The internet is obsessed with the intense black colored charcoal mask to remove blackheads. The buzz around has made it extremely popular and sought after and with local unauthorized sellers bringing in some of these from around the world, it has caused a sensation in home applied face masks. They may have some benefits and some drawbacks, but their popularity is unimaginable. Beauty bloggers and celebrities are all endorsing and swearing by the benefits it has to offer. The products available online and at stores are shunned by cosmetologist and beauty experts for the momentary benefits are misleading. The long term effects these charcoal face masks carry are immense.
Beauty Benefits of Charcoal:
Activated charcoal has immense benefits for beauty and skin care. It has medicinal values so it is used in treating poisoning by chemicals, drugs and snake bites. It detoxifies the body and cleanses skin. Activated charcoal is carbon infused with oxygen, which is now ready for consumption or skin care products.
1- Activated charcoal helps in teeth whitening:
An overall oral solution, activated charcoal helps in teeth whitening and maintains pH balance in the mouth. It aids in good oral health and maintains dental hygiene. It also prevents cavities, gum diseases, bad breath and other oral deformities.
2- Activated charcoal helps in preventing acne:
Activated charcoal absorbs toxins very well and helps in preventing and clearing acne. It is ideal for oily and acne prone skin. It prevents dirt and also treats discomfort caused by insect bites, rashes from poison ivy.
3- Activated charcoal gives a flawless skin:
As a detoxifier it clears up debris and grime from the skin surface. Also the acne and pimples are treated by it. This gives smooth and flawless skin.
4- Activated charcoal has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties:
The properties of anti-bacterial and anti-fungal natural ingredient makes charcoal a preferred beauty product. It also unclogs the pores and removes organic impurities causing blackheads or acne.
5- Activated charcoal helps in removing blackheads effectively:
Since activated charcoal helps in unclogging the pores, it also clears the blackheads from the roots. Its action on the upper external layer of skin makes clearing the dead skin on surface easier and giving smooth and radiant skin.
6- Activated charcoal helps in balancing oily skin:
For oily skin activated charcoal is a magical ingredient. It helps in removing excess oils from the skin and prevents over secretions from sebaceous glands. This also prevents any dirt and grime deposition on skin surface thus clear skins
7- Activated charcoal is a gentle exfoliating agent:
The texture of activated charcoal makes it a gentle and natural exfoliating agent. It helps in removing sebum and dead skin cells from the face and the antimicrobial properties help in preventing skin infections.
Damages caused by store brought Charcoal face masks:
– The latest storm in the beauty world is dissed by skin care experts for it has far too many long term implications.
– Skin care experts are discouraging the use of these tacky face masks made of charcoal. As it rips off the upper surface layer of skin.
– Momentarily it looks smooth and radiant as vellus hair also gets removed along with the peeling of the upper layer.
– Also the blackheads that it pulls, majority oils pulled would be sebaceous filaments and actually needed by skin. This may cause long term skin deformities too.
– Stripping away the skin’s natural oils and irritating the skin is a sure concern for upcoming skin disorders.
– The opening of upper skin layer makes the skin more prone to infections and dirt. This may cause even more severe skin damage and dry-dull patches.
[Read: What are whiteheads and how to remove them naturally]
Homemade Charcoal mask to Remove blackheads:
1- Charcoal, clay, honey and essential oils face mask:
Ingredients:
– Take one teaspoon bentonite clay. Bentonite clay comes from volcanic ash sediments. It is used to attract, trap and remove toxins from our body. It helps in removing impurities from skin
– Half teaspoon raw honey. Honey has soothing and calming effects. The bentonite clay makes the skin dry but if mixed with honey it gives smooth and radiant skin.
– 1 Teaspoon activated charcoal powder
– 2 Teaspoons water
– Few drops of lavender essential oil or tea tree oil
Procedure:
– In a bowl mix water and essential oil
– Sprinkle bentonite clay and allow it to absorb
– Now add all the other ingredients
– Mix it well so that there are no lumps
– Once the mask is mixed, apply on your face using a brush
– Allow it to dry for 15 minutes
– Now using your fingertips dipped in water gently scrub and remove it from face
– Wash with lukewarm water
2- Charcoal and glue face peel mask:
Ingredients:
– Charcoal tablets
– PVA glue
– Some essential oils for smoothing
Procedure:
– Pour PVA glue into a bowl
– Crush charcoal tablets into the glue
– Add more tablets and make it form thick consistency
– Apply this mask on your face
– Over the top, using your fingertips dipped in essential oil; apply a thin cover of this oil
– Now leave it for 15 minutes to dry
– Peel off when this mask dries up completely
The above compilation on Homemade Charcoal mask to remove blackheads is based on readings and learnings overtime. The latest buzz in beauty world has brought a lot of deceiving information on the benefits of store brought charcoal masks. Be sure to check with your dermatologist about the benefits and side effects of these peel off face masks. Do patch test before proceeding with the above. Check for allergies as they may cause severe rashes too.
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Minu Manisha
