There are several natural ingredients that could do great things for the skin. One considered to do so is activated charcoal. Some people might not associate charcoal in doing wonders for the skin. But, it actually draws oil, dirt, and other harmful substances from pores; thus, helping one to achieve flawless skin and even fight acne.
Because of this found benefits of charcoal, it is now considered to be a powerful ingredient for facial washes and masks. Here is a list of ten of the best charcoal products we have seen in the market today, may it be charcoal masks and face washes, or for hair care.
10 Best Charcoal Masks and Face Washes for Fresh, Clear Skin Reviews
1. ORIGINS Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask
Our Rating: 
(4.3 / 5)
Charcoal masks are now a thing due to its magnet-like trait to draw out dirt from clogged pores. ORIGINS Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask claims it can suck off even the deep-dwelling pore cloggers. Besides active charcoal, it also has White China Clay, which is said to absorb environmental toxins. It also has lecithin, which dissolves the impurities.
Despite these helpful ingredients that could assist in taking care of the skin, one negative attribute of this product is it contains too much horsetail extract. Said ingredient is acclaimed to constrict skin and cause irritation.
2. Apotheke’s Sulfate-Free Charcoal Shampoo
Our Rating: 
(4.8 / 5)
This sulfate-free charcoal shampoo from Apotheke claims to neutralize acidity and absorb impurities of the hair. Besides these asserted benefits, the essential oils provide the fragrant scent as well as much-needed hydration for the hair. Also, since this shampoo is sulfate-free, the formula is gentle for every hair type. For optimal effect, it is advised to be used one to two times a week.
3. CeraVe Moisturizing Facial Lotion
Our Rating: (4.3 / 5)
I love to splurge on skin care, most especially on facial moisturizers, face masks, and eye cream. In the market, there are a lot of moisturizers that are all about fragrance. This is quite a good thing, but sometimes, these products do not have good ingredients included in them. This goes the same for high-end ones. So, CeraVe Moisturizing Facial Lotion is surprising.
This facial lotion is a beauty budget that has an AM and PM version. The AM version has SPF 30 while the PM version is acclaimed to be highly-hydrating. Its active ingredients include Ceramides, Niacinamide, and Hyaluronic Acid.
Ceramides help create a natural barrier for your skin, to keep the moisture in. Niacinamide works against melanin overproduction and evens out your skin tome. Lastly, Hyaluronic Aciddefends the skin against radical damage as well as improve the skin’s moisture.
4. Freeman Facial Charcoal and Black Sugar Polish Mask
Our Rating: (4.3 / 5)
If you see this down the beauty products aisle, you might be curious just from the name. Black sugar with charcoal? What could that combination do?
This product claims to be both a facial mask and exfoliator. These superb uses of the product work double time to assist detoxing the skin. As mentioned above, activated charcoal acts as a magnet to absorb oil. Meanwhile, the sugar particles aid in exfoliating dead skin cells away. It is asserted that these two activities could lead to softness and clarity of the skin.
5. Pelican Deitanseki Clay & Charcoal Facial Cleansing Bar
Our Rating: 
(4 / 5)
Some people love using liquid cleansers but some also prefer using bar soaps. If you’re the latter, then you might like to try Pelican Deitanseki Clay & Charcoal Facial Cleansing Bar. This bar has activated charcoal which is believed to pull the goop out of one’s pores.
Most users of this product claim that their skin felt so clean and with no residue. Since this contains charcoal, it is also asserted that the soap bar can lessen the amount of a user’s blackheads. Some people noted that this might be drying for some – a trait usually common for soap bars. But moisturizers might do the trick of helping with that issue.
6. GLAMGLOW Supermud Clearing Treatment
Our Rating: (4 / 5)
Originally created for Holywood actors, actresses, performers, and musicians, Glamglow is a line of volcanic mud-based masks. It has a lot of ingredients with the main one named as TEAOXI® EUCALYPTUS LEAF. TEAOXI® is a ground-breaking time-release technology which delivers natural eucalyptol,powerful flavonoids, and natural linalool oil into real pieces of Eucalyptus Leaf contained in their SUPERMUD®.
Besides that, other ingredients like marigold, chamomile, peppermint plant, and aloe vera among others are included in the product. The ones mentioned are asserted to help fight bacteria and breakouts, as well as help in reducing inflammation. The latter benefit would especially be useful if you have tend to have red acnes most of the time.
Overall, the product claims to rejuvenate the skin, without drying it.
7. Dark Angels Facial Cleanser
Our Rating: 
(3.7 / 5)
Dry skin could lead to flaky skin and dull complexion. That’s a big no-no for most of us, definitely. This is the main issue that Dark Angels Facial Cleanser would like to tackle. This cleanser equates to an exfoliating charcoal and black sugar in one. Its main purpose is to help absorb oils and brighten one’s complexion.
To use it, one must create a paste out of it. Since this product is in powder form, you are advised to mix it with warm water, as water activates the charcoal.
Despite charcoal being the active ingredient, this facial cleanser smells nice due to the sandalwood and rosewood oil in it.
8. Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Charcoal Strips
Our Rating: (3.7 / 5)
Excess oil leads to blackheads all the time, which appear mostly on the nose. This is one nasty skin issue that every person wants to target. Sometimes, facial cleansers and masks are not enough for them. Thus, pore strips are introduced in the market.
Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Charcoal Strips claims to work like a magnet to draw deep-down dirt from your nose pores. Ten minutes of placing it on your wet nose is said to do the trick. Besides drawing dirt, it also asserts to help reduce oil that could clog the pores.
9. InstaNatural Charcoal Mask for Face
Our Rating: 
(3.3 / 5)
According to the InstaNatural company, their charcoal mask could remove from the face, diminish blackheads and whiteheads, and leave it looking fresher and cleaner. This 4-ounce tube contains charcoal powder, lecithin, and China Clay. It is also said to be suitable for all skin types. So if you have combination-type of skin, this might be a good one to try.
It is advised that this one works best when you place a warm cloth on the face before using it. Most users reported this creamy and easy-to-apply mask made their skin glowing. Some also mentioned that this one minimized their skin’s oilness and made their pores appear smaller.
10. boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding Intensive Wash-Off Treatment
Our Rating: (3.3 / 5)
Most products have peculiar names. Others would draw you in with their packages. The boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding Intensive Wash-Off Treatment falls in both categories.
This skin care product contains kaolin clay which is said to reduce excess oil. It also has boscia’s botanical blend of willow herb and jojoba leaf, which reduces inflammation. Besides these benefits, this one also has a nice smell that most users raved about,due to grapefruit and flower stem extracts.
People who used this claimed that their skin were calm due to this product. Some also say it is not heavy to wear, unlike other masks that make your face freeze in one position.
Conclusion
These days, charcoal has been everywhere in the beauty aisle – from cotton swabs to sponges to facial skin care and even to shampoos. Thanks to its known benefits of absorbing impurities and cleaning out pores, this natural ingredient has been used in any skin care products in the market today.
From the best products mentioned above, I’d give the award to ORIGINS Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask for being the winner of the list. People who used it noted that it is a great product in cleaning the pores. Some have even claimed that they felt they just had a facial after using it. They also asserted that less blackheads appeared on their skin with continued use.
Nevertheless, in the end, it all depends on how your skin reacts to the product. There are a lot of charcoal masks and face washes to try out there so the possibility is endless.