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- Activated charcoal is a popular natural ingredient that's being used increasingly in skin-care products.
- It's naturally detoxifying, which makes it useful for ridding impurities from your pores.
- Every Man Jack released a skin-clearing collection using activated charcoal that includes face wash, face scrub, body wash, facial wipes, and deodorant— and they're all under $8.
- I've been using them to help clear up an existing breakout and, hopefully, to prevent future ones. Read on to see what each product is like.
Consumers are more conscious than ever about the food and the products they buy. Beyond the aisles of the grocery store, the shift toward natural ingredients and environmentally-friendly products is perhaps most evident in the skin-care industry. And it makes sense; people care about what goes both in and on their bodies, especially when most products are chock-full of harsh chemicals, parabens, phthalates, and ingredients you probably can't pronounce.
The average person's willingness to try safer alternatives has them turning to natural ingredients (some with questionable levels of effectiveness) to solve their woes — and activated charcoal is one of the most popular. You've seen it in everything from toothpaste and teeth whiteners to facial masks, body washes, and shampoos.
Every Man Jack is one of the latest to hop onboard with a collection of skin-clearing activated charcoal products — and they're all under $7. The collection includes face wash, face scrub, body wash, facial wipes, and even deodorant. You can read more about my experience with the products if you scroll down, but if you're interested in the science behind them, I spoke with a dermatologist to learn more about how and why activated charcoal works (or if it does at all).
How does activated charcoal work?
According to Dr. Hadley King, the consulting dermatologist for AcneFree, charcoal is known as a detoxifying ingredient because it has a strong negative charge, which allows it to attract and bind to excess sebum (oil), bacteria, and toxins, which usually have a positive charge. He explained to me that the porous molecule structure of charcoal also aids in the binding process, and since charcoal is not absorbed by the body, all the excess oil and dirt that promote acne are washed away with it.
In addition to activated charcoal, the new Every Man Jack collection also uses salicylic acid, a naturally-derived substance that gently exfoliates and eats away at the debris that clogs pores and causes irritations. Together, the combination is essentially your acne's worst nightmare.
Read more: 17 cheap and effective skin-care products under $25 we swear by
My thoughts on the Every Man Jack collection:
With the exception of an occasional whitehead, bump, or breakout, I have relatively clear skin, so I used to only treat my acne when it was present. Once I realized that was a mistake and probably the reason why I was having those recurring breakouts, I decided to be proactive (no pun intended) and try something that could get rid of my existing breakouts and keep them from coming back.
Every Man Jack sent me the entire Clear Skin Activated Charcoal collection to test and I began working them into my grooming regime immediately. All of the products in the collection are cruelty-free and free of phthalates and parabens, and ultimately helped me clear up my breakouts. While my results were great (more on that if you keep scrolling), what impressed me the most was the price. You could easily buy all five products I tried for about $30.
Keep scrolling to read my experiences with each product in the Every Man Jack collection, or shop select products at Target, Walmart, and Ulta Beauty.
Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Face Wash
Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Face Wash, available at Target, $5.99
The charcoal face wash was the first product I tried from the collection, and it's the single product I'd recommend if you just want to try one before buying the entire collection. What I like best about this face wash is that it's very purpose-driven. It's fragrance-free and doesn't have a bunch of unnecessary ingredients in it.
I used it the same way I would use any other face wash. While I didn't see any results right away, I could definitely feel the results right away. After washing my face, it felt fresh and bare. Since the activated charcoal and salicylic acid do strip away excess oil, your face will feel dry afterward (unless you have really oily skin), so I recommend following up with a moisturizer of your choice.
It's also worth noting that this is the only product with the exception of the wipes that clear in color, not dark grey/black from the charcoal.
Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Face Scrub
Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Face Scrub, available at Target, $5.29
Compared to the face wash, which I use every day, I prefer to use the face scrub every few days — usually at night. While the activated charcoal and salicylic acid have the same function, the scrub features jojoba-infused beads to gently exfoliate skin.
What sets this apart from other similar products I've tried is that t's not super abrasive. I've tried other scrubs that can do more harm than good if you're too rough with your hands or you like to use a scrubbing brush, but this isn't rough on the skin.
You will have that same sensation of dry skin after using it, so follow up with a moisturizer.
Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Body Wash
Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Body Wash, available at Target, $6.99
The body wash is definitely what you want to buy if you deal with breakouts on your chest, back, or anywhere else on your body. Along with the activated charcoal and salicylic acid, it features ingredients like tea tree oil (which is antibacterial), aloe vera, chamomile, grapefruit seed extract, and coconut oil (which is very nourishing). After showering with it, I felt clean and moisturized.
I've never had any acne on my body, so I found this to be the least useful for my personal regimen. However, that didn't stop me from seeing how useful it could be. Considering how well the facial products work, this should work well on people who do have body acne. And for those who don't, you can look at it as a nicely sized 16.9-ounce bottle of body wash that smells good and moisturizes — for just $7.
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