Is Activated Charcoal Really the Secret to Perfect Skin (and Teeth)?

Until recently, the word "coal" probably made you think of summer cookouts, the mining scene in Zoolander, and/or Santa's naughty list. Enter activated charcoal, the beauty ingredient of the moment. It's been added to cleansers, face masks, toothbrushes, and even juices for its ability to absorb toxins and pollutants. But is it effective? Here, we explore ten activated-charcoal products that really work—and one that, well, doesn't.

 Activated charcoal, carbon that's been treated to increase its absorbency, isn't new. It's been used in hospital emergency rooms for years to treat alcohol poisoning and drug overdoses. It works by attaching to toxins in the stomach and absorbing them before the bloodstream can. The theory behind including activated charcoal in beauty products is similar: It'll act like a magnet to attract and absorb dirt and oil. And the experts say that theory holds water. "When dirt and oil in your pores come in contact with the carbon, they stick to it and then get washed away when you rinse," explains cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson. 

 

Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin Activated Charcoal Bar Soap

Yes, there's something a little strange about using a jet-black soap. But we strongly suggest you get over it, because this bar is so worth it. It fights breakouts (of both the face and body variety) with white willow bark (a natural source of salicylic acid) while sopping up excess oil with—you guessed it—activated charcoal. 

 

 

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

Carbon needs to come in physical contact with impurities in order to soak them up, so the longer a product sits on your skin, the more effective it's going to be. That's why Wilson recommends getting your activated charcoal in a mask, like this one. "The longer it's left on, the better," she says. It's especially useful if you live in a city, where your skin is constantly bombarded with pollutants. This formula also contains kaolin and bentonite clays for extra oil absorption.

 

 

 

Freeman Facial Polishing Mask Charcoal & Black Sugar

You can actually feel this two-in-one mask and scrub working: The gritty, thick paste warms up your skin to help open pores, which lets the charcoal more easily lift out dirt and grime. Before you rinse, gently massage it over your face—large sugar granules help slough off dead skin cells for a smoother, more glowing complexion.

 

 

Fig + Yarrow Clay Mask in Black

This dusty black powder—which you mix with water, aloe, or even yogurt, then slather on as a mask—is a little messy and a lot of fun. Though you can customize it depending on your current skin concerns (i.e., aloe for soothing, yogurt for softening), it's best for oily skin, since in addition to activated charcoal, it also contains oil-absorbing kaolin clay.

 

 

Bioré Charcoal Pore Minimizer

As dermatologists have sadly informed us time and time again, it's impossible to shrink your pores. But you can minimize them—for a while—with an exfoliator like this one. It contains tiny crystals and charcoal to vacuum out the dead skin cells and oil that make pores look bigger.

 

Boscia Pore Purifying Black Strips

Wet your nose with warm water, apply one of these charcoal-infused strips, let it harden, and then peel it off. It'll remove the oil, dirt, and pure evil lurking in your pores, making them look temporarily tighter. So gross. So satisfying.

 

GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment

This mask doesn't exactly feel luxurious (they don't call it mud for nothing), but it's totally worth it for what it does for your complexion: deep-cleans pores, gently exfoliates with a blend of alpha and beta hydroxy acids, and soothes with eucalyptus leaf. It can be a bit drying, though, so resist the urge to use it more than a couple of times a week.

 

 

Julep Konjac Sponge

This sponge is made from the fibrous root of the konjac plant (for light exfoliation) and infused with activated-charcoal powder (for extra cleansing oomph). Soften it with water before gently rubbing it over your clean, damp face in a circular motion, then rinse. "It can be a good thing to try if you've been washing your face regularly and your skin is still acting up," says Wilson.

 

InVitamin All Natural Tooth & Gum Powder With Activated Charcoal

We're not going to tell you to toss your regular toothpaste. But you might want to add activated charcoal to your normal brushing routine. "It may work to remove surface stains and whiten teeth," says Marc Lowenberg, a dentist in New York City. If you want to try it, he recommends mixing a charcoal powder (like this one) with water or hydrogen peroxide (which also whitens teeth) until you get a toothpaste-like consistency. "You don't want to actually brush your teeth with it, though," he says. "Just apply the paste with a toothbrush so it sits on your teeth, wait a few minutes, then rinse it off." According to Lowenberg, there are no risks associated with using activated charcoal this way. Don't expect dramatic results, but if you experience tooth sensitivity when you use products with bleach, charcoal is an alternative to consider.

 

 

Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. Charcoal Toothbrush

Not loving the idea of a mouth full of sludgy black paste? Totally understandable. Here's an easier way to work activated charcoal into your brushing routine: The bristles of this toothbrush are infused with the stuff. It probably won't whiten teeth much (since the charcoal isn't sitting on them long enough to absorb and remove stains), but it can help fight bad breath and prevent bacteria from growing on the brush. All that aside: These are some of the chicest toothbrushes we've ever seen.

 

 

Juice Generation Activated Lemonade, Activated Greens, and Activated Protein juices

Yes, these taste pretty good. (Especially Activated Protein, which is pretty much like a health-ified vanilla milkshake.) But no, drinking activated charcoal won't do anything for your health. The claim is that the activated charcoal helps absorb toxins inside the body, but that's not really something we need, says Lisa Young, a nutritionist and the author of The Portion Teller Plan (Three Rivers Press). "Your liver detoxifies just fine," she explains. And there may be some risks associated with ingesting activated charcoal: "Since it's so absorbent, it could cause dehydration or constipation. And you definitely wouldn't want to drink it if you're on medication or if you're diabetic," says Young.

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