Combines clay's oil absorption with charcoal's surface-area micro-adsorption for pore cleansing, per formulation convention.
Read the passportSource2
활성탄 · 전성분
Charcoal
A highly porous, microstructured carbon adsorbent produced by high-temperature thermal activation of natural coconut shells or bamboo. Its high internal surface area physically adsorbs excess surface sebum, lipids, and surface debris through van der Waals forces without disrupting live epidermal cells.
GentlenessGentle — four of fiveEvidenceIndicativeTopical
- INCI
- CHARCOAL POWDER
Also called Activated Charcoal · Activated Carbon · Bamboo Charcoal · Coconut Charcoal Powder
Early-stage page
This ingredient page is still early. We're actively researching before it's ready to stand fully on its own — check back as more sections are verified.
The short answer
Four lines, each compressed from the section it links to. Every line carries the sources of the claim it compresses.
- What it does
Reduced Surface Oiliness and Pore Appearance
See the evidence - Where it goes
cleanser or wash-off mask step · night or 2 to 3 times per week
See how to use it - What shows, and when
4 weeks: Reduced surface oiliness with consistent use, per the cited finished-formula trial.
Source2
See the timeline
How to use it
Where it sits in the seven-step ladder, and the record's own fields for the habit.
아침DayDay: not used
저녁NightNight: used
night or 2 to 3 times per week
Cleanser클렌저 sits here
Toner토너
Essence에센스
Serum세럼
Eye cream아이크림
Moisturizer크림
Sunscreen자외선차단제
Filled steps are where Charcoal commonly appears. No product is recommended.
Everything here comes from the sources below. None of it is a product recommendation.
- Time of day
- night or 2 to 3 times per week
- Where it sits
- cleanser or wash-off mask step
- Starting frequency
- 1 to 3 times weekly for wash-off masks, daily for gentle cleansers
- Amount
- a generous quarter-sized layer for wash-off masks; a dime-sized amount for cleansers
- Application
- Apply evenly to damp skin, avoiding the immediate eye area. Leave wash-off masks on until touch-dry, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Follow with a hydrating toner or moisturizer.
- Storage
- Store in a cool, dry place with the cap tightly closed to limit atmospheric moisture absorption.
Plays well with / keep apart
One card per pair. Where the partner has its own passport, the name links to it.
Do layer it with
Combines Salicylic Acid's oil-soluble chemical pore penetration with charcoal's physical surface adsorption, per formulation convention.
Source1
What to expect, and when
The record's own timeline. Each step keeps the source of the study it came from.
- Immediate
A refreshed, matte, non-greasy feel immediately after rinsing.
- 4 weeks
Reduced surface oiliness with consistent use, per the cited finished-formula trial.
Source2
Is this safe for me
Everything the record says about suitability, consolidated. Pause-first comes first.
Before you start
Insoluble physical particulate; best formulated in wash-off cleansers, masks, or scrubs to avoid excessive surface lipid stripping or mechanical friction on compromised barriers.
Best match
oily and congested skin
clogged pores and blackheads · excess facial shine · combination skin
Routine
cleanser or wash-off mask step
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Not medical advice · ask your own clinician
Pregnancy. A 2011 dermatology review of skin-care product safety in pregnancy names hydroquinone (high systemic absorption) and tretinoin (evidence controversial) as the actives of concern, and states that most other topical skin-care products act locally and produce minimal systemic absorption; charcoal is not named among the flagged concerns 6. This is general topical-product reasoning rather than an ingredient-specific safety trial. If you are pregnant, ask your doctor before use.
Breastfeeding. Topical application is applied locally with minimal expected systemic absorption; no ingredient-specific breastfeeding safety trial was located. As a general precaution common to topical actives, avoid applying directly to the breast or nipple area, since incidental transfer to a nursing infant has not been studied for this ingredient. If you are breastfeeding, ask your doctor before use.
| Common, and it usually settles |
|---|
| a refreshed, matte, non-greasy surface feel after rinsing, with no chemical stinging or burning reported |
Allergen history
Not yet researched
Research in progress — check back soon. How we verify
Who should not use it
Not yet researched
Research in progress — check back soon. How we verify
What it will not do
- Physical adsorption is localized to the stratum corneum surface and follicular openings; it does not systemically change sebaceous gland lipid production.
- The finished-mask trial cited above tests a product combining charcoal with kaolin and bentonite; it does not establish what charcoal alone contributes.
- Charcoal's high surface area and adsorptive capacity are established material properties of activated carbon generally, not a cosmetic-specific clinical finding on their own -- see the mechanism and gaps sections for what is and is not directly evidenced for skin use specifically.
The evidence
One card per claim. Concentration, form, population and limitation sit with it, always visible.
Grade legend
- Indicative
- Limited
- Moderate
- Strong
Reduced Surface Oiliness and Pore Appearance
IndicativeA small imaging-based research letter observed that topical activated charcoal application was associated with reduced surface oiliness, purified pore openings, and improved visual skin texture on high-resolution 3D imaging; a separate finished wash-off mask formula containing charcoal alongside kaolin and bentonite was associated with reduced facial sebum content and acne lesion counts in its own trial.1,2
- Which form
- Microstructured Activated Coconut / Bamboo Charcoal Powder
- Population and duration
- A short-format research letter (design and sample size not detailed in its own abstract) and 75 adults with oily or combination skin applying the finished mask twice weekly for 4 weeks
- Limitation
- The imaging observation is published as a short research letter, not a full controlled clinical trial. The mask trial tests a finished product combining charcoal with kaolin and bentonite; charcoal's own independent contribution is not isolated in either source.
Open
A materials-science source cited for charcoal's porosity is a civil-engineering study of generic wood charcoal's physical structure (via electron microscopy, tomography, and mercury intrusion), not a cosmetic-grade activated charcoal or a skin study of any kind.
Open
An independent dermatology literature review found that clinical evidence does not support several efficacy claims commonly made for charcoal-containing cosmetic products (exfoliative and anti-aging claims specifically), while noting charcoal use is generally considered safe.
Open
How we verify A real CosIng database entry for Charcoal Powder exists at the European Commission's own domain, but its page content could not be independently read this cycle (a JavaScript-rendered page not readable by this cycle's tools).
Questions & related
Common questions · 자주 묻는 질문
How does activated charcoal differ from regular charcoal?
Activated charcoal undergoes a specialized high-temperature steam process that creates millions of microscopic internal pores, increasing its surface area and its capacity to physically adsorb material.
Can charcoal masks dry out sensitive skin?
Because charcoal physically adsorbs surface oils, leaving a charcoal mask on too long can also draw moisture from the stratum corneum. For sensitive or dry skin, rinse the mask off before it completely hardens and follow with a rich moisturizer.
The clinical recordHow it works · Forms · Manufacturing · Regulations · Study ledger · Gaps · Sources
How it works
Activated charcoal is a microstructured carbon matrix with a high specific surface area. In wash-off formulas, it is reported to physically adsorb lipophilic sebum molecules and surface debris through non-covalent van der Waals forces, which are then removed during rinsing.
- High Surface Area Physical Adsorption
Provides a porous carbon network structurally capable of trapping surface lipids and debris via physical adsorption, without chemical reaction or epidermal penetration.
What that rests on: materials-science porosity characterization (of charcoal generally, not a cosmetic or skin study) and a short imaging research letter
Reading the label
| Attribute | Microstructured Activated Coconut / Bamboo Charcoal Powder |
|---|---|
| What it is | The primary cosmetic-grade activated charcoal powder, with a high internal surface area intended to physically trap sebum and surface debris. |
| Official INCI | CHARCOAL POWDER |
| Where it comes from | Steam-activated pyrolyzed coconut shells or bamboo stalks |
| How it is made | High-temperature pyrolysis in an anaerobic environment, followed by steam activation to generate a dense network of micro-, meso-, and macropores. |
| Gentleness | Reported chemically inert and non-sensitizing; rinsed away in wash-off formulations without leaving residual material in the epidermis. |
Where the ceiling is set
European Union
- The rule
- EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 / CosIng database
- What it allows
- A real CosIng database entry for Charcoal Powder exists at the European Commission's own domain, but its content could not be independently confirmed this cycle.
Source5
What the evidence rests on
Study records
Research letter using objective 3D surface photography2021
Utilizing high-resolution imaging to objectively assess activated charcoal's effects on facial skin
High-resolution 3D skin surface imaging was associated with reduced surface oiliness and improved visual skin texture and pore appearance following topical activated charcoal application.
Where it falls shortPublished as a research letter, not a full controlled clinical trial; design and sample size are not detailed in the abstract available this cycle.
Source1
Prospective clinical trial2023
Comprehensive assessment of the efficacy and safety of a clay mask in oily and acne skin
In 75 adults with oily or combination skin over 4 weeks, twice-weekly application of the finished mask was associated with significant improvements in acne-related outcomes, sebum content, and skin texture.
Where it falls shortTests a finished multi-ingredient commercial product (kaolin, bentonite, and charcoal are all named in this record's own packet description); charcoal's own independent contribution is not isolated. Sponsored by the product's own manufacturer (L'Oreal).
Source2
Materials-science physical characterization study2025
Evaluation of the Porosity and Morphology of Microstructured Charcoal
Confirmed that charcoal produced by dry wood distillation has a porous, fibrous internal structure with substantial pore area and porosity, consistent with the general physical basis for its adsorptive capacity.
Where it falls shortA civil-engineering/materials-science study of generic charcoal's physical structure -- not a cosmetic-grade material, and not a skin or cosmetic study of any kind. Authors are civil engineering, geology, and materials science faculty, not dermatology researchers.
Source3
Dermatological literature review2020
Charcoal: An ancient material with a new face
Reviewed companies' claims that charcoal-containing products can treat acne, dandruff, and other conditions, and concluded that clinical evidence does NOT support these efficacy claims, while noting that activated charcoal use is generally considered safe.
Where it falls shortThis is the review's own conclusion, corrected here from the source packet's own characterization, which had presented this review as supportive of charcoal's adsorption benefits. The real review is explicitly skeptical of cosmetic efficacy claims for charcoal.
Source4
Regulatory database record2022
CosIng - European Commission Cosmetic Ingredient Database: CHARCOAL POWDER
A real CosIng database page for CHARCOAL POWDER exists at the European Commission's own domain; its specific content (restrictions, function codes) could not be independently read this cycle (a JavaScript-rendered page).
Where it falls shortPage content not independently confirmed -- kept for the well-documented general fact that a CosIng entry exists, not for any specific restriction detail.
Source5
What is still missing
A materials-science source cited for charcoal's porosity is a civil-engineering study of generic wood charcoal's physical structure (via electron microscopy, tomography, and mercury intrusion), not a cosmetic-grade activated charcoal or a skin study of any kind.
It is used here only to support the general physical fact that charcoal has a porous, high-surface-area structure -- never as evidence of a skin-specific outcome.
NeedsA dedicated characterization of cosmetic-grade activated charcoal powder specifically, if one exists.
An independent dermatology literature review found that clinical evidence does not support several efficacy claims commonly made for charcoal-containing cosmetic products (exfoliative and anti-aging claims specifically), while noting charcoal use is generally considered safe.
This record does not assert any exfoliative or anti-aging claim for charcoal, and frames its one supported claim (surface oiliness and pore appearance) as resting on limited evidence rather than a well-established effect.
NeedsLarger, charcoal-specific, controlled clinical trials isolating charcoal's own contribution from finished multi-ingredient products.
A real CosIng database entry for Charcoal Powder exists at the European Commission's own domain, but its page content could not be independently read this cycle (a JavaScript-rendered page not readable by this cycle's tools).
The EU regulatory row records that the entry exists without asserting its specific restriction details, which were not independently confirmed.
NeedsA readable copy of the CosIng database entry, or the equivalent MFDS Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary entry for Korea.
Sources on file
- Brody et al. J Cosmet Dermatol (2021)(opens in a new tab)
- Zhang et al. Skin Res Technol (2023)(opens in a new tab)
- Biessikirski et al. Materials (2025)(opens in a new tab)
- Sanchez, Fayne & Burroway. Clin Dermatol (2020)(opens in a new tab)
- European Commission CosIng database(opens in a new tab)
- Bozzo, Chua-Gocheco & Einarson. Can Fam Physician (2011)(opens in a new tab)