charcoal beauty products: why I switched

Up until a few months ago, I was skeptical on the existence of charcoal in beauty products. It didn't sound right to me... I mean how could something like physical carbon actually be good for your skin. Isn't carbon a bad thing? I don't know. But bottom line, I had no interest in it.

Fortunately, all of that changed when I received a sample of the Shamanuti Activated Charcoal Cleanser in my Birchbox "Free for all" box. 

I have rather sensitive skin on my face, so I have to be careful with what I use; so I usually stick to cleansers made specifically for sensitive or combination skin. When I first tried the sample of the Shamanuti, I was surprised. It didn't have a rather foamy lather, which tends to dry out my face, and the clean feeling I felt afterwards was phenomenal. 

After using the Shamanuti, I could understand why almost every brand of facial cleanser and now body wash that had charcoal in it, was flying off the shelves. But the question remained: why was it so awesome? I knew I had to find out why, and put my Grad school research skills to use.

What makes charcoal products so amazing?

Without getting all scientific, activated charcoal has a long resume of health and beauty benefits. Basically when it's made, run of the mill charcoal is heated with a gas that causes it to expand, creating a porous surface that traps toxins. Basically it's a miracle ingredient. And when added to a face or body cleanser or mask, activated charcoal acts like a magnet and draws out dirt, oil, and other impurities (aka bacteria) within your pores without leaving a residue or making your skin feel tight and hydrated. 

Which charcoal products have you tried?

To date, I have tried a few different charcoal products:

Shamanuti Activated Charcoal Cleanser \\ $36

Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser \\ $6.47

Biore Self Heating One Minute Mask \\ $5.09 for a 4 pack
Biore Charcoal Pore Minimizer \\ $9.99

Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Facial Polishing Mask \\ $1.49 (single use mask)

Perfectly Posh Gender Bender Chunk Big Bath Bar \\ $9
Lush Dark Angels Cleanser \\ $12.95 and up

If I am wanting to try a charcoal product, which one should I try?

If you are just wanting to try a charcoal product, and don't have a lot of money to spend, then I would recommend starting out with a single use mask- to see how you like it. But if you are wanting to try a cleanser, Ulta & Sephora have a really nice return policy (links are to their selection of charcoal products). And if Sephora has the product in store, they can give you a free sample.

What is your reaction to charcoal products?

And I. am. addicted! You know the clean & refreshed feeling you get when you go to bed with your makeup on, wake up the next day with an oily face, and wash you face? I get that feeling whenever I use a charcoal cleanser or mask.

Have you ever tried any charcoal beauty products?

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