Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The Best Charcoal Grooming Products for Better Hair and Skin

Charcoal. The substance that turns your teeth black while brushing and your steak medium-well by grilling. Pretty crazy, right? Actually, those two charcoals are slightly different. Activated charcoal — the charcoal used for health purposes — is the type we want to focus on. Aside from leaving your teeth pearly white, activated charcoal also is great at stripping away dirt from your skin and hair.

Whether you’ve been exposed to charcoal grooming products or not, there are picks out there for every kind of use. Shampoos, conditioners, face washes, face masks, body washes, the list goes on. Fortunately, we rolled up our sleeves and sifted through the vast selection of choices out there to give you a better idea of how to add activated charcoal to your grooming routine. Enjoy!

Recommended Videos

Best Body Wash: Every Man Jack Activated Charcoal Body Wash

Every Man Jack Body Wash Charcoal

Every Man Jack knocks it out of the park with this activated charcoal body wash. They add ingredients like salicylic acid to control breakouts, and aloe and tea tree oils to replenish and refresh the skin. Eliminating dirt, fighting blemishes, and moisturizing like there’s no tomorrow, this is your do-it-all body wash.

Check this out! Use our code MANUAL at checkout to receive 20% off all activated charcoal products. The offer excludes the Modern Man’s Kit — it’s already discounted!

Best Face Cleanser: Lumin No-Nonsense Charcoal Cleanser

Lumin Charcoal Cleanser
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Lumin’s Charcoal Cleanser unclogs pores and removes dead skin cells so well tht we recommend using it at all times of the day. Whether it be during your morning shower or before bed — or post-workout at the gym — this is an easy face wash to add to your repertoire.

Best Face Mask: Le Labo Face Mask

Le Labo Charcoal Face Mask

Known for its in-house fragrances, Le Lebo also offers several knockout grooming products. This charcoal face mask is free of parabens and vegan-friendly. Apply a thin layer and let the detox set in for no longer than 10 minutes — you’ll feel moisturized and refreshed immediately.

Best Charcoal Bar: Baxter of California Charcoal Bar

Baxter of California Charcoal Bar

Baxter makes a trustworthy deep cleaning and detoxifying bar packed full of top dirt-removing ingredients: activated charcoal, bentonite clays, and kaolin. Oh, and they’ve blended the bar with smoked wood and hemp grass to invoke a fresh masculine scent.

Best for the Gym: Art of Sport Activated Charcoal Body Bar

Art of Sports Charcoal Bar

Grooming products can disappear quickly when you’re on a workout regimen. Luckily, Art of Sport makes an activated charcoal bar soap that tackles dirt and sweat while adding moisturizing shea butter and tea tree oils. They also come in a wallet-friendly 2-pack, so you can keep one at your crib and carry the other in your gym bag.

Best Shampoo: OGX Purifying + Charcoal Detox Shampoo

OGX Charcoal Shampoo

When it comes to charcoal shampoo, you want one that sucks away dirt without stripping any of your hair’s natural oils. OGX has always made great, affordable hair products, and that’s why we know this coconut charcoal and kaolin clay detox will get the job done. Your mane will have a nice full shine to it after application; just make sure you remember to brush it.

More Great Charcoal Grooming Products

Oars + Alps Blue Charcoal Bar Soap

Oars + Alps Charcoal Bar

Oars + Alps makes an affordable, charcoal bar that pulls dirt and sweat away to leave your skin clear and blemish-free. Other ingredients include volcanic sand to gently buff and exfoliate, as well as blue-green algae and witch hazel extract to balance the skin and reduce excess oil.

Voodoo Activated Charcoal Shampoo Bar

Voodoo Charcoal Bar

Shampoo bars are efficient and environmentally friendly. Voodoo Black’s bar is packed with the equivalent of 27 fluid ounces of liquid shampoo, and it’s made free of sulfates, silicone, and parabens. Plus, we’ll let you in on a little secret about shampoo bars; they’re travel friendly.

Kiehl’s Age Defender Dual-Action Exfoliating Cleanser

Kiehls Charcoal Exfoliating Charcoal Cleanser

Made with charcoal and Moroccan Lava Clay, Kiehl’s created this 2-in-1 to pull away dirt and oil while reducing fine lines and improving skin texture. The cleanser can be used as a daily face wash, or as a face mask — simply apply and let the cleanser dry for 5 minutes when choosing the latter.

Shea Moisture African Black Soap Charcoal Shampoo

Shea Moisture Charcoal Shampoo

Shea Moisture’s African Black Soap products are for those who take moisturizing seriously. Their Charcoal Shampoo is held to the same high standards. Your hair and scalp will be left feeling refreshed after it rigorously cleans dirt away.

Dove Men Charcoal + Clay Shampoo

Dove Charcoal Shampoo
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Dove Men makes an easy go-to charcoal shampoo. Made with 90% naturally derived ingredients and loaded with plant-based cleansers, you get a sustainable shampoo that purifies and enriches. It’s a win-win.

John Thompson
Former Digital Trends Contributor
John Thompson is a copywriter and content creator specializing in men’s lifestyle and sports. He’s often on the ground…
The best men’s grooming products for hair: The ultimate list
Keep your hair looking its best in 2024 with these products
Man getting hair washed in salon

One of the very first things people notice about us when they meet us is our hair. Whether you rock the bald look like Dwayne Johnson, the perfect quaff like Chris Evans, or the long flowing locks of Jason Mamoa, your hair sends a message.

However, no matter which hairstyle you like to sport, taking care of your hair is key to ensuring you always look and feel your best. That is why we here at The Manual spend tons of time testing and searching for the best in grooming products, culminating in the annual Grooming Awards.

Read more
The best men’s grooming products for your face: Our top picks
Keep Your Face Looking Young with These Procucts
closeup of man with wet face standing by water

Men go through a lot to get ready every day. We may not get a lot of credit or grace when it comes to getting ourselves prepared for the day, but we should be going through just as long of a process to get ready as women. We have to put together a great suit. We have to spend time on our hair to get just the right hairstyle. We need to learn how to get a great shave. And we need to find the right body grooming and colognes to make sure we always look our best. And, front and center of all that is our face. Taking care of our moneymaker is imperative to putting our best self forward. That is why we released our 2024 Grooming Awards; giving you all the information you need about the best grooming products on the market.

However, knowing the right products to have is only half the battle. Now, we have to help you understand how to use them and in what order. So, we have taken our favorite face products and put them together in a morning routine and an evening routine to help you make some sense of the information. But before we jump into that, there are two things you need to know about your skin.
Know your skin type
 

Read more
5 new men’s grooming products you should know about
Update your skincare routine with these 5 new men's grooming products
Guy looking at his skin in mirror.

When was the last time you updated your grooming products? We know looking at the endless number of items in stores and online is overwhelming and exhausting, but you need to take care of yourself. To make it a little simpler, here are five new men's grooming products to try out.
Act+Acre Daily Hydro Scalp Serum

If you don't know healthy hair starts with your scalp, it's time to rethink your hair care routine. If you have an itchy scalp, notice your hair tends to break, or have never thought to show your scalp some love, the Act+Acre Daily Hydro Scalp Serum will take care of everything.

Read more