How to use activated carbon in your skin care program?

Upon hearing the word charcoal, one might think of a summer barbecue or even a cozy fireplace during the coldest winters. Charcoal is used in both scenarios, cooking up your delicious cheeseburger or keeping that flame burning and alive all night. But did you ever think of using it for your skincare routine? carburizer manufacturers

Charcoal is a form of carbon that has small, low-volume pores with increased surface area for absorption and chemical reactions. It can be derived from a variety of substances, including coal, coconut shells, bamboo, olive pits, and sawdust.

Lately, it seems to be a craze in beauty products, so we asked dermatologists how it could make your skin glow. Erin Gilbert, MD, Ph.D., FAAD, a Vichy celebrity dermatologist, explains the science behind activated charcoal: "Its ability to bind impurities that are found on the skin surface and in blackheads such as dirt, toxins, and heavy metals is due to charcoal's negative charge and large surface area."

When charcoal is "activated" at high temperatures, its porousness is increased significantly. Because of this, it increases the use cases of this ingredient in a variety of fields including as a medical treatment for poisoning in humans, water filtration, air purification, and many others, shares Gilbert.

Who would benefit from charcoal? Gilbert recommends charcoal for people with blackheads, those who live in areas with a lot of pollution like big cities, or those with oily skin who tend to pick up a lot of residue on their skin. Before you start using the products, you might want to check with your doctor or dermatologist about any side effects, like irritation.

Using a charcoal beauty product helps your complexion by removing impurities. However, don't think that this will just strip your skin desert-dry. Gilbert shares, "The best products actually leave your skin feeling smoother, softer, and reduce the appearance of pores by cleaning out blackheads." Other products may have textured charcoal granules that work as a scrub and exfoliator.

As far as a beauty skincare routine goes, activated charcoal masks are best after cleansing your skin and before you apply the rest of your skincare products such as serums, moisturizers, and oils. Gilbert recommends this cadence of use: "Masks or products that contain activated charcoal without other drying ingredients like clay or alpha hydroxy acids can be used every day if desired. However, since the masking ritual usually takes a bit of time, it tends to be more practical to use them several times a week. They are best used in the evening when you have a bit more time to let them sit." carbon additive manufacturer in china