6 Ingredient Activated Charcoal Mask: To Detox & Unclog Pores
I know what you're thinking- if I hear the word activated charcoal one more time I am going to lose my s***! But hear me out, girl! There's a very good reason why everyone from your 13-year-old niece to the largest beauty company is raving about activated charcoal!
Picture this- you wake up, splash your glorious face with cold water, and walk out your door ready to take on the day. The moment you leave the comfort of your home, your face is bombarded with dust, dirt, debris and only God knows how many chemicals! Your pretty little face is covered with pollutants. Think about it, have you ever looked at your face in shock at the number of blackheads, acne, and oil it produces? Yea- we've all been there and it's exactly why I created my activated charcoal peel off mask.
Unless you're actively using gentle facial scrubs and masks with potent and clean ingredients to rid your face of the debris you accumulates on a daily basis, you will most likely suffer from acne, blackheads, oily skin and more. Activated charcoal is one of those ingredients that mother nature so generously created that detoxes your skin by drawing out toxins and bacteria while clarifying and tightening your pores. As such, it only made sense to include it in my detox peel off mask.
For those of you who don't know, I decided to grow my naturally curly hair about 5-6 years ago. Ever since I discovered calcium bentonite clay I've been obsessed! Why am I so obsessed? Bentonite clay is formed from volcanic ash and contains minerals such as iron, sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, all of which aid in preventing oily skin, tightening pores and softening rough skin. For added detoxification benefits, I turned to another ingredient that I've also been using in my hair for years- Tea Tree essential oil. Tea tree oil is amazing at killing bacteria and fungus, reduce allergic skin reactions, and is amazing at fighting acne.
Have you noticed that many of the peel off masks on the market use glue? Yes-you heard me, they use actual glue as the binding agent that hardens and allows you to peel the activated charcoal mask from your face. Forgive me if I am being blunt, but are you kidding me? GLUE? No, thank you! We expose ourselves to enough chemicals on a daily basis to add yet another group of them to a facial mask that is meant to detox your skin. I opted for unflavored gelatin as it is just as effective, and nowhere near as toxic, as glue. In addition to including activated charcoal, bentonite clay, tea tree, and gelatin, I knew that I needed an ingredient that would naturally brighten my skin while the others did the heavy lifting. Naturally, I chose manuka honey as it's anti-inflammatory, heals skin, treats acne, hydrates and is also anti-aging.
Activated Charcoal Mask Recipe
- 1/2 teaspoon of Activated Charcoal
- 1/4 teaspoon of Bentonite Clay (Don't pour clay with metal spoons or bowls as it will react with clay and decrease efficacy.)
- 1/2 tablespoon of Unflavored Gelatin
- 1/2 tablespoon Manuka Honey.
- 1 drop Tea Tree Oil.
- 1 tablespoon Distilled Water (Boil at home or buy from a store.)
How to Apply Mask
- Add all ingredients together in a glass or wooden bowl.
- Mix thoroughly for about 3-5 minutes.
- When the mixture has a paste-like consistency, it's ready to apply.
- With a makeup brush, apply 2-3 layers of the mask onto your face. Please, DO NOT put this mask on your edges or eyebrows! They peel off if you don't.
- Wait until the mask is COMPLETELY dry or it will not peel off. It can take up to 45 minutes but you can speed up the process with use a blow-dryer on the cool/warm setting to dry it.
- Once the mask is fully dry, move the muscles of your face to loosen the mask. Gently peel the mask off in sections. Please note: To some this process is might be a bit uncomfortable but take your time and enjoy the process!
- After you've peeled off your Activated Charcoal mask, splash your face with cold water.
- Pro Tip: Pat dry your face and moisturize your face with a nourishing moisturizing serum like the SunKiss Organics.
Have you tried an activated charcoal peel off mask? Share your experience below! I'd love to know how it works for you.
