activated charcoal for skin and hair face mask spaPHOTO CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCKPutting activated charcoal in your hair and on your face might not seem ideal, but it’s proven to have many beauty benefits when used safely.

Here are the benefits:

1. Smaller pores

Throughout the day, toxins from the concrete around us clog our pores. When your pores aren’t clear, neither is your complexion. Activated charcoal–like in our Charcoholic Soapbinds to dirt and helps pull it out of your pores, making them less visible (it’s the oil and dirt that makes them appear bigger). This leaves your face feeling fresh and smooth.

2. Balances oily skin

Oily skin? Activated charcoal may be just the ingredient you need to balance things out. Activated charcoal can pull the unwanted excess oils from your skin, leaving it smooth.

3. Treats acne

Depending on the specifics of your acne–how severe it is, what’s causing it and what else is going on–activated charcoal may be able to help. In soap form, it’s slightly gritty, which might provide the gentle exfoliating you need. It will also absorb oils and toxins on and below the skin.