My feed is full of this black paste. Everyone swears it “detoxes” your pits.
The real question: is this just another pretty jar of greenwashing? I checked the label so you don’t have to.
It’s a gritty scrub from Kopari. $28 for 4 oz. They claim it “draws out impurities” for a “cleaner deodorant application.”
Binchotan Charcoal
Supposedly the “detox” agent.
Coconut Oil
Meant to moisturize after the scrub.
Sugar Crystals
The physical exfoliant — feels like wet sand.
Photo: Curology / Unsplash
Charcoal is great at binding to things in a lab setting. On your skin for 60 seconds? It’s mostly just turning your shower gray.
- Coconut Oil: Can actually clog pores for some — ironic for a ‘clean’ product.
- Sugar: A basic, effective physical exfoliant.
- Charcoal Powder: Provides the dramatic color, questionable detox.
- Glycerin: A humectant that actually does something — pulls moisture into skin.
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
Texture is a thick, oily paste with grit. Smells like a piña colada. It gets everywhere — black streaks in the shower, under your nails.
After two weeks, my underarms were definitely smoother. But “cleaner”? No noticeable change in odor or how my deodorant worked. The biggest surprise? It left a faint oily residue I had to soap off.
Photo: Ramez E. Nassif / Unsplash
Measurably smoother skin. Zero change in “detox” or odor control. It’s a fancy, overpriced physical exfoliant.
Photo: Ira Kuziv / Unsplash
It’s fine. But “clean” and “detox” are marketing fluff for a simple scrub. Don’t buy the hype.