BENEFITS OF CHARCOAL FOR SKIN

WHAT IS CHARCOAL?

Charcoal is a dark substance that consists mainly of carbon. It’s produced by heating up wood and plant materials in an oxygen-free environment. Charcoal has been used for its purifying properties for centuries. It’s a microporous material, which means it can help to draw out impurities.

1. ABSORBING OIL

Charcoal is renowned for its ability to absorb excess dirt, oil and impurities from the skin’s surface. This is why you’ll often find it in deep-cleansing products for oily skin.

2. CLEANSIN

Charcoal has become one of the world’s hottest-trending beauty ingredients thanks to its purifying properties. Charcoal works like a magnet to attract dirt from the pores of your skin, making it a popular addition to facial cleansers.

3. MATTIFYING

By drawing out dirt and impurities from the skin, charcoal can help your pores to appear more more refined.

HOW & WHERE IS OUR CHARCOAL SOURCED?

Our bamboo charcoal is farm-grown in the Himalayan foothills. The bamboo is hand-harvested after four years, giving it plenty of time to mature. Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world, making it a very environmentally friendly resource.

Mask, cleanse and refresh your skin with our vegan, powerfully purifying Himalayan Charcoal range, which includes our Himalayan Charcoal Facial Soap, bestselling Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask and new Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Wash. All of our Himalayan Charcoal essentials are enriched with bamboo charcoal from the Himalayan foothills and Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya.

HIMALAYAN CHARCOAL PURIFYING CLAY WASH

Lather up daily with our new, instantly foaming Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Wash. It gently cleanses away dirt and impurities, helps unclog pores and leaves skin feeling soft and refreshed and looking mattified. This creamy, non-drying formula is enriched with bamboo charcoal from the Himalayan foothills, kaolin clay and Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya.

Squeeze a small amount into your hands and work into a creamy lather. Gently massage the foam onto damp skin. Rinse off with warm water to leave skin feeling softer, cleansed and purified.

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HIMALAYAN CHARCOAL PURYFYING GLOW MASK

Our bestselling, skin-tingling Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask has an exfoliating texture that draws out impurities, refines the appearance of pores and leaves your skin with a healthy-looking glow. It’s enriched with bamboo charcoal from the Himalayan foothills and Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya.

Use it 2-3 times a week to help absorb excess oil and purify your skin. Apply an even layer of the mask to cleansed skin, avoiding the eye and lip area. Leave on for 5-10 minutes then rinse off in circular motions to gently exfoliate your skin.

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HIMALAYAN CHARCOAL PURIFYING SOAP

Remove dirt and impurities and leave skin feeling cleansed and refreshed with our instantly lathering Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Facial Soap. It’s enriched with bamboo charcoal from the Himalayan foothills, Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya and Community Trade shea butter handcrafted in Ghana.

Rub the soap in your hands to lather then gently massage onto wet skin once or twice a day, avoiding the eye area. Rinse with water and pat try.

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Last year, The Body Shop ran a campaign where every purchase of the Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask and Facial Soap helped save endangered red pandas in the Himalayas.* The Body Shop helped Red Panda Network of Nepal plant red panda food – including their favourite, bamboo – and restore over 78 acres of forest. That’s the equivalent of over 59 football pitches!

Since 2007, Red Panda Network have been working to protect red pandas and their habitat in Nepal. The Body Shop committed to raise £50,000 for Red Panda Network – instead, we raised an incredible £83,426.

*The donation period started in March 2018 and ran for two months, during which donations for the Red Panda Network were collected from sales of our Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Facial Soap and Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask and red panda adoptions.

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

Drink at least 2L of water a day to help flush out toxins and keep your body and skin hydrated. We recommend adding fresh lemon and ginger to hot water for a tasty drink that’s infused with nature’s best-loved cleansers.

CHOOSE CLARIFYING MAKE-UP

Always choose cosmetics that won't clog your pores, like our Matte Clay Skin Clarifying Foundation. Our vegan formula is enriched with Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya and leaves a breathable, yet full-coverage matte finish that helps skin look clearer.

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STEAM YOUR SKIN

Steaming your skin is a great way to help purify your pores. Simply fill up a bowl with hot water and place your face over the steam with a towel over your head. Add this step to your skincare routine to help open up pores before masking or cleansing.