DIY Activated Charcoal Masks

The commercial beauty industry seems to have finally latched on to an ingredient that has long been used in handmade products - activated charcoal.

Activated charcoal really is an awesome product. If you search the web you can find it in all sort of diy beauty recipes - even whitening toothpaste. Activated charcoal is a powerful detoxifying agent. So much so that it's even given in hospitals to people who have been poisoned. The activated charcoal binds with toxins The particles in activated charcoal are so fine that 50 grams has the surface area of 10 football fields. All that surface area means it has more opportunities to meet and absorb toxins. It also means that it can make a giant mess, so you have to be careful or you'll be cleaning it up for days. Don't ask me how I know.

I like to combine it with my go-to bentonite clay mask for extra skin purifying power.

Take about a tablespoon of calcium bentonite clay & add 1/4 teaspoon of activated charcoal. You want to make sure you're using either cosmetic grade or medicinal charcoal (you can get it in capsules, just break it open and use the insides). A little goes a long way. Mix it with about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, more or less to make it the consistency you want. You can use other liquids - milk, egg white, honey, green tea, greek yogurt - apple cider vinegar is just easy and works great, so that's what I normally use.

Mix everything in well. Remember with bentonite clay you don't want to use a metal bowl or spoon.

Yep, looks like tar. That's about right.

 

Spread it on thick and wait about 20 minutes. 



Then rinse off. Oh, and don't use your best washcloths because the black charcoal sticks to everything. And don't forget to moisturize!