Skincare’s always got a new hero ingredient doing the rounds – remember when rosehip oil was everything? Coffee grounds for exfoliating? Etc etc etc.
Ingredients don’t become mega-hyped for no reason. Along the line, a bunch of people have noticed dramatic improvements in their skin/hair/bod because of ’em, and slowly the hype builds by word of mouth and then big brands cottoning on and producing more and more products.
Charcoal hit peak levels maybe mid-last year. Usually found in face masks and cleansers when it comes to skincare, you’ve likely seen in everywhere from Instagram selfies to billboards.
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But what can it actually do for your skin, and is it right for you?
We asked renowned facialist and The Body Shop‘s skincare ambassador, Vanda Serrador, to give us the 411.
WHAT EXACTLY DOES CHARCOAL DO?
The reason charcoal is included in lots of skincare these days is because it’s a natural way to draw junk out of pores and crap off your skin layer.
“Charcoal is like a force of nature,” explains Vanda. “It has a negative charge, and sucks in all the impurities from the body. And what’s amazing is it’s natural.”
So basically, it’ll work to remove everything from blackheads and clogged up pores to residual makeup and pollution on skin.
“Using it on the skin uses the same force. Without us having to do much – we just apply it on the skin, and it drags out impurities from the pores.”
WHAT PRODUCTS ARE BEST?
You’re likely to find charcoal in cleansers and face masks – it’s not really an ingredient that suits anything nourishing or hydrating like moisturiser or serum, because it’s use is for drawing crap out of the skin, not replenishing it.
Cleansers are best for people with oily skin – they are likely to be too harsh for dry or combo skin types.
The best charcoal-based product to pick up for newbies is a face mask – especially one that can be used in a targeted way (as opposed to a sheet mask). Vanda’s picks?
“The Body Shop has a Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Facial Soap and a Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask that use bamboo charcoal.”We use bamboo charcoal for sustainability and efficacy reasons. Bamboo is known to be an incredibly renewable material due to its rapid regrowth rate – t’s easy to produce and has a low environmental impact,” explains Vanda.
WHO SHOULD BE USING IT?
Pretty much everyone can use charcoal-based products, as long as they use it to suit their skin type.
For example, oily skin types will benefit from all-over application because they’re more likely to have congestion all over their face, whereas someone with dry skin may only need it for blackheads.
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“Because of our city-based lifestyles, we are all experiencing a lot of direct contact with toxins and impurities in the air. We are also applying more product to our skin than ever before, from skincare to makeup,” explains Vanda.
Basically, we’re all committing the same crimes – it’s just showing up differently on our faces depending on our skin types.
“Charcoal suits oily and combination skin, but what people don’t often know is you can use it for any skin type, as long as you’re strategic with application.”
Vanda’s tip for dry skin? Diluting the product.
“Mix with some water for dry skin types to dilute the strength a little, and leave on the skin for less time,” she advises.
If you’re dealing with pimples or just an oily nose/forehead, use a charcoal face mask in a targeted way.
“If you have a pimple, dab some specifically on the target area – this also works if you get blackheads only in specific areas or have oily sections to your skin.”
ARE THERE RULES?
Aside from using charcoal based products according to your skin type, there is one other important rule, according to Vanda.
“One thing I will advise is that you use charcoal based products at a time where you’ll be staying in for the day or night. Charcoal is clearing out your pores, which means the pore will remain exposed for a time after use. So pay attention to what you put onto the skin afterwards, or what you expose it to.”
Basically, you don’t want to re-clog your open pores with more crap. Pores that have been cleared out will shrink in size over several hours, so it’s not that you can’t go in with makeup or head out into the elements – you just should wait a little before you do.
“Charcoal based products are ones I would use when I know I’m staying inside for a time afterward.”
