Activated Charcoal Teeth Whitening

Blackening your teeth to a whiter smile!

Ok, I’m going to be completely honest here.   

I am not a big fan of my smile… even though I love to do it!

My opinion of it isn’t as bad as it used to be, but it’s still there none the less.

The nerves to my front tooth were damaged at one point and now it has a yellow tint.  My teeth aren’t pearly white, but that one always sticks out like a sore thumb.  For the longest time it made me so self-conscious, but now I’m too comfortable with myself to care.

However, I am always chasing after the proverbial whitening care.  I use whitening toothpaste, but my teeth always stay the same.  The gunk on the white strips annoy me, plus the cost is outrageous. 

This is why a comment I received on my Charcoal Face mask post really got my attention.  This person used activated charcoal to clean and whiten their teeth. 

I admit that I have seen this before, but with all my issues about wanting whiter teeth, the thought about brushing black powder all over them was a little terrifying.  However, this person swore by it and the great results that they got.  With a shrug and a deep breath, I tried it out.  I couldn’t be happier.  My teeth look and feel amazing.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Activated Charcoal
Small Bowl
New Toothbrush
Water

That’s it!

There’s no need for any harsh chemicals added with it.  It works just fine on its own.

I used two activated charcoal pills and pulled them apart to dump the powder in the small bowl. 

**Yes, it gets messy.  Even after doing this numerous times, I still get black all over my fingers.**

Grab your toothbrush. 

**The charcoal doesn’t fully come out of the brush when rinsed afterward, so you will want a new toothbrush or one that you don’t plan on using again for everyday brushing.**

Rinse your toothbrush with water, then place it in the charcoal.  The water will help adhere the charcoal to the brush.

Start brushing your teeth like normal.

**When reading up on this, I saw that someone suggested to not breathe in through your mouth while doing this so you don’t choke down the powder.  I didn’t have a problem, but I could see how someone might.  Good advice!**

Keep brushing. 

If you think you need more charcoal, place the brush once again in the small bowl and continue brushing.

Once you’ve brushed every last part of your teeth, multiple times, let it sit for a minute.

Rinse.

Rinse some more.  It will take a lot of rinsing to get all the black off. 

I recommend using your normal toothbrush and toothpaste to get the remaining black residue off your teeth.  This will also help with the little bit that’s hard to get from the crevices in between your teeth and gums. 

You should notice a difference right away.

Two weeks after I tried this, I had a dentist appointment and wanted his take on this whole thing.  He told me that he had never read any studies on it, but has heard of the health benefits from charcoal in the past.  He didn’t see anything wrong with it, and even the dental hygienist commented on how good my teeth looked and how little she had to clean.

**Side note: I was told very firmly to never use anything acidic (lemon, etc.) on my teeth and gums, natural or otherwise.  Those will damage your mouth more than help it.**

Some things you need to know before trying:

• This gets messy! Not just the breaking open of the pills.  There is splatter from brushing and the gigantic mess from rinsing.  It’s inevitable, but also easy to clean when all is said and done.

• I don’t recommend doing this every day or every other day.  I know that after one time my gums were a little sore for a couple of days, but quickly went back to normal.

With those things in mind, I hope you try this out for yourself and let me know what you think.

I was happy with my results, and definitely plan on doing it again. I’m thinking once every couple of months to stay on top of keeping them looking nice.

So far I have used activated charcoal as a peel off face mask, and now as a teeth whitener.  What other things have you used activated charcoal for, and what did you think of the results?

Comment below to let me know!

Until next time…

Happy DIY-ing!!!

Lemon-Berry Sugar Scrub

It summertime! It’s time for swimsuits, sunshine, smooth skin, and zesty smells to liven things up.  I have something that helps with two of those, and gets you in the mood for the rest.

This ALL-NATURAL scrub exfoliates the skin, making it nice and smooth while bringing in the fresh smell of summer.  After using this, you’ll want to put on that bathing suit, make your favorite tropical drink, and lay out to soak up some sun.

What you need:

3 cups granulated sugar
¾ cups dried strawberries and blueberries; before grinding
½ cup Almond Oil
2 tsp. Strawberry Extract
Zest from a small lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
Sifter, bowl, & spoon
Storage jar

**I couldn’t find specifically dried strawberries and I wanted something quick so I didn’t dry them out myself.  Instead, I found a package of dried mixed fruit and picked out the strawberries and blueberries.**

Pour your granulated sugar into a bowl.

Blend or grind the dried fruit.  **I used a coffee grinder.**

Sift the dried fruit powder onto the sugar in the bowl.  This helps to remove the larger pieces that could hurt the skin.

Mix together.

**I ran the sugar and fruit mixture through the sifter a couple times together to make sure all the larger piece were removed.**

Stir in the almond oil and the strawberry extract.

When everything is well mixed, zest a lemon over the top.

 

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half onto the sugar scrub. Mix well.

This fills four 8oz wide mouth Mason jars to keep as spares, or to give as little gifts.

 

I printed off a cute label, tied it with my hemp twine that I love so much, and handed it off.  One jar went to my mom, another went to a woman I look at as a second mom, and the third went to her daughter; my best friend.  The fourth… well, the fourth went to me, of course.

This was a great little addition to our kitchen sink area.  Whenever my hands felt chapped or I wanted to feel slightly pampered, it was right there within arm’s reach.    

**It lasted me quite a while, but to keep it fresher longer, store in the refrigerator.**

What scent is most appealing to you?

What other scrubs have you made before?

Comment below to let me know!

Until next time…

Happy DIY-ing!!!

Charcoal Peel-Off Face Mask

Just recently we had a weekend that was filled with soccer games.  I LOVE to watch my kids play! I love the excitement and intensity of it all. 

However… A person’s face really takes a beating in the sun, wind, and numerous other elements.  When we got home on Sunday, after two days of games, my face felt horrendous.  It was gritty, rubbery, and just made me feel dirty. 

I remember researching peel off masks, and figured it was the perfect time to try one. 

It's time to get up-close and personal...

This mask was so simple to make, and only 4 things were needed.

2 oz. Elmers Glue (Yes, the same stuff you used in elementary school and would rub all over your hands… Ok, well I did that anyway.)

4 Activated Charcoal Capsules
A brush, and a bowl

**Why use charcoal?  I thought it was just to give it the black color, and you could better see what was pulled off.  I was so wrong!  Activated charcoal is used to draw out toxins in your body.  It can “adsorb” thousands of times its own weight of harmful substances. The toxin binds to the charcoal, and when the mask is peeled off, so are the toxins from your face. Click here for more facts about activated charcoal.**

First things first, pour your glue into the bowl.  I used a disposable bowl which made clean-up easier.

Pull apart the capsules and dump the charcoal into the glue.  This was a little harder than expected.  You would think that they would just pull apart.  No such luck! They broke, one slipped out of my fingers and landed in the glue, and it got a little messy.

              

Ok, a lot messy!

Use the brush and mix it all together.  You want the glue to be at a watery consistency to where it “slimes” off the brush.

Take off all makeup and prep your face.  Wet a rag with warm water and drape it over your face.  This is to open the pores and make it easier for the mask to reach everything.

Yep, that's me under there...

Time to do a little artwork! Take your brush and just start painting your face.  Be sure to avoid all hair!
                                                                                                                                                  

I was only going to put it on my problem areas, but when I was working, I realized that my problem areas were most of my face.  So I just covered it all!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

**Careful for drips.  It stains.**

Let it dry.  This took around 30 minutes. 

One little spot on my cheek still was a little tacky after the 30 minutes, but I have a special tool for this…

Yep, a minute using my trusty hair dryer, and the mask was completely dry.  It had a matte look to it, and my face was stuck in place.

Starting from the bottom, slowly peel it up and off your face.

I had heard many people say how painful it was.  Not to me.  It was like any other peel off mask.  That was until I got to my eyebrows.  I got too close with my mask and covered some hair.  Let’s just say that I got a facial and my eyebrows shaped, all in one swoop.

It was great though.  I’ve never had a mask come off mostly in one piece before.  It left a few pieces here and there, but nothing a wet rag couldn’t handle.

There, it was done, and I had survived the DIY Charcoal Mask.  It was time to inspect the results.

I looked down at the mask, expecting to see all these white little pieces that were pulled from my pores.  There were none!  That was a little disappointing because I know that they’re there. 

However…. And this is a big HOWEVER!

My face felt amazing! It was smooth, it no longer felt gritty or rubbery. The bottom of my cheeks did turn red.  I'm assuming it was from the peach fuzz hair that was once there.  Not a problem.  I used a good moisturizer, and within the hour it was better. 

I know it’s hard to tell the difference between the before and after pictures, but there was a definite change in the feel. 

It gave me a whole new sense of energy, and it was just what I needed after the full soccer weekend. I definitely see myself doing this again; mess or no mess…

Have you ever used activated charcoal for anything?

What is your favorite peel off mask?

Comment below to let me know!

If you enjoyed this, take a look at how I used activated charcoal to whiten my teeth!

Until next time…

Happy DIY-ing!!