Five Reasons to add Activated Charcoal to Your Facial Offerings

By Lyndsey Hutcherson Sep 29, 2017 3:16pm

Rays from the sun, pool and beach water, and other outdoor elements tend to take a toll on skin during the summer. Now that fall has arrived, it’s time to treat skin to a period of recovery. Activated charcoal has the ability to draw out impurities and help skin return to a healthy glowing form.

This ingredient has become popular in beauty products because of its ability to deeply penetrate skin and draw out dirt and impurities within the pores. With many products available that contain activated charcoal, it’s important to know its uses.

Margarita Lolis M.D., board-certified dermatologist with over 20 years of experience, offers five benefits of activated charcoal for skincare. By incorporating activated charcoal into your services, you can help revive clients’ post-summer skin.

Shrinks Pores –Pores are expanded and enlarged due to excess perspiration. Activated charcoal helps pull out toxins and dirt from your pores to make them less visible Lolis says, “The key here is you want to allow enough time for the charcoal to do its thing. Don’t scrub and be sure to rinse with lukewarm water.”

Removes Oil from Skin- Many properties within activated charcoal can help balance skin and soak up oil from the face. Lolis says that activated charcoal has a strong ability to vacuum up oil. It is recommended that people with normal to dry skin use charcoal 1-2 times per week to avoid over-drying. Those with oily skin can use a combination of activated charcoal soap daily with a charcoal mask twice per week.

Exfoliates- Activated charcoal can be a miracle-worker for skin’s texture. Lolis says that in addition to extracting oil and dirt, activated charcoal also removes dead skin. “You get the deep clean plus the surface clean when you use activated charcoal,” she says.

Calms Breakouts and Minimizes the Appearance of Acne Scars- By lifting off the darkened dead skin, activated charcoal can lighten acne scarring. Since it is also rich in anti-inflammatory properties, activated charcoal helps soothe skin and prevent future breakouts.

Anti-Aging- “Whenever you are exfoliating the skin and accomplishing a deeper clean, wrinkles decrease and supple skin rejuvenation occurs,” says Lolis Clients who struggle with acne can benefit from the use of activated charcoal, as it helps with breakouts, overall skin texture, and radiance.