The charcoal face mask is one of the hottest trends in the world of beauty and skin care. Social media is absolutely flooded with charcoal face masks.
Some people love it, others, say that it did more harm than good. Today, we will talk about what makes this face mask your go-to solution for most skin problems.
In other words, what are the charcoal mask benefits? And how to use it for your facial skin.
Yes, putting charcoal on your face might not seem glamorous. But we are not talking about glamour now, we are talking about being practical and finding a way to heal your skin.
Food grade activated charcoal is the main ingredient for the face mask. So how does it help?
Why you should try it?
When you talk about the charcoal mask benefits, you talk about the ways it helps your skin. With that in mind, here are six ways you can use the charcoal face mask to treat your skin.
Helps with large pores
Charcoal works by drawing impurities, like toxins, away from your skin. Toxins are one of the main issues of why your pores appear larger.
When toxins flood your skin, they can clog your pores, and make them appear larger. Simply put, when your pores are not clear, neither is your complexion.
Charcoal helps by binding to dirt, toxins, and other impurities, and pull them out of your pores. That makes the pores less visible. Now, remember, it will not reduce pores in size. Pores size is genetically determined, and you cannot do anything about it. But you can do something about the appearance of pores.
Helps with oily skin
If you have oily skin, you know how hard and challenging is to get clear skin. Oily skin can also clog your pores, but also contribute to problems like acne, and other skin issues.
Your skin naturally produces oil, and you need the oil to moisturize your skin. But if you have oily skin, your sebaceous glands produce more oil than you need. The excess oil can do more harm than good on your skin. By pulling oil out and away from your skin, a charcoal face mask will leave your facial skin smooth, and acne-free.
You can use the mask once per week. Otherwise, you risk drying out your face.
Brighter skin
Yes, charcoal can help brighten your skin. It is all about drawing impurities and dust away from your skin. The moment you wash off the mask, you can notice how bright your skin looks.
If you want an instant boost and brightening of your skin, just apply a charcoal face mask.
Treat acne
You can use the mask to both prevent and treat acne. As most of us know it, acne is usually a result of clogged pores and too much oil on your skin. Charcoal helps with all of that.
Charcoal helps provide the gentle exfoliation you need to treat acne, but also to prevent them in the first place. You can use the mask to absorb the oils and toxins from below the skin. And if you do not want to use on your entire face, you can use the mask as a spot treatment for acne.
Cleanse your skin
Go to the beauty store, check the ingredients on commercially sold cleansers, and you will find activated charcoal in most of them.
When companies use and utilize the charcoal mask benefits, why not try one at home? Charcoal cleansers are quite potent and powerful, so you do not want to use them on a daily basis.
It is best that you prepare a charcoal mask on your own. This way, you know all of the ingredients you put on your face.
Heal skin irritations
If you are stung by a bee, or you cut yourself in the kitchen, and the wound becomes infected, try activated charcoal.
The “magic ingredient” can help with minor skin ailments like insect bites, cuts, scrapes, infections, and minor infections. Apply it topically to absorb the venom and infection from the skin.
How does it work?
With all the talk of the charcoal mask benefits, we have to exactly explain how charcoal works. It is all about the impurities due to pollution, and other outside factors.
Air pollution is one of the biggest reasons for skin concerns. Toxins and other impurities in the air clog your pores, and the result is dull complexion.
Charcoal can bind to these toxins, and help remove the dirt, oil, and other impurities from the skin and pores. The mask can also control the oil secretion in the skin.
If you use charcoal as a peel-off mask, you also get the benefits of exfoliation. In other words, you remove everything from impurities, to dead skin cells.
How to make one at home?
Making a charcoal mask is really simple.
Here are the ingredients you need:
- 1 teaspoon charcoal powder
- 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon of bentonite clay
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
Mix all the ingredients together, and let the consistency be on the thicker side.
How to use a charcoal face mask?
If you want to incorporate the charcoal face mask in your daily skin care routine, here is how to use it.
- Before applying a mask, use a facial cleanser to gently massage the skin, and rinse it off. It is important that you cleanse your complexion before applying the mask
- Apply an even layer of the DIY or any commercial charcoal mask to clean and dry skin. Wait for 10 to 15 minutes, and then rinse off
- Apply a moisturizer after a charcoal face mask. Use a lightweight facial moisturizer, to ensure your skin is not too dry after the charcoal treatment
- Repeat once or twice per week for maximum results
With that in mind, here are a couple of times you should use a charcoal face mask:
- When you are breaking out
- When the weather gets cold to prevent dry air
- The night before a big date, if you want a clear and flawless skin
- While you watch TV, to enjoy the charcoal mask benefits while multitasking
- When you are sleep deprived to brighten your skin
- While taking a bath, for a spa-like treatment
- On a self-care Sunday
- Apply the mask before you go to bed
- For more multitasking, apply the mask while baking cookies, reading, or painting your toes
