Charcoal Powder

What it is

Charcoal powder is the dried carbon residue left when organic material such as wood, coconut shell or bamboo is heated with little oxygen. 'Activated' charcoal has been steam- or chemically treated to open up an enormous internal pore network, which is what makes it such a good adsorbent in medicine and water filtration. In cosmetics it is used in wash-off masks and cleansers to take up surface oil and to give the striking black colour that sells the product. Note that Charcoal Powder is a different INCI ingredient from Carbon Black (CI 77266), a pigment that carries much tighter EU purity rules.

What it does well

• Adsorbs oil and grime from the skin surface

  Charcoal's porosity means it genuinely binds oils on contact, so a charcoal cleanser or mask can leave skin feeling less greasy. What it cannot do is reach into pores and draw out their contents - adsorption only happens where the charcoal touches.

  Limited evidence

• Well tolerated on skin

  Charcoal is chemically inert and is not a known sensitiser. A dermatology review described cosmetic use as generally safe, while noting the marketing claims run well ahead of the evidence.

  Moderate evidence

Worth knowing

• Popular claims are not supported by clinical evidence

  A 2020 review in Clinics in Dermatology found that claims charcoal treats acne or dandruff, or has exfoliating or anti-ageing effects, are not backed by clinical data. It is a cosmetic and colour ingredient, not a treatment - which is worth knowing before paying a premium for it.

  Matters most toAnyone buying a charcoal product expecting it to clear acne.

• Peel-off charcoal masks can damage skin

  The concern here is the rubbery peel-off base, not the charcoal. Pulling a set film off the face removes vellus hairs and the top layer of skin, and can leave the barrier irritated. Rinse-off charcoal masks do not have this problem.

  Matters most toAnyone using glue-like peel-off blackhead masks, and people with sensitive or thin skin.

• Quality depends entirely on the source material

  Charcoal is a broad category and its trace-metal and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content varies with feedstock and process. Cosmetic-grade material from a reputable supplier is controlled for this; the EU pigment Carbon Black, by comparison, carries explicit limits of 3 ppm arsenic, 10 ppm lead and 1 ppm mercury.

  Matters most toBuyers of unbranded or DIY charcoal powders of unclear origin.

Where the EU stands

Sources (1)

Every link goes to the original: a journal, a PubMed record or an EU document.

1. [1]
   Charcoal: An ancient material with a new face

   Clinics in Dermatology · 2020 · doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2019.07.025

   Activated charcoal in cosmetics is generally safe, but clinical evidence does not support the acne, dandruff, exfoliating or anti-ageing claims made for it.