Usually reserved for grilling and the stockings of naughty children worldwide, charcoal has become one of the beauty counter’s buzziest ingredients.
The trick here is using activated charcoal, or charcoal that’s been treated with oxygen. It’s a natural detoxifier and, until now, has mainly been used for medicinal purposes.
Here, four ways to cross over to the dark side.
To combat dull skin. Try Boscia’s Luminizing Black Mask. It looks intense when first applied, but the brightening, pore-refining results are worth it.
To whiten teeth. Sprinkle activated charcoal powder on your toothpaste-laden brush and scrub away to whiten your smile. Don’t worry about gagging--the powder is odorless and tasteless.
To help hair. Oily strands are no match for Kuro Shampoo. Activated charcoal is a superstar at drawing excess oil out of hair, ensuring sleek strands sans grease.
To alleviate a hangover. Drinking charcoal? Yep, that’s a thing now, too. After late night outings, sip some dark-hued charcoal lemonade to help flush toxins from your system.