Suddenly, charcoal is everywhere in beauty products. You can find it in many things, including face masks, deodorants, and toothpaste. According to science, charcoal removes toxins from the body. This could explain why charcoal products are becoming increasingly popular in the beauty and food industries.
But what about charcoal soap? What is it, and how does it benefit your skin? Let’s find out.
What Is Charcoal Soap?
Charcoal soap is an effective and popular detoxifier that removes dirt, pollutants, and bacteria from the body. The beauty industry is seeing an increase in interest in activated charcoal soap effects on the skin, including charcoal soap benefits for face. It is beneficial for acne treatment, antiaging, and psoriasis treatment.
Types of Charcoal
There are two types of charcoal — activated charcoal and regular charcoal. Activated charcoal differs from the charcoal you use to light your barbecue. Regular charcoal contains briquettes that haven't been activated and contain toxic substances that humans cannot tolerate.
It's common to see "activated charcoal" listed as an ingredient in soap when browsing through the beauty aisle. The most commonly used ingredients in activated charcoal are wood, shells, fruit pits, peat, bones, and pulp from paper mills.
Activated charcoal is derived by exposing a dense carbon material to extremely high temperatures. Then, steam or hot air is used to activate the material. During this process, the material becomes more porous and has more surface area, so it can absorb and bind a variety of liquids and gases.
Also Read: Benefits of Charcoal Face Masks
How Exactly Activated Charcoal Works?
The chemical bonding between activated charcoal and other substances allows molecules to stick to their surface. In chemical terms, this is called "adsorption" (different from absorption, where one substance is absorbed into another).
The charcoal can absorb as much as a thousand times its weight. Due to its pores, charcoal has a very large surface area. A cubic inch of charcoal has an equivalent surface area of 150,000 square feet, which is truly amazing in terms of adsorption power. Charcoal is so effective at absorbing toxins from our skin that a tiny amount can do the trick.
The ability of activated charcoal to bind to toxins has led to its use as an emergency treatment for poisonings and overdoses in medical settings. Activated charcoal is also used to purify water.
Charcoal Soap Benefits
Charcoal soap has become a hot product for cleansing, detoxifying, and purifying the skin. Moreover, it can also treat oily skin as well as effectively heal skin blemishes. Following are the primary activated charcoal soap benefits for skin:
1. Eliminates Excess Oil from Your Skin
Charcoal soap can help remove unnecessary oils and dirt from the skin, leaving you with a smooth, oil-free complexion. Furthermore, it eliminates unwanted oil from the body as well as the face.
2. Purifies Your Skin Deeply
Charcoal soap provides a clean, flawless complexion due to its ability to remove dead skin cells. It cleans the skin by absorbing oil and dirt from the innermost layers of the skin and pollutants. As a result, the pores are purified of impurities that lead to blackheads.
After using it, you should experience smoother skin and see visible improvement in your pores.
3. Efficacious for Pimples and Acne
In addition to absorbing excess oil and blemish-causing toxins, charcoal soap is tremendously effective in treating acne. Unlike typical acne treatments, charcoal soap leaves skin with a beautiful glow and reduces redness.
4. Improves Skin's Pore Size
Over time, dirt and grime can build up inside your pores. But charcoal soap acts as an extremely effective catalyst for removing dirt. This leads to smaller pores, and over time it reduces the size of your pores.
5. Reduces the Effects of Ageing
If your skin appears loose, you must take action as soon as possible, indicating that your skin is getting old. Charcoal soap tightens your skin and helps prevent wrinkles and fine lines from forming early. Its ability to reduce inflammation and tighten the skin rapidly is great for all skin types.
6. Gently Exfoliates Your Skin
Charcoal soap has a gritty texture, which is why it may provide the right amount of exfoliation. With its antimicrobial properties, it helps prevent skin infections while removing dead skin cells and dirt from the skin. Even individuals with sensitive skin can use it as a washing soap.
7. Aids in Treating Sensitive Skin Conditions
Charcoal soap can be used to soothe skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. The skin feels clean without using harmful chemicals, as it can detoxify and remove toxins, excess oil, and bacteria. However, before using it, always consult a medical professional.
Side Effects of Charcoal Soap
Charcoal soap generally does not have any side effects and is considered safe. However, a skincare product that doesn't come with a prescription might cause an allergic reaction.
So, whenever you use a new soap or cleanser, don't use it on your whole body right away. Try a small amount on your inner arm first and check if it suits your skin; only then, go ahead and use it on the rest of the body.
Summing Up on Charcoal Soap Benefits
Historically, charcoal has been used as an antidote for poisoning. Although charcoal soap's benefits are not scientifically proven, people cannot get enough of it due to its anecdotal capability to treat dandruff, acne, and other conditions associated with the skin.
However, you should always seek the guidance of a medical professional before trying anything new on your skin, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition.
FAQs
What Is Charcoal Soap Good for?
Charcoal soap is ideal for removing impurities from the skin and treating oily skin. It can also treat skin conditions naturally, and when combined with other skin-rejuvenating ingredients, it makes great skincare for your daily routine.
Can Charcoal Soap Be Used Everyday?
Yes, you can use charcoal soap every day. Once a day, you can apply charcoal soap to your skin. A less frequent application may better suit particularly dry or sensitive skin individuals.
Is Charcoal Soap Harmful?
There are no known hazards associated with the use of charcoal soap. However, it is always advisable to seek medical advice to avoid any allergies that may result in side effects.
References
- Montserrat Amigó, July 2010; Use of activated charcoal in acute poisonings: Clinical safety and factors associated with adverse reactions in 575 cases - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025775310004537?via%3Dihub
- Ahed J Alkhatib, June 2018; The Appropriate Use of Activated Charcoal in Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Approaches - https://biomedres.us/pdfs/BJSTR.MS.ID.001170.pdf
- A. Mohammad-Khah and R. Ansari, December 2009; Activated Charcoal: Preparation, characterization and Applications: A review article - https://sphinxsai.com/CTVOL4/ct_pdf_vol_4/CT=10%20%20(859--864).pdf
