Need a good charcoal face mask

[kaylamondragon]

What charcoal masks do you recommend. Not only am I wanting it to help my skin look good and feel good I want it to help my acne scars as well. I do have acne prone and sensitive skin.. please help me!!??

[greeneyedgirl107]

@kaylamondragon Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Charcoal Mask.  It got 5/5 stars on beautypedia.com:

Spoiler

Pore Refining Solutions Charcoal Mask fits the bill for combination to oily skin due to its clay base and fragrance/irritant-free formula. Such formulas are excellent for lending a temporary mattifying effect to skin after it has been rinsed away, and work well as enhancements to a well-formulated skincare routine (for reasons we'll explain in a moment). The overall gentleness of this formula makes it a find for oily yet sensitive skin, too!

Packaged in a squeeze tube, this dark gray mask dries quickly—in about ten minutes—and rinses easily from skin.

The primary ingredients that do the "work" in Pore Refining Solutions Charcoal Mask are kaolin and bentonite clays. These clays can't draw out "deep-seated debris," but they will help absorb excess oil from skin's surface and just inside the pore lining. That benefit may also result in the reduction of the appearance of blackheads—and can also help to reduce (temporarily) the appearance of enlarged pores.

Clinique added a few antioxidants, lecithin and caffeine among them, which are nice extras but not as beneficial in a rinse-off mask that will only be on skin for a short period. Still, the beneficial ingredients are more than what many clay masks contain, so even though you're rinsing this, you'll at least get their benefits for a few minutes! Despite our enthusiasm for this product, clay masks aren't miracle workers; rather, they serve to complement a skincare routine that includes well-formulated BHA exfoliants and non-irritating formulas.

What of the charcoal in Pore Refining Solutions Charcoal Mask? Various forms of charcoal are used as part of water filtration systems to absorb various substances (i.e. bacteria and such) and charcoal is administered in medical settings by mouth for treatment of poisoning, but there's no evidence it has any benefit for breakouts or clogged pores when applied topically (Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2010 and Western Journal of Medicine, 1986).

If you're in the mood for a little beauty treat, or just want to stack the deck in your battle against oily skin and blackheads, Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Charcoal Mask is an excellent and effective option that leaves out the irritants (menthol, mint, essential oils, etc.) so common among similar alternatives. Though this won't reduce your pore size to a dramatic extent, its absorbent clay blend can absolutely help to improve the appearance of your pores by temporarily reducing excess surface oils in skin.

Note: If you're curious about the detox claims made in the marketing messaging for this product, you can disregard them. The ability of charcoal to absorb poisons when taken internally has nothing to do with skin—simply put, skin doesn't need to be "detoxed" as it doesn't have the ability to store or release toxins of any kind. We could go on and on about that one, but instead, check out More Info for the details on why "detox" claims made about cosmetic products are nothing more than marketing fancy.

PROS:

• Contains absorbent clays that work to reduce excess oiliness.
• Can be used as often as needed.
• Dries quickly and rinses fairly easily from skin.
• Fragrance free, gentle formula.

CONS:

• None.

I'm not big on masks, and I think the whole charcoal-thing is a bit gimmicky, but even this mask is on my must-try list!  🙂