Best Charcoal Masks in the UK

Review & Comparison, Last Update February 1, 2024
Charcoal face masks are able to capture different impurities, from environmental toxins to dirt and debris. The best charcoal masks ...Read more
PROS

Aloe vera leaf extract intensively moisturises the skin, retains moisture in the cells and gives a fresh feeling. Glycerin has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect, eliminates itching, and relieves redness and irritation.

CONS

It's a bit hard to spread the mask on the face.

OUR VERDICT

LDREAMAM offers a versatile mask that can bring numerous benefits. It will not only reduce blackheads and shrink pores but also help with some skin conditions (psoriasis, eczema, etc.) and prevent you from getting deeper wrinkles.

detailed parameters
Recommended For

All skin types (safe for sensitive skin)

FORMULA AND ACTIVE COMPONENTS

Natural bamboo charcoal, Glycerin, Aloe Vera extract

SAFETY

Paraben-free, sulphate-free, cruelty-free

APPLICATION

Apply an appropriate amount for 15-20 minutes; gently peel off the mask from chin to forehead; clean the face (apply 2-3 times per week)

VOLUME

120 g

PROS

The Yuzu lemon extracts clarify the skin's tone and shed dead cells, polishing the surface, while the seaweed extracts reduce imperfections and soothe the skin. The eucalyptus extracts will be able to absorb excess oil, whereas red algae extracts will unclog pores.

CONS

The mask leaves a sticky residue behind. 

OUR VERDICT

From oily and shiny skin to sensitive to dull and tired-looking skin, L'Oreal Paris Pure-Clay Charcoal Mask is able to revitalise them all, leaving the skin not only looking great but also feeling great, velvety, rebalanced, and refreshed.

detailed parameters
Recommended For

Oily, shiny, dull, and tired-looking skin (safe for sensitive skin)

FORMULA AND ACTIVE COMPONENTS

3 pure clays, Natural charcoal

SAFETY

Paraben-free, sulfate-free, cruelty-free

APPLICATION

Massage into skin and let dry for 10-15 minutes then rinse (apply 3 times per week)

VOLUME

50 ml

PROS

This face pack enriches the skin with microelements, increases the production of collagen, and lightens pigmented areas. Also, it promotes the healing of small scars and stimulates blood circulation.

CONS

It may be a bit painful to peel it off.

OUR VERDICT

It's a full-facial wax that can nourish and plump your facial skin while unclogging pores. It also removes unwanted "bags" under eyes and reduces age spots. A perfect solution for hyperpigmentation problems.

detailed parameters
Recommended For

All skin types (safe for sensitive skin)

FORMULA AND ACTIVE COMPONENTS

Activated charcoal

SAFETY

Paraben-free, sulphate-free, cruelty-free

APPLICATION

Apply an appropriate amount for 10-15 minutes; gently peel off the mask from chin to forehead; clean the face (apply 2-3 times per week)

VOLUME

60 ml

PROS

The mask is formulated with many additional ingredients. The grapefruit extract is able to diminish age-related changes and plump skin a bit. The rosemary leaf extract, in its turn, reduces swelling and normalises blood flow.

CONS

It contains methylparaben and isn't suitable for sensitive skin.

OUR VERDICT

The SHILLS Original Peel Off Black Charcoal Mask is much more affordable than similar products. Although it's not very effective at blackhead removal, it excels in its ability to exfoliate dead skin and remove impurities.

detailed parameters
Recommended For

Oily or combination skin

FORMULA AND ACTIVE COMPONENTS

Natural charcoal, Glycerin, Oat Kernel extract, Calendula flower extract, Grapefruit extract, Rosemary leaf extract

SAFETY

Sulphate-free, cruelty-free

APPLICATION

Apply an appropriate amount for 30 minutes. Gently peel off the mask from chin to forehead; clean the face (apply 1-2 times per week)

VOLUME

50 ml

PROS

This mask is very easy to use - just apply it on your face and rub into the skin for 5 minutes. Afterwards, you can easily wash it off with warm water. Recommended for use from 2 to 3 times a week (as a mask) or daily (as a wash or scrub).

CONS

Some users find its smell too chemical.

OUR VERDICT

The revolutionary Garnier 3-in-1 treatment can save you from the need to buy three separate products. Acting as a wash, scrub, and mask, it's able to address most skin problems (blemishes, clogged pores, oily skin, and the like).

detailed parameters
Recommended For

Oily spot-prone skin (safe for sensitive skin)

FORMULA AND ACTIVE COMPONENTS

Natural charcoal, Kaolin clay, Glycerin, Salicylic acid

SAFETY

Hypoallergenic and PH-neutral formula, Paraben-free, sulphate-free, cruelty-free

APPLICATION

Massage into skin and let dry for 5 minutes then rinse (apply 2-3 times per week); apply daily as a wash or scrub

VOLUME

150 ml

All-around Solution

The LDREAMAM has a unique formula that works on all levels and can suit all skin types. The main ingredient here is the premium-quality bamboo charcoal that is able to quickly remove pore-clogging dirt and extra oils from the skin, thus making your face cleaner and more youthful. The mask penetrates deeply into your pores and effectively sucks up fat, blackheads and toxins. With that, it brings cooling and soothing sensations, making your skin look fresher and smoother.

Besides charcoal, the mask includes aloe extract and glycerin in its composition. Aloe contains lots of natural antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins A and C to relieve skin irritation and help with such conditions as psoriasis, eczema, and lichen planes. Because of its highly anti-inflammatory properties, it also aids in treating burns and acne. Another benefit to aloe extract is that it can slow down the signs of ageing and help with future lines and wrinkles.

As for glycerin, it's also famous for treating skin conditions like acne, infections, and wrinkles. It attracts moisture to the skin and acts as an emollient, making it soft and supple. That said, glycerin won't add more oil to it or clog pores.

In all, if you're looking for a versatile skincare solution, you may really like this black charcoal mask by LDREAMAM. It not only exfoliates the skin and regulates oil secretion but also nourishes it and fights ageing.
Last updated price £9.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B07R49DFF8

THE RICHEST FORMULA

Despite the affordable price tag that the company's products are always accompanying, L'Oreal Paris Pure-Clay Charcoal Face Mask has the richest formula.

Adopting yuzu lemon extracts, the mask will be able to smooth out rough skin, clarifying its tone and shedding dead skin cells to polish the surface. Thanks to the seaweed ingredients, the formula excels at reducing imperfections and soothing the skin, while the eucalyptus extracts are absorbing excess oil and the red algae extracts are unclogging pores, also removing dead skin cells to exfoliate, purify, and refine the skin.

As much as these contribute though, the primary ingredient here is natural charcoal, cleaning out pores and capturing the deepest impurities, from dirt and debris to different toxins. Thanks to this ingredient, the creamy, non-drying mask is able to leave the skin feeling clean, velvety, and rebalanced, making even dull and tired skins come alive.

The creamy consistency tends to leave this, to some extent, sticky residue behind though, so you'll sometimes have to rinse twice.

Taking everything into account, L'Oreal Paris Clay Charcoal Mask is the smallest investment you can make towards improving your skin's condition but also the one that's able to produce considerable results.

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price £7.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B01I28KFXS

Popular Solution to a Clearer Face

The PINPOXE charcoal face mask is one of the most popular choices of Britain customers. It's a full facial wax that is fast, effective, and beneficial for all skin types. Besides showing great results at removing blackheads and blemishes, the mask does an amazing job by promoting the general health of your skin. That is to say, it stimulates the blood circulation and boosts the production of collagen, helping your facial skin stay elastic and wrinkle-free for longer. Also, it promises to reduce stubborn stains or oil spots on your face. That's why it's a great choice for those who would like to regulate the hyperpigmentation issues.

As mentioned, it's a full-face peel-off mask that can unclog pores on your nose, cheeks, chin and T-zone. Putting it on the face is a very easy process - owing to the thick consistency, it doesn’t run and, thus, stays in place. Although it dries and tightens up quickly, the manufacturer recommends leaving it for 20-25 minutes to let it fully work its magic. At first, your skin may feel cool and then it starts tightening. But the fun part starts when you need to remove the mask - the mask literally pulls the skin. Yet, once you're done, you'll see that most of the blackheads and dried skin have come off with the mask. It'll really leave your skin ultra-smooth, soft, and clear.

So, if you don't mind some pain sensations that come with pulling off and want a good facial wax that will leave your skin well-hydrated and pimple-free, this blackhead remover is up to the task.

Last updated price £9.99
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B07BGVYFYK

Affordable Alternative

If you're not willing to overpay for big names and don't suffer from severe blackheads, you may be interested in this cult mask by Shills. This peel-off mask costs just a fraction of professional products but provides deep cleansing and exfoliation. Specially formulated to peel off dead skin, remove dirt, and eliminate spot-causing bacteria, it acts like a magnet to draw out most of the impurities from your skin. And as an extra benefit, the blend of calendula, rosemary and grapefruit can help users restore a glowing complexion.

We would like to point out that despite the fact that the Shills black mask is certified and fully compliant with all UK and EU regulations, it's not recommended for use by people with sensitive skin, irritations, and some conditions like eczema. Also, it should be applied very carefully - make sure to avoid eyebrows, hairline, and sensitive areas around the eyes and lips. It's better to use it only on those areas where you need to unclog pores. It should be applied in a medium-to-thick layer (somewhere around 2mm) and left for 30-40 minutes. Afterwards, you need to carefully peel it away. If the mask doesn't come off in one go, you can wash away the remains with warm water.

For sure, after a couple of uses, your skin will become softer and cleaner. Although the mask isn't that powerful at blackhead removal, it shines in its ability to remove other impurities from the surface of the skin.

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price £5.00
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B01N4N0CXD

3-in-1 Skincare Product

Aiming to use active ingredients from nature and combine them with skincare actives, the folks at Garnier have come up with the innovative Pure Active 3-in-1 Charcoal treatment. It deftly combines charcoal that is able to absorb excess sebum and mattify the skin with salicylic acid (BHA) that efficiently stimulates the exfoliation process. The added ingredient, blueberry extract, helps with fortifying the skin's matrix and preventing the appearance of wrinkles. Also, it's able to even out your complexion and give you a glow-getter status.

As we've mentioned, it's not a typical charcoal mask but a 3-in-1 product that can be used as a wash to purify your skin; as a scrub to unclog resistant blackheads; and as a mask to neutralise oily shine. If you'd like to use it as a wash, you're free to apply it on a daily basis to a wet face. It easily lathers from a gel and feels clean after a thorough rinse. When applied as a scrub, it should be gently massaged into the skin and then rinsed with warm water. Also, we would recommend you to have a hot shower to open the pores prior to application. Even if you use the Garnier Pure Active daily, it won't dry out your skin but will make it tighter, nicely-exfoliated, and squeaky clean.

That said, if used as a mask, it should be applied up to 3 times per week and left for 5 minutes. By using this product in all three ways, you'll achieve the best results possible. All this makes it perfect for those suffering from acute acne, blemishes and just generally awful skin. Also, it's a good offering for teenagers that don't like waiting a long time for the mask to set.

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price £7.16
Stock In stock
ASIN B01NAN5FZG

What Is a Charcoal Mask?

Charcoal has been described as "nature's complexion clean-up crew" and we can see where the sentiment is coming from. First, this element is excellent at drawing out bacteria, dirt, debris, poisons, chemicals, and different micro-particles, also fighting blackheads, blemishes, and acne. Because we do not metabolise/absorb charcoal, all you have to do is remove the mask ~10-20 minutes after applying it. Charcoal has even been known to treat insect bites, reduce scar tissues' size, and accelerating the healing process.

The difference between masks formulated around charcoal can be considerable though. Aside from charcoal, these products' active components can include various ingredients, from different clays improving the masks' absorption potency to plant extracts soothing any skin type, shedding dead skin cells, regulating oil secretion, and more. As long as the formulas are not "enriched" with SLS, parabens, and silicones, you do not have to worry about making the skin red and itchy.

Face masks for acne are even better at fighting acne breakouts, surprisingly enough. On a less sassy note, you can also look into aloe vera gels to keep the skin moisturised and hydrated.

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