If you follow my insta stories you’d know that I’ve been obsessed lately with Dirty Lemon’s Charcoal Lemonade. I drink it at night on days when I haven’t eaten well or when I eat dinner too late or too heavy and I’ll tell you- I can feel a huge difference in the morning. No sluggish, bloated feeling, none of that food hangover I would normally wake up with like you have a brick in your stomach. And my daughter who has some fairly severe food allergies and sensitivities has seen a big difference as well when she drinks one at night after she’s been less than strict with her food sensitivity list (she’s 16 and it’s so hard at that age).

Charcoal has been used for centuries as a purification and detoxification agent. In ancient times it was one of the only ways people had to wash their faces and brush their teeth and we are seeing a resurgence of beauty products using charcoal in the ancient way. It has also been used throughout time as a natural water purification system and we have seen that come back around as well with those charcoal filter water bottles that instantly filter tap water for you on the go. My favorite is glass and it’s by Black + Blum.

If you’ve ever had to go to the ER or have ever been treated by paramedics for poison control (and I sincerely hope you have not), you’ll know that they have you drink a thick gritty charcoal solution. That’s because charcoal binds to toxins, heavy metals and poisons in your system and safely removes them from your body. Natures internal purification. Now I don’t know if we can get the same benefits for our skin by using it topically, but there are certainly enough products on the market claiming detoxifying of pores and the like. You’ll have to see for yourself if you can tell any difference in the way your skin looks and feels.

Below I have linked some of the most talked about beauty items containing charcoal.  If you’re wanting to try charcoal but not wanting to spend a ton of cash, just stop by any natural foods or natural products store and buy activated charcoal in raw form. It comes in tablet form usually and for most uses you’d just grind it up and mix it with water to make a paste for brushing your teeth for whitening or as a face mask for brightening or exfoliation. For store bought products, check out my list below. I haven’t tried all of these, so they aren’t coming personally recommended by me. Let me know what you think and if you are using a charcoal product you love and would suggest I try.