Activated charcoal may not look as pleasing as most other home remedies out there. However, it’s something that you may use in a number of ways to enhance your appearance. You can take advantage of its toxin-adsorbing (yes, that’s adsorb and not absorb — they are two different things!) properties in pulling out impurities trapped in your pores. The mildly gritty texture of activated charcoal when pounded can help remove excess dead skin cells.
It’s not just your skin, however, that can benefit from activated charcoal, but your hair and scalp, too! There is no denying that this product commonly used for poisoning and drug overdose can also be employed to increase your self-confidence and boost your ability to make a lot of heads turn towards your direction!
So how can you use activated charcoal for a more beautiful you? Here are the ways:
Grease Eradicator
It’s not just poisonous substances that activated charcoal is very good at getting rid of, but also excess facial oils. Rather than use all sorts of beauty products for oily skin that contains harsh chemicals, count on activated charcoal instead. Combine equal amounts of water, powdered activated charcoal and aloe vera gel. Have no access to an aloe vera plant? Then prick a vitamin E capsule and use the oil within instead. Apply the mixture evenly on your face, careful not to place the homemade mask in your eyes. After half an hour, rinse off with lukewarm water. Follow it with a cold water rinse. Try not to do this more than a couple of times a week to ward off excessive dryness.
Complexion Brightener
Do you want to give your skin a glowing look to it? All you have to do is remove excess dead cells as well as deep-seated dirt with the help of activated charcoal. Twice a week, add half a teaspoon of powdered activated charcoal in your favorite face cleanser. Gently massage on your face using circular motions, paying extra attention to your t-zone — across the forehead and down your nose bridge. Thoroughly rinse off with water. Do take note that exfoliation of the face should be limited to once or twice a week only.
Scalp Deep Cleanser
Eventually, chemicals left behind by the various hairstyling products you use will take its toll on your mane, leaving it limp and lifeless. To deal with residue buildup on your scalp, crush an activated charcoal very well and add it to your shampoo. Make sure that you massage the lather really well on your scalp to assist activated charcoal in attracting those chemicals that keep you from having the bounciest and most voluminous hair in town.
Gray Hair Zapper
The presence of gray hair can definitely make you look older. If you have naturally dark hair and you want to zap gray hair without the use of expensive and chemical-laden hair dyes, start grinding activated charcoal tablets. All you have to do is dissolve 2 tablespoons of powdered activated charcoal in a cup of warm water — feel free to add a tablespoon more of powdered activated charcoal if you have lots of gray hair. Massage on damp hair and leave it in place for 45 to 60 minutes. To save your clothes and furniture from getting stained, put on a shower cap. Rinse off very well with water.
Pearly White Whitener
Activated charcoal can stain practically anything you can think of, except for your teeth. In fact, it can do the total opposite, and that is it can get rid of any unsightly stain on your choppers. What you need to do if you want pearly whites that can stop traffic is sprinkle some powdered activated charcoal on your damp toothbrush and brush those stains away. Thoroughly rinse your mouth with water and start flashing that perfect smile!
