8 Charcoal Beauty Buys

It’s buzzing in beauty right now, and we’ve got seven charcoal prods you’ll want to add to your self-care arsenal. —Noa Nichol

face. Clinique makes a mattifying Pore Refining Solutions Charcoal Mask ($34) that absorbs oil, impurities and environmental pollutants to help detoxify skin. How does it work? Charcoal powder draws out deep-seated debris to purify pores, while mineral clays soak up excess oil. How does it leave skin feeling? Fresh and smooth, with noticeably refined pores.

face two. Made specially with oily skin in mind, new-from-Bioré Charcoal Cleansing Micellar Water ($10) absorbs excess oil and leaves skin matte, fresh and clean. Bonus: this beauty’s been designed with a higher concentration of micellar cleansing agents, giving the formula maximum cleansing ability.

teeth. Pitch-black powder to whiten your teeth? Yes! Coconut shell-activated charcoal (along with a hint of bentonite powder and lemon myrtle) is the secret ingredient in Carbon Coco Activated Charcoal Tooth Polish ($40), which removes external stains from teeth and can actually change the pH in the mouth, helping to reduce the things that cause cavities, gum disease and bad breath.

body. The Body Shop’s Spa of the World collection includes a Himalayan Charcoal Body Clay ($24) that harnesses the power of an ancient Asian beauty secret—bamboo charcoal powder from India—that’s proven to draw out impurities from the skin, up to thousands of times its own mass. It has traditionally been used to draw out tensions from the mind, too, de-stressing and calming, so use this baby as part of your relaxing ritual when you’re in need of a fast-track to tranquillity.

hair. In recent years hair care has looked to skin and health care to inspire new approaches and ingredients. New Pantene Pro-V Charcoal Shampoo and Conditioner (from $6) brings the latest purifying ingredient—activated charcoal, with the ability to gently purify by absorbing impurities into its many pores-microscopic honeycomb-like structure that magnetically attract toxins (especially important for those of us who go several days between washes)—to hair care.

more hair. Also summer-new, this time from Herbal Essences, Bio:renew Detox and Replenish Charcoal Shampoo and Conditioner ($8 each) include black and white charcoal (respectively) to lift dirt, oil and everyday residue and leave hair soft and silky. These babies are infused with an aroma of citrus, lavender and cocoa, to boot.

travel. Even your next vacation can include the benefits of charcoal. Canadian company Midnight Paloma’s Bath + Body Trio ($30) includes cute, carry-on-friendly jars of its Charcoal Body Lotion, Charcoal Body Wash & Charcoal Fizzy Bath Soak.

new and noteworthy. Right on time for Halloween, G.M. Collin‘s new charcoal mask ($54) boasts clinically proven results when it comes to improved skin texture and increased radiance. Application tip: after cleansing, place a warm towel over your face to open the pores before layering on this mask, to make it work to its max!