You might have noticed recently while walking up an down Sephora or your favorite drugstore that it’s hard to avoid bumping into a product with charcoal in it. This black magical powder has the ability to draw out 100 to 200 times its weight in impurities so people with oily and acne-prone skin (although not limited to only these types) can really benefit from it. Nowadays you can find charcoal in just about anything: masks, face wash, pore strips, cleansing cotton swabs—you name it.

Activated charcoal is also great in DIY’s because you can make your own mask, use it as an eyeliner, and can even help whiten your teeth. It’s one of those products you need to try to understand how great of a multi-tasker it really is.

If you’re new to the charcoal game and don’t know where to start, here are a few products we think you’re going to want to try:

charcoal1Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge with Bamboo Charcoal, $15. There are plenty of face washes out there with charcoal in them but why replace your existing face wash when you can just use this little sponge with your exisiting face wash? This sponge contains charcoal and is great as an everyday gentle exfoliator so it’s really going to leave your skin not only feeling but looking incredibly clean and smooth.

charcoal2Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask, $58. This mask is perfect for those times when your skin just needs a good detox. It contains activated charcoal, Irish moor mud to deliver amino acids and vitamins, and hijiki seaweed to hydrate so it’s doing more than just deep cleansing. A must for all skin types.

charcoal3Dr. Jart+ Pore Minimalist Mask, $7.50. Another great charcoal mask but this time from Korea. This mask is recommend more for oily skin types and acne-prone skin as it helps purify pores as well as getting rid of excess sebum and pimples. Aside from charcoal, it contains spearmint extract to help with pore elasticity and arginine to help clarify the pores. The perfect mask for the warmer months to come.