The latest beauty trend to surface has us believing in some dark magic – the magic of activated charcoal. This dark carbon has been the leading ingredient in a number of recent charcoal beauty products, skincare line-ups and even food and beverage products.
So what exactly is activated charcoal? Can you grill with it? Is it flammable? Not exactly. Activated charcoal is a ground up carbon powder comprised of tiny particles that each boast an immense surface area due to a high volume of tiny pores. (Picture a grain of sand shaped like a pumice stone…but smaller).
According to LA plant-based beauty brand Aenon’s Owner, Queenie Wang-Sitterson, this whole charcoal trend isn’t quite as new as we think it is – ”The use of activated charcoal dates back to the Ming Dynasty, when traditional herbalists used it as a filter for both water and tea. When applied to the skin, activated charcoal can help clear your pores by removing impurities like dirt and other debris, attracting a high volume of toxins due to its large surface area,” she explains. Aenon’s makes a Dead Sea Mud + Charcoal Exfoliating Face Mask (Slide 2, below) that has a great rep for banishing blemishes and tightening pores.
With products ranging from masks and shampoos, to make-up wipes and juices, the new charcoal detox is officially here. Dorit Jaffe, a holistic health coach and founder of one of our favorite foodie blogs, Whole Healthy Glow, elaborates on the benefits of charcoal as part of a daily skincare routine – “Charcoal is extremely purifying and detoxifying, not only for your body but for your skin as well. Charcoal is known to absorb 100 to 200 times its weight in impurities, which makes it an excellent ingredient to include in your skin regimen.”
So believe the hype – charcoal is here to stay. Shop the trend below and see why we’re dark magic charcoal #believers.
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