Five must-have charcoal beauty products

When the words “charcoal” and “beauty” first appeared combined on our radar, we were highly intrigued, if not a little sceptical. Would we really benefit from applying these products to our skin or brushing them onto our teeth?! Fast forward to 2019 and the skincare aisles, our bathroom cabinets and even our handbags are filled with activated charcoal products, they’re everywhere! So, how do we know which are actually worth our time and hard-earned cash and which are just a gimmick? Read on and discover five must-have charcoal beauty products available to buy right now…

L’oreal Paris pure clay charcoal detox mask, £7.99, Boots

Even if the product itself was no good, we would love the fact we can now buy our face masks at a reasonable price point, conveniently packaged in a jar for multiple uses. Gone are the days of tear-open sachets and desperately trying to squeeze out every last drip whilst half your face has already dried! Thankfully, this product is good, very good in fact. Three pure clays are combined with charcoal to draw out impurities and detoxify your pores. This is achieved without drying out your skin, plus it only takes 5-10 minutes from start to finish. Use this creamy mask two to three times a week for the best results.

Dr Organic Charcoal Shampoo, £6.49, Holland & Barrett

Dr Organic’s Charcoal shampoo is not only incredibly refreshing, but it’ll also leave your hair feeling incredibly clean and free of impurities. Designed specifically for dull and lifeless hair, this organic, enriching shampoo will give stressed-out strands the kick-start they need to feel naturally revitalised. We also recommend following up your shampoo routine with the Dr Organic Activated Charcoal Conditioner to round out this clarifying treatment.

Clinique City Block purifying charcoal cleansing gel, £19, Clinique

It’s so important to cleanse and this purifying gel style cleanser by Clinique is one of the best we’ve tried! It softly removes dirt, pollution and your make-up, helping to reduce impurities and leave your skin feeling rejuvenated and free of excess oil.

Carbon Theory cleansing bar, £6, Beauty Bay

A second cleansing product we consider a must-have is the facial cleansing bar by Carbon Theory, Not only is very reasonably priced, this compact little bar is also vegan and cruelty-free. Use it to cleanse your face daily and you’ll quickly notice the difference, particularly to acne-prone or oily skin. This bar will clean your skin whilst hydrating without saturating. Women everywhere are loving the results!

Himalayan charcoal purifying clay wash, £9.50, The Body Shop

This beautifully scented Himalayan clay wash is 100% vegetarian and perfect for a gentle daily face wash. It’ll leave your skin feeling soft and mattified but certainly won’t dry it out. Lather it up and rub it gently onto your skin, then rinse off and feel instantly refreshed. This is definitely one of our favourites!

Sophie Cook