DIY Charcoal Face Mask {Only 3 Ingredients}

If you're like me, I tend to have acne-prone skin and suffer mostly from hormonal acne. Sometimes I feel like a teenager all over again! Can you relate? In those instances, I like to give my skin a reset with this DIY charcoal face mask. It is great at pulling out excess oil and dirt from my pores, and I usually wake up the next day with smoother skin. This mask isn't going to magically remove all your acne and blemishes, but it is going to help with clogged pores and evening out your skin a bit. I've been using this recipe for several years now, and I really enjoy it!

In the past, I've been gifted expensive face masks that are pretty much this exact recipe. The only difference is that they are shelf-stable, oh and they're expensive. Did I mention that? With this face mask, you can control the ingredients and they are a fraction of the cost. If you don't have any of the ingredients on hand, it will cost you about $25, but to make one face mask is probably around $1 or less!

PIN FOR LATER!

BEST INGREDIENTS FOR A DIY CHARCOAL FACE MASK

BENTONITE CLAY: Bentonite clay can help those with oily and acne-prone skin by removing some of the oils in the skin, which can help inflammation and active breakouts. It also helps pull out impurities from the skin.

ACTIVATED CHARCOAL: Activated charcoal can help remove impurities in the skin and is also antimicrobial, which will aid in removing bacteria from your pores.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: Apple cider vinegar has many benefits for the body, one being that it has antimicrobial properties. By adding apple cider vinegar to this charcoal face mask, it can help reduce acne breakouts since they're caused by build-up of bacteria, dirt and oil in pores.

OPTIONAL: If you would like, you can add in a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Oils like frankincense, lavender and tea tree can all help with acne-prone skin.

HOW TO MAKE A DIY CHARCOAL FACE MASK

TOOLS YOU MAY NEED

• Small plastic or glass bowl
• Wooden or plastic spoon
• Measuring spoons

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbs bentonite clay
• 1 tsp (3 capsules) activated charcoal
• 2 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 2-3 drops essential oils (optional)

HOW TO MAKE A DIY CHARCOAL FACE MASK

To a glass or plastic bowl, mix together bentonite clay, activated charcoal, apple cider vinegar and essential oils.

HOW TO USE A DIY CHARCOAL FACE MASK

Apply the face mask to a clean face and other trouble areas using a silicone face spatula or clean fingers.

Allow the mixture to harden slightly, about 5-10 minutes, and rinse off with warm water. I suggest doing this in the shower because it can be a bit messy.

Repeat no more than once per week.

NOTES

• Be sure to use a glass or plastic bowl and spoon to mix your charcoal face mask because bentonite clay can absorb metal and become less effective. Try getting something like this set.
• This mixture will be bubbly, but that's okay! It makes it a little extra fun to put on!
• If you leave this mask on too long, it will become extremely hard and can become irritating to the skin. That's why I recommend leaving it on for 5-10 minutes and not letting it completely harden.
• Again, this mask is meant to absorb oils and pull out dirt from the pores, so it can be drying. I wouldn't do this mask more than once a week unless you find that you need it.
• Adding essential oils into this face mask is totally optional. If you do decide to add them, be sure you're using pure essential oils. If you've never used them, I recommend doing a patch test on your skin prior to adding them, just in case. I have very sensitive skin and have never had an issue, but it's always a good idea to test out any new product prior to use. My current favorite company for essential oils is Plant Therapy.
• I recommend making this face mask fresh each time you want to use it.
• You could add double or triple the amount of bentonite clay and activated charcoal and place it in a glass jar to give as a gift or for future use. You then just need to remove your desired amount and add in the apple cider vinegar.

CHECK OUT MORE OF MY NATURAL DIY’S

Looking for more natural DIY recipes like this DIY charcoal face mask? Check these out:

• Homemade Whipped Body Butter
• Orange Spiced Sugar Scrub
• Easy DIY Peppermint Lip Scrub
• DIY Refreshing Scalp Spray

Did you make this DIY charcoal face mask? If you did, I’d really appreciate if you came back and gave them a five star rating! Tag me on Instagram (@thesimplehomeplace) to show me your own recreation!