Is Bioré Charcoal Face Wash Worth It?

In recent years, charcoal has taken over the lifestyle trends in food and beauty alike to bring forth some of the most interesting consumer products, but using activated charcoal in very practical ways isn't new. According to Sappo Hill, the earliest recorded use of activated charcoal dates back to Ancient Egypt, where it was used in the smelting process of forging bronze. 

Still, consumers may still wonder about charcoal's function in beauty products. Activated charcoal products look fun and even effective because of their deep, rich black color, and some may even derive shock value from hearing that a product uses charcoal as an active ingredient. It's valid to wonder whether charcoal toothpaste really works, for instance, but you'll never know unless you give one of these adored products a try, especially because beauty products can often work differently for different individuals.

According to Healthline, activated charcoal can improve kidney function, lessen your flatulence levels, and even potentially lower your cholesterol when consumed. Of course, others claim it whitens teeth and closes pores, so a wealth of face and teeth products that incorporate charcoal into their formulas have been developed in the last few years. Recipes have been developed, too, including charcoal waffles, ice creams, and lattes (via Self).

There is ultimately a way to use activated charcoal for everything in your life, but, like all industries, not all charcoal products are created equally. Let's dive into Bioré's charcoal face wash and see if it's really worth it.

To some, thinking twice before putting charcoal on their faces is normal. This dark, rocky substance seems like it would be bad for our insides or our face, but others sing its praises. Thankfully, if you want to test it out, Bioré's Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser is accessible and affordable in a sector where charcoal products can run upwards of $30 or more per bottle/container of cleanser. Instead, a 6.77-oz bottle of Bioré's cleanser is just $5.64 from Amazon if you're a Prime member.

This low price makes this one of the most accessible charcoal products in the beauty market, but is it worth it? When testing the product, Byrdie found Bioré's cleanser to be powerful in the cleaning department. They noted the refreshing, tingly feeling left from the product's menthol, and they recalled feeling very deeply clean after using it. However, they also found their skin to be a little dry after using it. This could be because the percentages of charcoal and cleaners in the product are high, meaning they stripped some moisture away. Still, they didn't find themselves to be too dry.

Insider found similar results. They loved the product and even preferred it when compared to a high-end cleanser. Both Insider and Byrdie specifically mention that it cleans deeply into your pores. To combat its drying effect, Insider recommends using it only a few times a week in the colder months versus every day, then adding extra moisturizer to counteract it.

Ultimately, if you pair Bioré's Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser with a good moisturizer, there's no reason not to give this affordable charcoal product a try.