Why Charcoal Is Popping Up In Your Favorite Beauty Products

The first time we saw a charcoal infused product we wondered what in tarnation our husband’s grilling essential was doing in the beauty aisle. I mean, have you looked at a piece of charcoal? It’s the opposite of pretty. While it’s critical in cooking up a delicious piece of meat, using it to perfect our skin or hair seemed downright silly… until we tried it out ourselves.

We were wrong to think that this ugly black piece of carbon would have little to no impact on our beauty routine. Instead, it’s quite the opposite: Charcoal is packed with beautifying benefits. This is because it acts as a magnet to draw out oil and debris from the skin due to a process called adsorption (where an electrical attraction causes substances to stick together). That’s why charcoal is particularly great at combatting oily skin, greasy hair and more. Want to try it out yourself? Here are four ideas on how you can work charcoal into your get glam routine:

Buy It: Glamglow Starpotion Charcoal Clairfying Oil, $54; nordstrom.com

This facial oil has two types of charcoal in it: An activated coconut charcoal and a white Japanese binchotan charcoal. Not only does it draw out dirt to fight blemishes and minimize the look of pores, but it also is super moisturizing and won’t dry out the skin like other formulas can.

Buy It: Herbal Essences Black Charcoal Shampoo, $5.99; target.com

If your hair is 99% dry shampoo at the end of the week, rinse away product build-up with a charcoal shampoo that gently detoxifies. Don’t let its black hue fool you either: It still smells appealing with a blend of lavender, cocoa, and citrus notes.

Buy It: Hello Charcoal Whitening Toothpaste, $5; amazon.com

While the idea of squeezing a black formula onto your toothbrush may make you squeamish, trust us, it’s just like any other toothpaste. The one difference is that it has way better brightening effects since activated charcoal is known to whiten teeth without being too abrasive. Plus, it freshens your breath by removing unwanted odors.

Buy It: Sephora Collection Deluxe Charcoal Antibacterial Brush Set, $62; sephora.com

Always forget to clean your makeup brushes? If that’s the case, scoop up this six-piece set. The bristles are infused with antimicrobial charcoal that’ keep them fresher, longer.