Activated carbon is one of the cheapest, but at the same time the most effective medications that can be found in a pharmacy. Surprisingly, it has a positive effect on the skin even when taken orally - it cleanses the entire body of toxic and harmful substances, thereby cleansing the face with the help of a mask.
But even more effective means for facial skin care are masks made on the basis of activated carbon. There are a lot of recipes, so you can easily find a suitable remedy for each individual problem.
What is an activated carbon mask used for and how does it work?
First, let's figure out what activated carbon is (after all, the very second word scares some people).
It is extracted from plant matter, treated with oxygen, and then the water is removed. As a result, it becomes porous - hence its remarkable property of drawing out all sorts of nasty things from our body; we wonderfully use this same feature of its unique natural enterosorbent for our skin.
A face mask based on activated carbon perfectly cleanses the skin, penetrating deep into the pores and pulling out all unhealthy accumulations. It is also good to use it to prevent acne. This is also our secret to soft skin and prevention of aging, because toxins destroy cells, and cells are life and youth.
This is interesting! If you have children, they usually love chemical experiments. Among them are interesting and absolutely safe. For example, you can dilute a little watercolor or gouache in a jar, admire the beautiful color, then pour crushed black tablets into it and watch how they eat up the color. The same can be done with brilliant green or iodine.
Also, if you add starch to the charcoal powder, then in combination with iodine you will get a beautiful blue color - you can be a magician for your child, performing similar miracles. And at the same time tell us that this phenomenon is called absorption, and that these tablets act on our body in the same cleansing way, drawing out unnecessary toxins.
Reviews
Angelina, 23 years old. I am very pleased with the results of using one of the masks (at first I just made a paste of coal with water, then I switched to a yogurt-based mask). I especially like the fact that the effect of the product can be observed immediately, rather than waiting for the end of a long course, which can last a month or two. In addition, activated carbon fights all problems at once - it removed blackheads, and after the mask the pores narrowed, and inflammation practically disappeared from the face. My only problem, perhaps, is that I start to wash off the mask without even waiting 10 minutes - I’m very afraid that this unpleasant color will remain, which many people threaten. But I use masks quite often - three times in two weeks.
Veronica, 27 years old. I’m just a terrible allergy sufferer, so by the age of 27 my face often looks the same as it would have looked at 15. But I can’t really treat cosmetic problems with anything - almost everything immediately causes some kind of negative reaction on the skin, be it expensive drugs from pharmacies, or your own, almost proprietary creams and masks from all sorts of fruits, berries and herbal infusions. Activated carbon, of course, helped me solve this problem. It has previously saved me from any allergies or poisonings that simply interfered with normal life, but also reflected on the face, but I always took it internally. And now I have discovered new properties of these black tablets and am happy to experiment with recipes for a variety of masks - I want to try them all.
Masha, 18 years old. As my mother says, I have not yet outgrown adolescence, since all the skin problems inherent in it are still reflected on my skin. I’ve been struggling for about a year trying to find a quality product, but after about two or three weeks of use, any product, even the most expensive one, ceases to have any effect on my skin. Activated carbon is a big find here. It doesn’t need to be used too often, because even with my constant breakouts, the cleansing effect lasts quite a long time, which means my skin doesn’t get used to this component as much as it does to the products that I use every day. That is why there are some basic masks for daily washing, I don’t pay much attention to them now, but for complete skin care on weekends there is always a pack of charcoal. By the way, these masks are also great for helping with a lot of acne on the body - for example, I cleared my shoulders.
Rules for preparing and applying a mask with activated carbon
- Do not use if you have dry skin. Designed for oily types, as well as those mixed with open large pores.
- Thanks to them, the skin is cleansed deep in the pores and the shine of the face is reduced.
- You need to take fresh coal. Don't use the one you have lying around in your medicine cabinet. In addition, stale ones cannot be ground properly. Fresh will crush easily, you can do this in a mortar and pestle, or you can put it on a spoon and use another spoon there and grind it. Some, however, take a meat hammer and knock on the tablet directly in the blister, which also works well.
- It is believed that there are no contraindications here. But we are all unique, so to avoid surprises and know your reaction to this substance, first apply the mixture to some piece of delicate skin; if there is no reaction, proceed.
- You can use such masks 1 or 2 times a week.
- As in any business, regularity is important here. You won’t get an unrealistic result in one go, but in a month you will fully enjoy it. Do it regularly for a month and a half, then 2-3 months of rest.
- After mixing the charcoal and other ingredients, leave the mixture for a couple of minutes, the tablets will start to bubble, letting in water.
- Leave it on your face for 20-30 minutes, you will feel it yourself when it completely dries. Rinse off with warm clean water.
Classic recipe for a face mask with activated carbon
This recipe is extremely easy to prepare: grind 2 tablets into powder and dilute slightly with clean water (here you need to get used to it and add 2-3 teaspoons gradually to get a paste that is not runny, but not very thick either). You can add the same amount of kefir instead of water.
Other recipes are built on this basis.
Soothing and anti-inflammatory mask
2 tablets of crushed charcoal should be filled with clean water (again, adding 2-3 teaspoons gradually to obtain a slurry with the thickness of rich sour cream). After this, add tea tree oil - but no more than 2 drops.
Lifting with activated carbon and clay
Take 1 tablet of crushed charcoal; 12 grams of cosmetic clay; 5 ml of any oil; ginger powder. Combine coal with clay, add oil and a pinch of ginger. The mask will not dry completely (since it contains oil), so after 20-30 minutes, wash it off with warm herbal infusion or tea leaves; if you are too lazy to brew, then just warm water. Perfectly cleanses and refreshes.
Mask with activated carbon and aspirin
Take 1 tablet of charcoal and aspirin from the medicine cabinet, crush them, add 8 grams of gelatin, mix, add water (2-3 teaspoons, making sure that the composition does not become liquid) and put in a water bath for a few minutes (or in the microwave for 15 sec). Cleanses, gives a beautiful complexion, relieves inflammation.
Nice bonus: morning wash
This morning ritual is performed by actresses to ensure that their skin glows for the rest of the day. Grind 1 tablet and stir in a glass of warm water. Pour into ice cube trays and wipe your face and décolleté every day.
Try making a black mask, an avocado mask, a golden face mask. You can also take good care of your skin at home.
Did you know? Activated charcoal is very popular among actors in Hollywood (and not only for the reason of getting rid of the consequences of a buffet table): stars drink it, adding it to lemonade, juices or smoothies. Cosmetologists use its absorbent properties in the manufacture of masks, toothpastes, soaps and peelings.
Useful properties of the ingredient
The secret of the benefits of this ingredient lies in its basic properties. Coal is able to absorb a variety of toxins and harmful substances, cleansing the body and epidermis as a whole. The product is absolutely safe and hypoallergenic, so it can be used for any type of dermis. A mask with activated carbon will be especially useful for girls with oily and combination skin.
Features of obtaining activated carbon
This medicine has the following beneficial properties:
- Natural natural absorbent. Due to its porous and absorbent structure, the product draws out impurities and toxins from the deep layers of the epidermis, cleanses and refreshes the skin.
- Antibacterial effect. The product is effective in combating various types of bacteria and germs that can cause serious skin diseases.
- Normalization of the sebaceous glands, elimination of oily sheen. Activated carbon is included in many cosmetic products intended for oily epidermis. This is due to its ability to penetrate deep into the dermis, which narrows enlarged pores, normalizes sebum production, and eliminates oily sheen.
- Smoothing skin texture. Coal is an indispensable assistant in the fight against unevenness and roughness of the epidermis. With its help, you can significantly reduce scars, scars and acne marks.
Important! Activated carbon in a homemade face mask can serve as a sorbent and a soft scrub, so regular use of the cosmetic product is recommended to achieve the best result.
Reviews after using an activated carbon face mask
Vitalina, 36 years old
“I’m interested in a variety of masks, I tried one with activated carbon - of course, it’s better not to catch anyone’s eye, and my face turned a little red.”
Expert's comment: Yes, this has an effect on the skin, so it is worth knowing about this and making such masks in the evening or at least 2-3 hours before going out.
Masha, 24 years old
“I liked the mask with charcoal and aspirin, it’s so nice and refreshing.”
Expert's comment: The option with aspirin is very comprehensive, it cleanses, relieves puffiness, whitens and really refreshes.
Natalya, 30 years old
“On a budget, you can’t say anything... And the result is good.”
Expert's comment: Indeed, there is no such budget-friendly means. 10 tablets of coal cost pennies.
With banana
Grind a slice of ripe banana on a fine grater, add charcoal and stir. This is my favorite option. It's easy to prepare and the combination of ingredients is just perfect.
Banana is rich in silicon. This chemical element is necessary for the skin to produce collagen. Without it, it will not be smooth and well-groomed. As a result, we get cleansing and nutrition “in one bottle.”
Video
In this video, a girl demonstrates a mask with gelatin. It is suitable for both young ladies with acne and mature ladies whose faces are polluted by the environment and foundation creams. The girl crushes 4 tablets directly in the package with a hammer, adds gelatin (2-3 tsp) to the powder, and mixes with water.
Place in a steam bath for a couple of minutes. Ready. It’s just better to apply it on your face with a brush rather than with your fingers (as in the video) - this way the mask will lie more tightly and evenly.
As you can see, our activated carbon-based face masks turned out to be useful, effective, and cheap. They say that men can also use them, because these masks pull out serious “accumulation” from the pores, of which girls, as a rule, have less. In any case, these tablets are natural, which is the most important thing, and are designed to fit any pocket. And the cooking time is just ridiculous. Therefore, buy activated carbon, let it be in your first aid kit anyway. It will be useful for a mask before the party, and after the party for relief. Be sure to try this mask.
