Thanks to celebrities professing its purifying properties, activated charcoal is currently on fire, popping up in everything from smoothies and cocktail juices to facial cleansers and toothpaste. And while some medical experts are skeptical—the powder is more commonly used in ERs to rid the body of toxins in the case of accidental household poison consumption—natural health expert Dr. James Mahoney of Dr. J Exceptional Medicine in Southlake is all for consuming activated charcoal powder, as long as it’s not used for daily intake. “It’s an aggressive scavenger of loose chemicals in the body,” Mahoney says. “The only downside is it can absorb nutrients, too.” Mahoney says he has only prescribed activated charcoal about 10 times in the past year, and recommends anyone detoxing with it to then replenish the body with green juices and a quality multivitamin and mineral supplement. In other words: like any red-hot trend, proceed with caution.
One 16-ounce bottle of the Local Press + Brew The Day After natural detox is said to alleviate hangovers with its mixture of activated charcoal, alkaline water, lemon, and raw sugar cane juice. $9, 1605 N. Beckley Ave.
Colleen Rothschild’s Clarifying Detox Mask, made by the Dallas-based skin care company, extracts dirt and brightens congested skin with activated charcoal and French kaolin clay. $48, colleenrothschild.com.
Celebrity aesthetician Joanna Czech recommends the Morihata Binchotan Charcoal Eye Mask to promote blood circulation and reduce under-eye puffiness while you sleep. $25, Joanna Czech, 2410 Victory Park Ln.
Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant fights skin aging with activated Binchotan charcoal, which resurfaces and absorbs irritating environmental pollutants. $58, Bluemercury, 83 Highland Park Village.
My Magic Mud’s Activated Charcoal Toothpaste and Tooth Powder deliver an enamel-safe deep clean so pearly whites will earn their name. $10, paste; $20, powder, Natural Grocers, 11661
Preston Rd.
Morihata’s Binchotan Charcoal Toothbrush prevents bad breath and makes teeth smoother (goodbye, plaque) with charcoal-infused bristles that are naturally antibacterial. $8, Set & Co., 841 W. Davis St.
