Beauty DIY: Charcoal To Whiten Dark Underarms

You might have heard about activated charcoal in advertisements of water purifiers and other stuff. The basic principle in those ads is that charcoal will attract and absorb all the harmful chemicals and toxins present in the water making it safe to drink. Well, the same principle can be applied to our body as well. There are a number of activated charcoal capsules present in the market that are made specifically to detox your body and getting rid of any toxins or pollutants. If you don’t know what toxins are or you think that you don’t need to swallow some black pills then you should think again. Toxins are all around us and they slowly suck the energy from us and leave us weak. Food items containing a high amount of sugar and other chemicals settle down in our body. Processed foods and other crappy food items are the reason these black pills were made. Charcoal binds itself to these chemicals and other harmful substances like intestinal gases, heavy metals, and poisons and flushes them out from our body.

Incorporating activated charcoal in your lifestyle can prove a healthy decision not just from the inside but from the outside as well. Deodorants containing alcohol and other environmental factors darken your underarms making it embarrassing for you to show them in public. Here are some remedies involving charcoal which will lighten up your underarms and remove the foul odor from them as well.

Charcoal and Water

You Will Need:

• 1 – 1/2 Tablespoon of Activated Charcoal Powder
• Water

How To:

• In a small bowl, put one and a half tablespoon of activated charcoal powder.
• Pour some water into the bowl and mix the ingredients until a thick pudding-like paste is made. Keeping adding the water little by little until the desired consistency is obtained.
• Apply a little coconut oil, or any other oil of your choice, on your underarms so that the charcoal doesn’t stick to your underarms. Spread the oil evenly in a thin layer.
• Use a brush or a cotton ball to spread the charcoal paste on your underarms. Try to use some gloves if you can’t find a brush or cotton ball as charcoal will stick to your fingers.
• Once applied, leave the charcoal mask from 10 minutes to half an hour depending on how dark your underarms are and how much time you have to spare. Try not to move too much as the mask starts cracking once it dries.
• Use lukewarm water to wash off the charcoal paste from your underarms. It can get really hard to remove the mask so try to be patient. You can also use a baking soda and warm water mixture to thoroughly remove the charcoal remnants.
• Massage your underarms with some oil or apply a light moisturizer to trap in the moisture from your skin.
• Repeat the process two to three times a week to get radiant and glowing underarms.
• Activated charcoal and water are one of the simplest remedies to lighten up your dark underarms. It doesn’t require much preparation and is very effective in doing its job. Be careful while using activated charcoal as it can stick to your skin very quickly and removing it may cause pain as well.

Charcoal and Honey

You Will Need:

• 2 Tablespoons of Charcoal Powder
• 2 Tablespoons of Honey

How To:

• Mix equal amounts of charcoal and raw honey together in a small bowl.
• Keep on mixing the ingredients until a thick, smooth and glossy paste is obtained. Add some more charcoal powder if the mixture gets a little thin or runny.
• Wash your armpits with lukewarm water to remove any impurities and open up the skin pores completely. Tap the skin dry with a clean towel.
• Gently spread a layer of the charcoal-honey paste on your armpits covering the darkened areas. Use a brush or popsicle to spread the paste in an even manner without ruining your hands.
• Let the mask sit for around for 15-20 minutes on your armpits.
• Wash off the mask by pouring warm water over it and rubbing with your hands. The mask can get stuck on the skin so be careful while removing it and try not to inflame your underarms.
• Use this method three times a week to improve the complexion of your armpits and make them brighter.

Honey is used in this method to somewhat diminish the harsh effects of charcoal on your skin. If not applied properly, charcoal can give your skin a burning sensation and turn it red. Honey has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties which soothe your skin and decrease the burning sensation. Honey also helps in locking down the moisture in your skin, keeping it hydrated and soft.

Charcoal and Lemon Juice

You Will Need

• 2-3 Tablespoons of Activated Charcoal Powder
• 4-5 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice

How To:

• Put a couple of tablespoons of charcoal powder in a small bowl and then add double the amount of lemon juice to it.
• Mix both the ingredients carefully to make a thick, smooth and lump-free paste. Make sure the paste is lump-free.
• Apply some olive oil or coconut oil on your armpits as well as your hands to prevent the charcoal from sticking too much.
• Just spread the paste on your armpits and distribute it, in an even fashion, all around the underarms. Use your hands only if you have applied some oil on it.
• Wait for half an hour for the paste to get dried and settle on your armpits. You should feel a slight burning sensation in your underarms due to the lemon juice.
• Use lukewarm water along with a damp towel to remove the charcoal mask completely from your underarms. Pat your skin dry with a normal, clean and dried towel.
• Repeat this whole method twice or thrice a week to get rid of the darkened underarms and make them brighter.
• Lemon is nature’s very own bleaching agent. It is rich in vitamin C as well as citric acid which makes lemon a very crucial ingredient for improving the skin tone in both homemade and commercial products. Regular application of this charcoal and lemon mask will not only detox your armpits making them cleaner, it will also impart a certain glow to it making them brighter than usual.