Good for the grill, and your face? Ellen weighs in on the charcoal trend

Charcoal for your cheeks? It's a beauty trend that's still gaining steam.
Charcoal for your cheeks? It's a beauty trend that's still gaining steam. (Ada Summer / Getty Images)

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Charcoal seems to be having more than a moment. I'm seeing it in cosmetics and even a bottled drink of charcoal lemonade (ingredients: alkaline water, lemon agave and activated charcoal). What is your take on this stuff?

— Curious


Dear Curious: Yup, charcoal seems to be everywhere. The lemonade you mention is being billed as a detox beverage, but the color (black) is pretty off-putting. No, I haven't tried it and don't plan to, but I guess it can't hurt you. After all, activated charcoal has been used for years in emergency rooms to treat poisonings and alcohol and drug overdoses. It's also used in water purification. It's just carbon treated to increase absorption. A quick survey at Target, drugstores and cosmetics superstores turns up a giant array of these products: face masks (Biore Charcoal Self Heating One Minute Mask, drugstores; Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask,, teeth whitening (; toothpaste powder), soap (Yes to Tomatoes, and even dry shampoo (Briogeo Scalp Revival, I've heard good things about the face masks with charcoal, if you have oily skin. (Those with dry skin should skip it.) Many of the cosmetics use burned bamboo as their basis. But activated charcoal can come from coconut husk, wood or peat too. The charcoal mask does attract oil, but you do look a weird shade of gray while you use the mask. You might ask, why charcoal? Because it's there, and the beauty industry is constantly trying to entice us with something new. Remember BB and CC creams a couple of years back? You'd never heard of them, and all of a sudden they were everywhere? Same thing with charcoal.

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: It's been at least three years since my moth problem began. I used those sticky "clothes moth traps with pheromones" even before you recommended them, and they seem to have worked. But that was after I found a 6-by-6-inch section of my rug eaten down to the backing. I wonder if the wool-eating moths came in on a thrift shop item? Don't know, but it hasn't stopped me from thrifting!

— Louise S.

Dear Louise: Thrifting is addictive so I can understand why a moth infestation hasn't deterred you. And yes, it's a good bet those moths hitched a ride on an item you bought at a thrift store. As a precaution I put all thrifted clothing — especially my wool and cashmere purchases — in the dryer or the freezer to kill moth eggs. Dry cleaning is another option. I learned these tricks from my author friends Peggy and Allison Engel, whose comprehensive book "Thrift Style" (with co-author Reise Moore) is just out now (, $10.87). If you want to get your thrifting passions heated up and your techniques fine-tuned, this is the book for you. (Incidentally, moths are addressed in Chapter 7, Page 133). Also, you'll want to check out their blog,

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: When I complained of aching feet, my podiatrist told me I shouldn't wear flip-flops because they have no support and recommended orthotics to put in my shoes. Many of my favorite shoes won't accommodate the orthotics, and I am having trouble giving up my flips. Suggestions?

— Bella B.

Dear Bella: I can't give up my flips either, but I've recently tried out a brand called Oofos that are a bit ugly but heavenly cushy and do have arch support. Obviously, you can't wear your orthotics with them, and a major drawback is the price: $45-$50 on One friend says her foot doctor actually recommended them, and I've tried them and coveted them but haven't been able to pull the trigger because I can get flips for $5 (and sometimes 2 for $5) at Old Navy.

And another comfy shoe query…

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: My husband and I will be in Poland for several days, then on to Bordeaux for a river boat trip. I saved an older column that you wrote regarding wardrobe and shoes. Unfortunately, it seems that Aerosoles no longer makes some of the shoes that you recommended. Could you revisit this for me?

— Susan P.

Dear Susan: I had the same problem. I went to order a pair of my tried-and-true comfy (and passably attractive) black nubuck "Nashville" Aerosoles, and (of course), they no longer make them. So, I ordered another model that looked roughly the same. I wore them around the house and had a heel blister in — I'm not kidding — under 5 minutes. Boom! I returned them. Then my sister recommended Rothy's (, which are seamless flats made of recycled water bottles, knit with one continuous thread. I bought some small $10 drugstore orthotics for a little support, which fit inside fine, and I love the way the shoes feel. They come in two models, round toe ("The Flat," $125) and pointy toe ("The Point," $145). As you know, I am a very frugal shopper, but I splurged here because I can wear them night or day without rubbing, blisters or pain. I strongly suggest that whatever shoes you plan for your trip, walk around in your house to make sure they won't hurt, and if there's the slightest doubt, return them and keep looking for your dream shoe.

Angelic Readers

I put on NYX lip liner in the morning and that's it. I don't need lipstick. It lasts all day, even through workouts and lunch. If I am going out in the evening, I will touch up with an application of lipstick over it. (Talk about frugal!)

— Marlene M.


Now it's your turn
