Activated charcoal (also called activated carbon) is simply regular charcoal which has been "activated" using processes like steam or air at high temperatures to oxidize the charcoal.

Once activated, the charcoal and its countless tiny pores become highly adsorptive.

This is what make activated charcoal so effective-it separates 'bad' things from 'good' things. One of the most common industrial uses is to purify water—the charcoal adsorbs pollutants and other impurities and allows clean water to pass through. In fact, if you use a Brita-type water pitcher at home, you're already using activated charcoal in that cartridge insert to purify your water.

Note: This stuff is messy! Our activated charcoal powder is very fine, which is what allows it to do so many good things for your teeth, skin and body. But, you should be careful about where you open the bag and how you apply it as it wants to get into everything and can be hard to clean out of unwanted places!