All About Charcoal
We did too! Although it is becoming more prevalent, activated charcoal is no newcomer when it comes to health and beauty. Charcoal has been used for years and is best knows for its ability to draw out impurities and toxins- making it a cleansing powerhouse in the skincare world.
It is important to know straight away that activated charcoal is NOT the same thing as charcoal for your grill or charred wood from the fire. Please don’t attempt to substitute or make your own!
So what makes it "activated"?
Activated charcoal consists of a natural material-usually bamboo, wood or coconut shell—burned without oxygen to create char. The char is then activated by a high temperature steam process, which increases the charcoals surface area giving it the ability to absorb like a magnet! True activated charcoal is odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic.
How do we use it?
Well- in our cold process soap, activated charcoal is added not just for its luxurious black color, but to add deep clarifying properties- making it the perfect choice for someone with oily skin. Cleansing with an activated charcoal soap (like our Cedar + Stout or Charcoal + Eucalyptus) will leave your skin feeling squeaky clean and balanced. Activated Charcoal acts like a magnet, drawing out impurities, oil, toxins and helps dissolve hardened sebum (oil deposits) from your skin. Because activated charcoal draws so much oil from the skin, it is not the best choice for someone with dry skin as it may leave your skin feeling tight and dry your skin further.
What are other great uses for activated charcoal?
- Toothpaste and whitening:
- Cleanse your hair:
- Face Masks:
Activated Charcoal is perfect to use in face masks since it draws out impurities, oils and toxins like a champ! For drier skin types, be sure to add a small amount of a moisturizing oil to your face mask, or reduce the time you let it set by at least half to avoid over drying your skin.

- Facial Cleanser:
You can easily create your own detoxifying face cleanser by simply adding a 1/2 tsp. of activated charcoal to your favorite facial cleanser, gently scrub your face and rinse well. We will be soon developing a liquid facial cleanser with activated charcoal- so you can use ours when it launches!
- Supplement for gut health: