Activated Charcoal as a Skincare Ingredient

Cleansing with Charcoal?

It does sound like a bit of an oxymoron, doesn't it? How can applying a black substance cleanse anything at all?

Let's take a closer look at the ins and outs of activated charcoal.

One of the more recent buzzwords making the rounds in the beauty (and health) industry is 'detoxify'. It's understandable actually. We are all exposed to more than our fair share of unwanted chemicals via both air and water in most modern environments. And as a natural extension, our first line of defence - our skin - is going to take a bit of a beating.

That is where detoxifying comes in.

Imagine finding something we could use that just cleared away all of the toxins and unwanted chemicals.

The Good News

The good news: that something exists.

Activated charcoal has the (documented) ability to draw out and adsorb unwanted chemicals when taken internally.

And before I continue, let's just clarify the difference between absorb and adsorb.

ABsorb vs ADsorb

An item that absorbs integrates a substance into itself (kind of like a sponge takes up water).

An item that adsorbs attracts and keeps the substance exclusively on its surface area.

Activated charcoal is great at adsorbing because it is extremely porous (read: loads of surface area). (LINK)

The Less Good News

Now for the less good news: (some) science says activated charcoal may not be all that with topical use.

Instead of being able to give you a long list of links to dozens of studies proving activated charcoal clears up acne, brightens skin, helps heal wounds, and erases 20 years of wrinkles, it appears the jury is still out on how well activated charcoal works when applied topically. (some links below).

While researching this, I read many of the cons as well as the pros on activated charcoal's abilities with topical use and decided to share my conclusion with you.

Seeing as activated charcoal has been used for water purification, preservation and wound treatments (!) since ancient Egyptian times (link) , I am of the opinion that (some) modern science really needs to catch up with what history has already shown.

You: Lise, you're questioning science again

Me: Of course I am. Proper science welcomes questions.

In truth, it is up to every individual to decide whether or not activated charcoal works for them.

Now let's examine what this black substance comes from and what we can use it for in a cosmetics/personal care setting.

Activated Charcoal Production

Activated Charcoal is also called activated carbon. The raw material can come from various types of sources - from petroleum pitch to wood, coconut husk or even bamboo.

The activated charcoal you can purchase from many cosmetic ingredient suppliers is often from coconut.

To transform charcoal to activated charcoal, it is heated using a special process that results in increased porosity and adsorption capabilities. (read more about the process here)

It may come as a surprise to some that there are different processes to producing activated charcoal and it is available in different shapes, with different pore structures, and even with different purities (LINK)

A gram of activated charcoal can have a specific surface area (SSA) ranging from 500 m2 to 3,000 m2. The higher the number, the better the adsorption. (LINK)

What is Activated Charcoal Used in?

I'm sure you remember a wave of activated charcoal toothpastes that swept the beauty and personal care scene a few short years ago. It seemed everyone was introducing a fashionably black toothpaste for whitening, brightening and supporting overall oral health.

I have yet to try this in one of my tooth powders, but writing about it has prompted me to add this to my to-do list.

Apart from oral care, you might find activated charcoal a useful ingredient in your

• Face Masks

• Face Cleansers

• Soaps

• Exfoliating sponges

• Hair masks

• Shampoo Bars

• Deodorants

Do Tell

Have you worked with activated charcoal? What did you use it in and what were the results?

Please share in a comment below.

More Links:

This is a short list of some of the places I visited while researching this— the ‘titles’ are not written out. Each link is instead paired with a short description of the article’s conclusion.

Internal adsorption (LINK)

Ability to Bind salicylic acid (aspirin) (internal use) (LINK)

Activated charcoal may be functional in battling bacterial toxins and aid wound healing (LINK)

Activated charcoal dressing for diabetic foot ulcers (LINK to Chrome Extension PDF file)

For oral use (inconclusive evidence of detoxification used as tooth cleanser) (LINK)

For oral use: no increased erosion of tooth enamel (LINK)

For topical use on skin: inconclusive (LINK to Chrome Extension PDF file)

Inconclusive, not FDA approved, anecdotal (LINK)

Possible benefits for skin (Medical News Today) (LINK)

Short History of activated charcoal (from a supplier of activated charcoal) (LINK)

Below is my book formulation template on how to make your own tooth powders.

Botanical Tooth Powders

What's in Commercial Toothpaste, and Why

For numerous years, I've been making almost all of my own personal care products. There have, of course, been exceptions but over time, the number of commercially produced products I buy has dwindled considerably.

For the longest time, toothpaste/oral care products was among these exceptions.

Just as I (used to) view deodorant, formulating toothpaste was simply one of the least sexy projects I could think of, which brought a whole lot of 'I can't be bothered' into play. Another factor (and great excuse for not getting started) was the ever-present problem of finding suitable packaging with no minimum order amount. That is an ever present challenge many small businesses have to deal with.

What finally got me started?

Researching ingredients in commercial toothpastes was the motivating factor.

Today, I'm going to share a bit about how I research ingredients using toothpaste as an example.

This Method Applies Overall

You can apply this research method to any kind of cosmetic you want to duplicate or 'dissect'. If it is a single product you are interested in duping, all you need to get started is the ingredients list of your chosen product along with a physical sample. The sample is particularly helpful if you want to approximate texture, feel, fragrance etc.

Understanding a Product Type

If you are looking to understand how a certain type of product functions (shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, skin mist, etc), then you'll need a selection of similar products within that product category so you can compare ingredients lists (as well as actual samples).

Studying the differences (and similarities) will help you gain some understanding of how these products are put together.

As you study the ingredients lists, you'll want to identify things like

• Which are the base ingredients

• Which ingredients are texture-givers

• Which are the star ingredients

• Which function each ingredient performs in the product

After you have gotten a handle on ingredients lists and feel ready to create your own product, you'll be considering

• Which ingredients you want to include in your own formula

• Which ingredients you can source (and in which quantities)

• Whether you will need any special equipment

Dissecting Toothpaste

Let's say we want to make our own toothpaste for sensitive gums. For this research session, we're going to examine the ingredients in a commercially made toothpaste.

INGREDIENTS: Aqua, Sorbitol, Hydrated Silica, Glycerin, Potassium Nitrate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Aroma, Xanthan Gum, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Fluoride, Sodium Saccharin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sucralose, Limonene.

As you are probably already aware, cosmetic and food ingredients are (by law) listed in descending order, so the first ingredient on the list is what there is most of in the product. In Europe, cosmetics are (by law) listed using INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredient) names.

Let's break down this (European) ingredients list.

Aqua

This is Latin and the INCI name for water. The ingredient there is most of in is toothpaste is water.

Sorbitol

This is a sugar alcohol that functions both as a binder (to give the product structure) and as a sweetener. It is available both in powder and liquid form.

Sorbitol is widely present in foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics and has numerous uses. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists sorbitol as Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS). (LINK)

Hydrated Silica

Also known as silicon dioxide, hydrated silica is a very fine sand with 'added water atoms'. It has numerous uses, one of which is 'oral care agent'. (LINK)

If you dig around a bit, there is a lot of reading material on hydrated silica to be found, but unfortunately, not all of it is reassuring. The European SCCS (Scientific Committee for Consumer Safety) published their opinion on it in a 2015 paper called "Scientific committee on Consumer Safety: Opinion on silica, hydrated silica and silica surface modified with alkyl silicates (nano form)".

They concluded that information, documentation and testing

"is inadequate and insufficient to allow drawing any firm conclusion either for or against the safety of any of the individual SAS material"

(LINK)

ResearchGate shows an excerpt of the conclusion here (LINK)

Even though the SCCS paper is from 2015, I have not had any luck finding anything more recent on hydrated silica, so it would appear the jury has been out on this ingredient for quite a while.

Glycerin

Glycerine is the second most common cosmetics ingredient after water. This multifunctional substance can be sourced from plants or animals, but is generally plant sourced as this is the more viable option for mass production.

Glycerin is a clear, tacky syrup-like substance that functions as a humectant - helping preserve moisture. In toothpaste, it 'provides an extended flavour release' (LINK)

Potassium Nitrate

This is a salt compound that functions as a de-sensitiser. It is stated to

'coat your teeth with a solution that reduces pain and sensitivity'

(LINK )

For a clue as to how much is used in the total formula, this page mentions 5% (LINK)

This study confirms the 5% (LINK)

The FDA requires that toothpastes containing this ingredient display a 4-week warning on the label (do not use longer than 4 weeks).

Here is another toothpaste (also with 5% potassium nitrate) that warns of a 4 week use limit (LINK)

WEbMd lists toothpastes with this ingredient as medications and posts a similar warning (LINK)

Question: How many people do you think read the fine print and would notice this warning?

This rather vital piece of information didn't come to my attention until I started researching toothpaste ingredients.

(insert harrumph of disapproval)

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

This is a surfactant that is commonly used in shampoos as a primary or secondary co-surfactant and is categorised as 'mild'. Many makers of natural cosmetics are familiar with this ingredient for numerous cleansing products.

In toothpaste, cocamidopropyl betaine provides foaminess and helps spread the paste in the mouth.

Aroma

This is perfume/flavor. Because limonene is also present (further down the list), we might assume the flavour includes a limonene-containing ingredient such as a citrus oil of some type (LINK)

Xanthan Gum

This is a commonly used stabiliser and thickener for numerous types of products. It is sourced from bacteria commonly found on some vegetables (cauliflower, cabbages and rutabagas) which is processed (fermented) before being dried and ground into a powder.

Xanthan is referred to as the most commercially successful example of a microbial exopolysaccharide.

Approval for food use was given by the FDA in 1969 and xanthan gum now has GRAS status. In the EU, xanthan gum is classified as a thickener and is identified by the E-number E415.

Xanthan gum is present in a multitude of foods and cosmetics. (LINK) (LINK)

Find more here (LINK)

and here (LINK)

Titanium Dioxide

This is a mineral-based pigment that makes the product white. Titanium dioxide is widely used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, foods and other industries.

I wrote a post on the possible dangers of this ingredient here on the blog (LINK)

Sodium Fluoride

This is an inorganic compound used widely in toothpaste and as an additive to some water sources. Fluoride has been believed to prevent cavities, but is now being questioned by numerous sources that point to this ingredient as both controversial and possibly damaging to health. (LINK )

Despite having been used for decades, there doesn't seem to be any standard of dosage/usage amounts.

"Criteria for adequate, high, or low levels of fluoride in the body have not been established."

LINK

Yet fluoride continues to be added to drinking water in many countries.

"In total, 377,655,000 million people worldwide drink artificially fluoridated water. This represents 5% of the world’s population."

LINK

Interestingly, countries that do not fluoridate their water show a comparable amount of caries, which could indicate it does not function to battle caries.

Countries that do not fluoridate their water have also seen big drops in the rate of caries. (LINK)

Finally, it looks like there is a neurotoxicity report that has been blocked but is now set to be made public due to the work of the Fluoride Action Network (LINK) - a non-profit organization and official project under the American Environmental Health Studies Project (LINK)

There is much more to be found on this ingredient if you want to get busy researching.

Sodium Saccharin

This is the solid form of saccharine. Sodium saccharin is not linked to any benefits for oral health and is probably present in this toothpaste purely to sweeten the taste.

Sodium Hydroxide

This is lye (also called caustic soda). In toothpaste, sodium hydroxide is used as a pH adjuster to bring the product to a more mouth-friendly, neutral pH.

Saliva has a normal range of 6.2 - 7.6 with an average pH of 6.7

Tip: pH adjusters are present in very small amounts - just enough needed to adjust a product to the desired pH.

Sucralose

This is a semi-synthetic sweetener made from (wait for it) sugar! LINK LINK

Sucralose is marketed as an artificial sweetener and is present in many drinks and foods labelled 'sugar free' (which I find a bit interesting considering it is sourced from sugar).

Between 400-1000 times sweeter than sugar, sucralose is characterised as nonnutritive (as it has no calories).

Even though the no calorie bit sounds great, there are concerns about this ingredient and how it impacts health. LINK

Sucralose has only been on the market since 1999 where it was approved by the FDA for use in 15 different food categories. LINK

The method of production a closely guarded secret as sucralose is patented and produced by one company only: Tate & Lyle LINK

Sucralose is under study for possible impacts on cardio metabolic health (LINK) and there are concerns about how it impacts the gut microbiome LINK

While all of this is food-related, sucralose in toothpaste would perhaps not create the same impact as it does when consumed. But discovering this information inspired me to study food labels to discover just how widely this ingredient is used. I was admittedly disturbed to find it almost omnipresent in sugar-free soft drinks.

Limonene

This is a component of many flavours and fragrances. Limonene is present in bergamot, and citrus essential oils.

Welcome to a Thousand Rabbit Holes

As you have probably noticed reading through this list, studying ingredients will often send me on a (much) longer research mission with many more paths to follow than expected.

I suppose it could be viewed as both a curse and a blessing to go into this much detail, but I find great satisfaction in accumulating knowledge about ingredients, their production processes, history of use, and other applications.

It admittedly ends up being a bit of an encyclopedia of information to store away, but in my experience, a crucial bit of information otherwise filed away in the furthest corners of my mind always seems to pop up from memory exactly when it is needed. It has happened numerous times over the years.

In short, I have never found an occasion to regret researching anything.

The Research Made Me Do It

As it turned out, the more I researched toothpaste ingredients, the more determined I became to create my own dental care solutions. There were just too many questionable, possibly undesirable, and even possibly unsafe ingredients in commercial toothpastes for my personal comfort level.

Research is also the reason I stopped dyeing my hair years ago, but let's leave that one for another post.

Thanks for reading!

Do Tell

Did you ever research something that caused you to make a change of formulating plans?

Below: if you want to learn how to compose your own tooth powders, the formulation template/e-book below might be of interest.

Botanical Tooth Powders

Make Your Own Botanical Tooth Powders - a New Publication

I’ve been working flat out on a different kind of publication concept and it’s all because of you. I wanted to be able to give you something you’ve been asking me about (repeatedly) for years: 100% customisable formulations.

(insert double take)

Yes, really.

It’s been a bit of a challenge and has taken me quite a few trials and tests (and a bit of tribulation), but I hope you’ll agree this new format makes it possible to jump straight in and get creating and making with locally available ingredients - regardless of where you are on the globe - and (almost) regardless of skill level!

After debating with myself what to call this concept and format, I finally decided on ‘Formulation Template’. (I know it may not seem like the most original name on the planet, but it describes the function pretty well, don’t you think?)

Pictured above is my very first.

What’s a LisaLise Formulation Template?

In order to offer you 100% customisable formulations, a set of ‘formulating rules’ needed to be created: a Formulation Template. Think of it as a specially designed framework that allows you total freedom with ingredients choices and enables you to make an endless variety of possibilities - as long as you stay within the framework.

This whole concept came about as a result of the many questions I have gotten over the years about ingredient substitutions.

• “I can’t get ingredient X where I live. What else can I use?”

• “Ingredient Y costs a packet where I live! Is there an alternative option?”

• “Can I substitute ingredient Z without messing up the stability?”

I’ve been there numerous times and think I can safely say I understand the frustration of not being able to source everything listed in a given formula.

Now, (Almost) Anything Goes

Having a Formulation Template in hand frees you of the frustration of having to substitute ingredients. Now you can start with ingredients you CAN source and build your formula from there.

Formulation Templates are created so you can customise to your hearts desire.

A Formulation Template consists of

• Main Formulation Template

• Detailed Guideline for Using the Template to Create Your Own Formulas

• Ingredients Information

• Formulating Notes & Tips

• Formulation Examples

• Bespoke Formulation(s)

Now, Put Your Formulating Power Where Your Mouth is

To kick off this new type of publication, I wanted to share some brand new subject matter – something I have never written about (publicly) before. It also happens to be one of my own personal care favorites because it allows for endless customisation possibilities: tooth powders.

You: Tooth powder, Lise? But is homemade tooth powder safe and effective enough?!

Me: Yes, and then some.

Botanical Oral Health

For generations, we have all been led to believe that commercially produced toothpaste (and other oral care products) are better, safer, and more effective than anything handcrafted.

That is, to put it diplomatically, a misunderstanding.

The world is full of powerful botanicals that can not only deliver superior function for overall oral health, but also target specific issues such as gingivitis, cavities, plaque formation, and bad breath.

Most of these herbs (and additional ingredients) boast a long history of traditional use that has been passed down through generations.

And here’s the best part: the majority of these botanicals and additional ingredients are readily available around the globe.

Happily, modern science has affirmed the efficacy of numerous natural ingredients for oral health with documented studies, many of which are listed in the (included) references section.

No Foam = No Function?

Here’s a little reveal from this publication. Foam is not required to cleanse teeth and gums properly. The detergents commonly added to commercial toothpastes are not there to clean the teeth, but are only present to help spread the paste in the mouth.

The ingredients section in Botanical Tooth Powders explains more.

Ready to Get Busy?

If you’re interested in learning a bit more about making your own botanical tooth powders, please visit this page.

LisaLise Newsletter

Sign up for the LisaLise Newsletter to stay in the loop about ingredients and processes. You’ll also get formulating tips & tricks, free formulas and how-to’s and loads of natural cosmetic inspiration.