Charcoal on bug bites!

I’ve been in love with our charcoal mask for a long time…I love being able to do a simple treatment at home and feel like I am at the spa. And I like how using face masks with activated charcoal (treated carbon) seem to suck out any impurities and make my skin feel super clean. Plus the minty smell is great! But I am even more in love now than ever – for a completely new reason – BUG BITES! Anyone who has spent any time with me outdoors knows that I am a mosquito magnet – not exactly what you want to be known for - I am usually covered in bites when others have one or two bites. So when someone mentioned that the charcoal mask is great for taking away the itch I made sure to pack a mask container for our last camping trip. And the verdict is out – it TOTALLY worked. Just slapped a little bit on the bites and let it dry. Normally I wash it off but the kids thought it added to the general dirty look of camping J It will now be packed for every camping trip and trip to the lake, river, etc. Not only did the itch stop almost immediately but the bites lasted a shorter amount of time too!

Why does it work? Of course I had to figure that one out…Charcoal has been used in emergency rooms for years to treat alcohol and drug overdoses because it absorbs toxins in the stomach before the bloodstream can. Using it in beauty products follows a similar logic – it will attract and absorb dirt and oil.

I’ve tried a few different charcoal masks and while biased, I like Beautycounter’s best. It uses a nutrient-rich kaolin clay mask with activated charcoal to purify and balance skin by absorbing excess oil and drawing out impurities. Salicylic and lactic acids aid in a gentle exfoliation, giving skin a smooth, polished look with a minimized appearance of pores. So in ten minutes I can absorb excess oil, minimize pores, and smooth my skin – sold!

If you want to give it a shot, you can get the mask alone here, or as a gift with purchase when you become a Band of Beauty Member and spend $50+ on your order here. The Think Clean Welcome Set ($43 USD value) includes the mask and one of my other favorite products – the overnight resurfacing peel. Plus you get free shipping on all future orders over $100 and 10% back in product credit. A Win-win for sure!

So combined with the mosquito spray I mentioned in my newsletter (let me know if you want to be added to the newsletter list) you will be all set in the battle against mosquitos!