It's time to get to the bottom of those charcoal masks that we're seeing EVERYWHERE (seriously, they’re all over social media).
Do they actually work? Are they safe? We have So. Many. Questions.
Well, chief medical officer at EHE, Tania Elliott, gave us the lowdown.
"I am a big fan of [charcoal powder]," she explains, "because it really is a good detoxifier. It’s great for your pores."
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"However," she continues, "the beauty trend has been making charcoal masks with glue."
Glue?! Noooo.
The thought is that the mask can help remove blackheads, but it can actually end up doing more harm than good!
“It's the same stuff that’s in wallpaper adhesive, as well as acetone, which is in nail polish remover,” Dr. Tania continues.
Well, it's safe to say that you want that nowhere near your face. (Spoiler: The glue could actually get stuck in your pores and you can end up with more blemishes and breakouts than before, the doc reveals.)
So as an alternative, Dr. Tania has a DIY option!
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Combine a couple teaspoons of charcoal powder, sea salt (which is a natural exfoliator!) and rose water to make your own charcoal exfoliator.
Use it once or twice a week and leave it on for about 5 minutes before washing it off!
