Have you seen those peel-off charcoal masks online? They’re fun to watch, but you don’t need to buy one. You can make your own with simple ingredients in your kitchen. Get rid of blackheads and impurities with this DIY Charcoal Peel-Off Mask made with just 4 ingredients.
You’ve probably seen them before… those videos of women on social media using a black mask on their skin and peeling it off. It’s like those Biore pore strips where you can see the blackheads literally getting removed when you peel it off. So I did some research and found out that the main ingredient in those masks is activated charcoal (one of my favorite natural remedies for digestion and whitening teeth). Yep, those ladies are using charcoal peel-off masks.
Charcoal Peel Off Mask Without Glue
But the problem was that most of the charcoal masks in stores have a ton of chemicals and synthetic ingredients. Even the DIY charcoal masks are usually made with (wait for it)… glue. You know the glue that your kids use for art projects. Yeah, people put that on their face. No thanks.
I couldn’t figure out how to make my own charcoal peel-off mask until one day I was making these homemade gummies for my kids. I used gelatin to thicken up the gummies and then I thought… what if I used gelatin to make this mask. After several attempts, I finally got it right and now I want to share it with you.
How to Make This DIY Charcoal Peel-Off Mask
- Remove make up and use a gentle cleanser to clean the face. Pat dry.
- Open the activated charcoal capsule and add the contents to a small glass or ceramic bowl. Discard the empty capsule.
- First, add bentonite clay and gelatin. Then add boiling water and mix well with a mini silicone spatula (avoid metal spoons as the metal may weaken the health properties of the bentonite clay). The gelatin will thicken up the mask. Add 1 drop tea tree oil and mix again.
How to Use This Charcoal Peel-Off Mask
This mask works incredibly well, but I want you to know about a few things before you get started:
- When you apply the mask to your face, make sure you don’t apply to the eye brows. The mask is strong and will pull on the eyebrow hairs. Now if you do happen to get on the eyebrows by accident, don’t worry. Wipe it off as soon as possible. If it dries and you notice it’s in your eyebrows DO NOT PEEL it off. Use a warm washcloth to gently remove the mask.
- Be sure you also do NOT apply near the eyes. Stay about 2 inches away from the eyes and just above the eyebrow.
- If at any time when you’re peeling the mask off, it hurts or it’s just too sensitive to peel, then stop. Use a warm washcloth to gently remove the mask or soak the skin in warm water in the shower and then use a washcloth to remove gently.
- Peel the mask slowly to draw out the impurities. You’ll actually see them on the dried mask areas you peel off.
- The mask will pull facial hairs too (added bonus) and the skin will be slightly pink, which is normal with peel-off masks. You might remember this if you’ve ever used those Biore pore strips.
- Your skin will be as soft and smooth as a baby’s butt. Seriously!
- Discard the dried mask bits in the trash. It won’t go down the drain in the sink.
- You could just use it on the nose, chin or T-zone if other areas of your face are sensitive.
DIY Charcoal Peel-Off Mask Ingredients
- Activated charcoal absorbs toxins and build-up on the skin and helps to naturally detoxify.
- Bentonite clay tightens and tones the skin and draws out impurities deep within the skin. Check out more uses for bentonite clay.
- Gelatin helps to nourish the skin and helps acts as a binder in this recipe to draw out impurities. It’s the key ingredient that makes this mask peel off.
- Tea Tree essential oil clarifies the skin and keeps it clear and smooth. (Find out how to get my favorite set of essential oils for 60% off.)
Top Tips for This Charcoal Beauty Mask
- Make sure to remove any makeup and use a gentle cleanser, patting your face dry.
- When applying the mask, do not apply to your eyebrows, the mask adheres strongly and could pull them off.
- If the mask is proving too tough to pull off, use warm water to help remove it.
- You don’t have to use the mask on your whole face. You could just use it on the nose, chin or T-zone if other areas of your face are sensitive.
How to Get Started with Essential Oils
- Sign up for my FREE essential oil email course in order to learn the basics.
- Check out my FREE masterclass all about essential oils and this beginner’s guide to essential oils.
- Get my essential oils online course – complete with video tutorials, e-book and everything you need to get started with essential oils.
- Find out how to buy essential oils at wholesale, and get a starter kit for 60% off retail prices. It’s the best deal around and a great way to get started with essential oils. Plus lots of freebies just for you.
More DIY Beauty Recipes
Did you try this Hawaiian ahi tuna poke bowl recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and comment below to let me know how it went. You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
Want More DIY Recipes?
Check out my book Natural Beauty Made Simple. It comes with 45 homemade skincare recipes with a set of printable labels and gift tags. You can download it instantly to your phone, computer or e-reader, so it’s portable and can go with you anywhere!
- Make your own organic beauty and skin care products for less than $25 a month!
- Learn simple techniques to make your own skincare – without the fuss of complicated recipes or hard-to-find ingredients
- Get tried-and-true recipes that work to nourish the skin and make it look more radiant than ever before
- Create beautiful gifts for friends and family with the printable labels and gift tags I’ve included with this book
Take a peek at what’s inside Natural Beauty Made Simple.
DIY Charcoal Peel-Off Mask
Ingredients
- 1 capsule activated charcoal (about 1/4 to 1/3 tsp)
- 1/4 tsp bentonite clay
- 1 tsp non-flavored gelatin
- 2 drops tea tree essential oil
- 2 tsp boiling hot water
Instructions
- Remove make up and use a gentle cleanser to clean the face. Pat dry.
- Open the activated charcoal capsule and add the contents to a small glass or ceramic bowl. Discard the empty capsule.
- First, add bentonite clay and gelatin. Then add boiling water and mix well with a mini silicone spatula (avoid metal spoons as the metal may weaken the health properties of the bentonite clay). The gelatin will thicken up the mask. Add 1 drop tea tree oil and mix again.
- Use a mask brush to apply a layer of the mask to the skin, avoiding eye brows and be careful not to get too close the eyes.
- Apply mask rather quickly as the mask will continue to thicken up. If the mask in the bowl dries up sooner than you get to apply the mask, add a 1/2 to 1 tsp of boiling hot water again to make the mask liquid again to apply.
- Once you have a thick layer of the mask on the skin, allow to dry about 20-30 minutes. You may need to wait longer depending on the thickness of the mask. You will feel a slight tingling sensation from the bentonite clay and tea tree oil, both help to remove impurities from the skin.
- Once the mask is dry, start on an edge (chin or forehead) and slowly peel off the mask until it's completely gone. You can use a warm washcloth to remove any remaining mask on the face.
- Apply a toner and then follow with a moisturizer to keep the skin nourished.
Photo credit: Bigstockphotos.com / mne_len
FREE DIY Beauty Book
Get glowing skin and learn how to make your own DIY beauty products with simple ingredients from your kitchen. Plus, get my 7-day essential oils course to get gorgeous skin from the inside out.
Can I use glycerin instead
Glycerin instead of gelatin? No, the gelatin is what helps the mask to harden as a peel off.
I can’t wait to try this! How many times a month can you use a mask like this? Thank you!
Once a week is perfect.
Love this recipe and can’t wait to try it! What mask brush do you use?
It’s a foundation brush from Mac. 🙂
Is there a vegetarian sub for the gelatin?
I don’t have one but if you have a suggestion, let me know.
I imagine vegetable glycerin would suffice 🙂
I was wondering about Agar Agar ?
I haven’t tried it with agar agar but if you do please come back and let me know how it goes. 🙂