As part of the #NOWWellness Influencer Program, I received product samples and compensation from NOW® to thank me for my participation, but the product selection and all opinions are genuinely my own.
NEW Charcoal Detox Skincare Collection from NOW Foods
I received the package with the new Charcoal Detox goodies right before I left for #NOWWellness50 Influencer Trip, but I immediately decided to give all products a quick try. When I got back home I couldn’t wait to start using them again! I’ve been testing everything for a few weeks now and wanted to share my thoughts in more detail. When NOW® adds a new SKU it’s kind of a big deal – they simply don’t have any interest in releasing gimmicks. Since skincare is my passion I definitely appreciate that approach.
NOW® Solutions is a line that aims to provide a comprehensive list of natural, research-driven personal care products to promote everyday skin health. I am already a big fan of the current NOW® skincare offerings [especially the Pomegranate day & night creams], but I did think that the line was missing a few more options for oily skin. The new Charcoal Detox collection filled in these gaps nicely.
I have combination skin that ranges between oily/normal in the summer and oily/dry in the winter, so I’m used to swapping products in and out to achieve a more balanced complexion. We’re now in the middle of fall in Michigan and my face hasn’t been as oily lately, but I still reach for purifying products several times a week for maintenance, so my new charcoal goodies came at the right time.
NOW® Solutions Charcoal Detox collection currently includes three products:
- Charcoal Detox Gel Cleanser ($9.99)
- Charcoal Detox Moisturizer ($12.99)
- Charcoal Detox Facial Mask ($9.99)
Straight from the bottle Charcoal Detox Gel Cleanser looks like a dark gray liquid jello that smells faintly of peaches [the fragrance is natural]. It has a gentle, low suds formula with slightly acidic pH that works well to remove the everyday impurities like dust and oil leaving my skin feeling refreshed. It doesn’t work very well as a standalone makeup remover, though. For best results I recommend to double up with an oil product or a micellar water.
When mixed with my tap water the indicator strip shows pH 5.0-5.2 which is within the ideal range for my skin. You guys know that I am ruthless when it comes to rating cleansers, and this one got top marks pretty much immediately after I saw the strip change color. Alkaline cleansers have been the subject of much debate in the beauty community in the recent years because of the way they tend to disturb the skin’s protective acid mantle [science, and more science], and I personally no longer use them. Charcoal Detox Gel Cleanser took a permanent spot in my daily routine, which I will tell you about in more detail in another post soon. It’s a very good second cleanser and I can’t recommend it enough.
Ingredients: Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Phenoxyethanol & Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Natural Pear Blossom Fragrance, White Charcoal Powder (from Ubame Oak Bark), Potassium Sorbate, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Fruit Extract. *Certified organic.
Charcoal Detox Moisturizer comes in an airless pump bottle which is super handy for products that contain botanical extracts. Although it looks dark gray when dispensed, the color disappears once I spread it evenly on the skin. According to the website, this is a non-greasy daily moisturizer for people looking to address excess oiliness and protect the skin from the elements. It feels airy and breathable, and I thought that it kept my face and neck pretty well hydrated. The formula was pleasantly lightweight and boasted many good ingredients like soothing Aloe Vera, antioxidant-rich superfoods Acai and Goji berry, and Activated Charcoal Powder from Ubame Oak Bark to promote healthier-looking complexion and help absorb excess oil throughout the day.
In short, I liked it. Charcoal Detox Moisturizer sits well under my makeup and sunscreen and doesn’t feel heavy at all. I think it will make a good basic everyday moisturizer for warm weather that won’t overwhelm my combination skin. At this point I already switched to using richer products, but I will be saving this one for spring so you’ll see it again as part of my daily routine some-time next year. For those of you with oily skin though, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Diheptyl Succinate & Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Algin & Zinc Sulfate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetearyl Alcohol & Cetearyl Glucoside, Vegetable Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Natural Pear Blossom Fragrance, Xanthan Gum, White Charcoal Powder (from Ubame Oak Bark), Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol (Vitamin E) (soy), Citric Acid, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Fruit Extract. *Certified organic.
Charcoal Detox Facial Mask is a purifying treatment that you apply to clean skin once or twice a week. I let it sit on my face for about 10 minutes, then rinse everything off with lukewarm water to reveal a brighter, more refreshed complexion. There are a lot of charcoal masks on the market, but many of them leave my skin feeling dehydrated – this one did not. I was never a fan of clay masks that create large painful cracks on your face while they dry, that’s why I’m glad that this one is different.
I currently only use this mask in the T-zone [nose, chin, and forehead], because that’s where I tend to develop congested pores and blackheads. So far I like it and I think it’s been pretty effective at keeping those areas clean. I’m enthusiastic about this mask not because it’s a unique product, but because it’s made by NOW®. After meeting with the team earlier this month I now know how much research goes into everything they make. Those guys are huge science geeks, and geeks make the best skincare because it’s driven by research and not anecdotal evidence. And somehow they managed to make a boring charcoal mask seem exciting and awesome, so I look forward to using it every time. 🙂
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, White Charcoal Powder (from Ubame Oak Bark), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Stearic Acid (vegetable source), Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Kaolin, Bentonite, Phenoxyethanol & Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Natural Pear Blossom Fragrance, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Fruit Extract. *Certified organic.
NOW® Solutions skincare is not tested on animals. All of the products in the Charcoal Detox collection are vegan and don’t contain parabens, added synthetic fragrances or dyes.
