Have you ever had alcohol poisoning so badly you were taken to the emergency room, forced to drink a thick, black charcoal smoothie and then had your stomach pumped? Yeah, uh, me neither… But trust me when I say that doctors use this method, there’s a scientific reason behind it, and shockingly it will make your skin look fabulous.
The reason why docs force-feed you what’s usually only used when grilling or drawing pictures, is because charcoal acts as a magnet, attracting organic impurities and contaminates to its surface. So when you’ve ingested enough liquor to kill an entire hockey team, drinking charcoal helps to remove the alcohol toxins out of your body by binding to the toxins and then allowing you to quickly expel the charcoal-hugging toxins onto your shoes. This is also why many water filters use charcoal to filter out impurities in water.
More specifically Activated Charcoal, which has been treated with oxygen, is a stronger version that traps even more impurities than regular charcoal because it is more porous. It acts like some crazy scientific magnet to attract and remove toxins from its environment. To learn more about Activated Charcoal (A.C.), read this short article.
Another reason you should love charcoal, besides the fact that it could save your life after a torrid tequila bender, is that it can suck crap off your face. You face is covered in caca, such as makeup, toxins, bacteria, oils, metals, other people’s spit, etc. So if you slap some A.C. on your face, it will grab all that crud like a drunken bro at bikini contest, magically whisking everything away when you wash your face. Don’t believe me that this works? Well just ask the company behind the face mask Glam Glow, a new cult-obsession that costs $69 per 1.2 oz (its magic ingredient is charcoal). This stuff is so damn popular they couldn’t keep it in stock in some stores.
But is a $69 price tag better than something you can make at home for way cheaper and in larger amounts? Not for my readers! I’m about to save you some serious bucks because I care about you so much. I recently discovered a DIY version that’s cheaper, easier on your skin, and contains no chemical fragrances or harmful ingredients. Thank you Pinterest!
The recipe can be found here.
The other day, I decided to make and experiment with the recipe before giving the 100% Lana Stamp of Approval. Gee-golly-gosh I was impressed. It was easy to make, gave my skin a gorgeous glow, shrunk my zits, and smelled delicious. And all of the ingredients can be found at your local health food store or purchased through Amazon.
The only drawback I’ve found is that Coconut Oil is one of the main ingredients. This causes problems in removing the mask because C.O. is well, oily, so simply washing off the mask with water isn’t an option. You’ll be left with a grey residue all over your face. So I either wash off the mask with the aid of a face-wash, or sacrifice a face towel to scrub off the gunk. Trust me, it’s worth it.
I also recommend heeding her suggestion of adding Salicylic Acid to the mix. I used my personal favorite: Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. The great thing about the liquid form of Salicylic Acid is that you can instantly amp up any plain-Jane face or body lotion by mixing in a few drops of this stuff!
Finally, I refrigerate my mask to keep it from requiring any preservatives. This is an added benefit because then the mask feels nice and cool on my skin when applying. Oh so refreshing!
If you’re lazy like I am, and want to skip the store and have everything delivered to you, here’s where you can purchase the rest of the ingredients:
Nature’s Way Activated Charcoal
All Natural Calcium Bentonite Clay Powder
Lily Of The Desert Aloe Vera Gel
Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils Starter Kit
Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.
And before you freak out thinking you’re spending all this money on a stupid face mask, understand that all the ingredients you’re purchasing can be used for so many other things, so you’re actually saving money! For instance, the charcoal can be used to whiten your teeth or taken orally, the Bentonite Clay can be dumped in the bath for a luxurious detoxing experience (it’s so pure you can even drink it), The aloe vera gel can heal burns or be ingested to aid digestion, the Essential Oils can be used for aromatherapy, insect repellent, and as a healthier alternative to fragrances, and don’t even get me started on all the things Coconut Oil can be used for.
So there ya have it. Here’s to a clearer complexion!
