why you might benefit from using such products:
1) Promotes Cleaner and Tighter Pores
Everybody wants that perfect glowing skin with small or unnoticeable pores clear of black and whiteheads.
Unfortunately, we are all human and our pores will eventually pick up dirt, debris or bacteria along the way. What is wonderful about activated charcoal is that it acts as a powerful magnet for any toxins in the skin. It binds and helps remove the dirt and oil out of your pores which makes them look bigger and darker.
Additionally, charcoal tightens your pores, reducing their appearance. Using a charcoal mask once a week establishes a routine of constant deep cleansing that prevents those large buildups in your pore that are usually only easily removed by professionals.
2) Balances Oily Skin:
Not only does activated charcoal help remove dirt from your skin, but it also helps in maintaining a healthy amount of oil in your skin and acts as a preventative measure in avoiding acne and other breakouts.
If your skin is feeling particularly greasy, use charcoal as a mask or even cleanser to remove excess oil to prevent future breakouts. Be sure to not overuse it, however, as pulling out too much natural oil from your skin will dry it out and sometimes make it oilier than it originally was because your skin will try to compensate for the over-removal of too many oils.
Tip: don’t forget to moisturize after using activated charcoal. Generally, activated charcoal can be really strong and you will want a not too heavy moisturizer to replenish your skin after being treated.
3) Helps Gets Rid of Acne Scars and Blemishes:
Activated charcoal acts a mild exfoliant as well. It can be used to gently rub away dead skin cells on top of the acne scars and reveal new skin. Additionally, over time, your acne scars and blemishes will fade and the charcoal you use will prevent acne from returning in the same spots or nearby.
Alternately, you can spot treat. If the rest of your skin is quite balanced and you want to individually treat acne spots or blemishes, you can do so by applying it sparingly to certain places.
How to Use or Make Charcoal Masks:
One way to get a charcoal mask is to make one yourself; Luckily, it is very very easy to do. Just buy any natural activated charcoal powder without any additives. You can buy them in capsules or in a container which includes the powder.
All you need to do is mix it with water. The amount of water you add will impact the type of consistency and type of use of your activated charcoal mixture. If you add only a little water, it will produce a thicker paste that you can spread all over your face as a mask, let sit and then wash off with warm water.
If it’s little more, it will become a little looser and can act as an exfoliant that you can use to delicately remove dead skin cells and debris.
You add a lot of water, you get a mild cleaner that you can use quickly if you want a gentle cleansing on normal skin and want to avoid an overly strong, deep cleanse for the day.
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of buying the activated charcoal and then having to experiment with the correct water to powder ratio, you can buy a commercially prepared one and reap the same benefits. Selecting the best charcoal mask for you will depend on things such as your skin type and your goals but once you do find the best one for you, it’s much more efficient to just buy one.
Bottom Line:
Using charcoal masks will be extremely beneficial in your skin care routine to combat almost any concern of your skin.
As a natural ingredient, you can also be sure you are not exposing your skin to any harmful chemicals.
Another great thing is it is easy to find, generally affordable and commercially prepared masks come in many variations with additional ingredients to address specific skin needs.
