Hello Ladies:)
Do you know what the properties of activated charcoal are? I discovered it only recently and I am very positively surprised by how much good is hidden in this black and seemingly uninteresting product.
Activated charcoal – properties
What’s activated charcoal? It’s a substance (also called activated carbon) has been used in medicine for a long time, it is associated primarily with the remedy for various types of stomach ailments.
The Aborigines used activated carbon to extract poison after a spider, snake or scorpion bite. In contrast, the Indians used it as a remedy for allergic reactions, e.g. poison ivy. Interesting, right?
Today, activated charcoal is still sold in pharmacies as a therapeutic agent, but we have also learned about its other properties. We know how great a detoxifying agent it is. We appreciate the cleansing properties, versatility, safety, and naturalness.
Cleansing cosmetics with activated charcoal
It has many properties that are valued in care. No wonder that it is more and more often found in cosmetics available in drugstores. Creams, masks, conditioners, shampoos. I usually reach for peel-off masks with active carbon, because I know that they effectively cleanse the skin and help get rid of blackheads. But I urge everyone to test different products with charcoal. You do not even realize how many benefits you can gain from it!
How does activated charcoal work in cosmetics?
See for yourself that activated charcoal offers a wide range of qualities:
- absorbs dirt and excess sebum;
- effectively removes blackheads;
- narrows the pores and extracts toxins from the skin;
- supports wound healing;
- minimizes skin inflammation;
- gently exfoliates dead skin cells and smoothes out the skin;
- provides antibacterial and antifungal properties;
- evens out the skin tone and has a brightening effect;
- eliminates unpleasant odors;
- prevents swelling.
Unusual absorption abilities of activated charcoal make it one of the most absorbent cosmetics. What’s more, it absorbs what we do not want – pollution. At the same time, it does not burden the skin, does not harm it and does not cause allergies.
How about a homemade cleansing cosmetic?
Admit that reading about these great properties makes you want to immediately apply it to your face. Unfortunately, it does not come in a very friendly form, so the only option is to make your own cosmetic.
Personally, I really like role-playing an alchemist. It’s a relaxing activity, and it gives me great satisfaction when I’m done with my own cosmetic, which … actually works! Remember that DIY cosmetics:
- are safer because they do not contain preservatives;
- can be precisely adjusted to your needs;
- have a natural and minimalist composition;
- contain only substances of known origin.
What can you make with activated charcoal?
There are many possibilities because powdered activated carbon is suitable as an addition to cosmetics, but also a base for their creation. Here are my suggestions.
1. Face mask with activated charcoal
I will not give you a recipe for a peel-off mask (although it’s supposed to be made from gelatin) because I do not know it. But the mask does not have to be peeled off, you can just wash it off. Especially that we will make it easy and very cheap.
As a base for the activated charcoal mask, you can use your favorite face cream, aloe gel or natural oil, eg almond, grape, jojoba. I would not recommend coconut oil because I think it is too heavy to use on the face. If you want to bring relief to tired skin, then I recommend buttermilk or natural yogurt. Honey is also a good idea, but rather as an addition – it is too thick and sticky so do not exceed the dose.
The second ingredient is, of course, powdered activated charcoal – you can buy it in a pharmacy in the form of tablets. Crush one tablet, mix the base of the cosmetic and … ready!
How to use an activated charcoal mask?
Just apply the mask to washed and towel-dried face, avoiding the sensitive area around the eyes. Leave it on the skin for approx. 15 minutes. After this time, you must wash it with warm water.
Important! The homemade mask with activated charcoal can also be used on the hair. You do not have to change the ingredients (maybe except for the face cream, just replace it with a conditioner, if you want it to be your base).
2. Exfoliating scrub with activated charcoal
The activated charcoal mask can be easily changed into an exfoliating scrub. Just add any exfoliating particles to the mix – it can be sea salt, brown sugar, raspberry seeds or oatmeal. In addition, if you want the scrub to lather, just add a handful of soap petals.
3. Black toothpaste with activated charcoal
We can also turn toothpaste into a truly bleaching miracle. How to do it? You must add crumbled activated carbon to your toothpaste. The paste will turn black, but we do not have to worry that it will stain our teeth. On the contrary – after brushing, they will be even whiter.
The eco version of a whitening toothpaste: coconut oil + activated charcoal.
4. Shampoo with activated charcoal
If we you activated charcoal at hand, you can turn an ordinary shampoo into a highly cleansing shampoo for oily hair and dandruff very easily. Charcoal cleanses the excess of sebum very well and has an antifungal effect, so it works wonders for a problematic scalp.
How to do it? Take a standard portion of your favorite hair shampoo and mix it with the activated charcoal tablet that you crush before. Wash your hair as usual, but leave the shampoo on your skin for a few minutes before you decide to rinse it.
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