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An Activated Charcoal Face Mask has got to be craziest mask you’ll ever use! We’ve all gotten used to the idea of putting dirt (clay) on our faces but charcoal is a newer ingredient on the beauty scene!
That’s right charcoal! This lovely little mask is amazing at killing bacteria, getting rid of acne, and giving your face a nice deep cleaning, plus it’s a fun way to scare family members.
What is Activated Charcoal?
Activated charcoal is not the same charcoal as you would find in your barbecue. It is thankfully a bit different. Activated charcoal has been oxidized and causes the surface to become porous.
Thanks to this, activated charcoal attracts metals, chemicals, and toxins. They are then bound to the charcoal and can be removed. Think of activated charcoal as an impurity magnet.
Now activated charcoal by itself is great but I’ve added a few other ingredients to this mask recipe to really increase it’s benefits! In this recipe, you will also see that I’ve added bentonite clay and coconut oil.
You can find activated charcoal in most supermarkets in the supplement and vitamin section. You can also find it online. Capsules are a nice way of keeping the charcoal as mess free as possible (although it will be messy no matter what).
Not sure what to do with leftover activated charcoal? It’s amazing at whitening your teeth! You can also use it in a deep cleaning sugar scrub.
Why Bentonite Clay?
Bentonite clay much like activated charcoal is a sponge for impurities. You’ve seen me use it before in my detoxifying face mask because it helps detox the skin of these impurities and it also helps exfoliate the skin. Naturally, it’s a great partner to activated charcoal for this face mask!
Why Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is a favorite ingredient in pretty much every skin care recipe under the sun and for good reason! Coconut oil is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral. It’s great at killing any bacteria that could be causing break outs and it’s a wonderful moisturizer as well.
Activated Charcoal Face Mask
2 capsules of activated charcoal (or 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp. bentonite clay
1/4 tsp coconut oil – softened or melted
1 tsp water
Directions:
Mix activated charcoal and bentonite clay in a small bowl.
Try to avoid using any metal objects as both activated charcoal and bentonite clay will try to draw out the metals.
Mix in coconut oil and water.
Once mask has been fully incorporated, apply to a clean face.
Allow the activated charcoal face mask to dry and then remove with a warm wet washcloth.
Note: Activated charcoal can be quite messy so be careful and avoid getting it on anything.
Want more ways to use activated charcoal?
How to Whiten Teeth with Activated Charcoal
Deep Cleaning Activated Charcoal Scrub
45 Ways to Use Activated Charcoal
Are you able to make this in bulk ahead of time? And if so, how long does it keep
Hello Sara,
You can probably keep this mask for a few weeks at least. I suggest adding tea tree oil or some other preservative to it if you want to store it though. There isn't really anything that should spoil in this recipe but there really aren't any preservatives either. I also recommend using distilled or pre-boiled water to extend shelf life.
What about gylicerin? May not be natural but would that be a preservative?
I’m not sure about that. I’ve not tried using glycerin as a preservative. Vitamin E and rosemary essential oil also are good preservatives.
How many drops of tea tree oil would you add to a 2 oz jar filled with mask?
No more than 12 drops for a 2oz jar… but how many drops to use will depend on why you want the tea tree oil in their mask.
Can it be made without bentonite clay? Just the coconut oil and the activated charcoal and the water?
Yes. You can leave out the bentonite clay. It’s not quite as nice of a mask but it still has great benefits.
Hi i tried it does your activated charcoal stink after making this as mine it does
Umm no mine does not. Activated charcoal is in fact, odorless so I’m not sure why yours would stink.
THANK YOU!!! <3 you saved my diy Christmas.
Just FYI the bentonite clay you recommended,has traces of lead which may be harmful. Is there anything comparable ingredient you can add to the mask recipe?
Great question/observation! I link to Redmond bentonite clay which does have the lead warning on it…. their bentonite clay does not have more lead than other bentonite clays… Redmond just wants to put the CA prop 65 warning on it because even though “natural items” don’t need to have the warning (like fruit… which has similar lead amounts) Redmond would rather be safe then sorry and be faced with a lawsuit for not posting the warning. You can read more about it here: https://www.redmondclay.com/2013/why-is-there-a-warning-sticker-on-redmond-clay/
French green clay.
My daughter will have a pijama party and we are doing this… thank you so much!! Any other suggestion instead of the clay? I don’t think I can’t get it on time before saturday
Oh how fun!!! If you don’t have clay you could try replacing it with honey (I’d slowly add and just eye ball it) or you could use powdered milk in place of the clay (you may need more water to mix)
Hi,
can i used the virgin coconut oil for this? Im from the philippines and it sooooo hard to find some of the products that needed for DIY beauty products. 🙂 but im trying. 🙂
Yes, virgin cooconut oil is totally fine. 🙂
Hi! Do you have trouble with the mask getting “stuck” in your pores? I had to scrub my face more than I wanted to to get it off.
Thanks,
Missy
I don’t have too much trouble removing the mask. The charcoal does have a bit of grit to it so I can understand how it may be a little bit more difficult to remove than a non-clay mask but it should come off relatively easily. You could also add more coconut oil to give it a bit more slip.
I just tried this and my face feels great, but it was very hard to get it off. I ended up having to use my Dr. Bronner’s soap to get it off. And then my face felt dried out and I needed lotion. I probably won’t be repeating… unless I’m doing something wrong. Maybe more coconut oil and less clay?
More oil will help it slide off better… or less activated charcoal.
Would it work to use bentonite clay powder, rather than actual clay?
I’m pretty sure bentonite clay powder is the same as bentonite clay.