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Garnier Charcoal Bar Solid Wash
Garnier

Garnier Charcoal Bar Solid Wash

Efficacy75/100IrritancyMedium
See all ingredients

Works for

Cleansing
Sodium palmate, Sodium cocoate
Cleanses gently
What the product description says
“Charcoal Bar Solid Wash”
Source: Supderdrug

This product works by removing dirt and oil from the surface of the skin. It uses a combination of mild cleansing agents (sodium cocoate, sodium palmate) and should be able to cleanse the skin gently. Still keep in mind that any cleansing can disrupt the skin barrier, and most people do not need to cleanse their skin more than once per day.

Sodium palmateEffect: HighWorks as a cleansing agent. Helps water and oil mix together~26–38%
Sodium cocoateEffect: HighWorks as a cleansing agent~9.4–14.1%
Anti-blemish
Zinc pca, Salicylic acid
Not delivered
What the product description says
“This bar is enriched with charcoal and salicylic acid to intensely cleanse skin to help prevent spots and reduce the appearance of skin concerns on face & body such as blackheads, clogged pores and excess oil.”
Source: Supderdrug

This product contains ingredients (zinc pca) that could help reduce blemishes and clogged pores in theory, but there is not enough evidence that they actually work.

Zinc pcaEffect: MediumA compound that combines zinc with a hydrating ingredient PCA. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Can help calm down inflammation in skin. Could be helpful in reducing the formation of free radicals in skin. Might help to reduce fine lines in wrinkles, but solid evidence is missing~1.3–2%
Salicylic acidUnder-dosedUsed for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)~0.05–0.15%

Can it cause trouble?

Irritancy
1 strong irritant: Parfum
Medium risk
We flagged 4 ingredients with irritancy potential. Severity depends on your sensitivity threshold; the table lists the worst offenders first.
IngredientFunctionIrritationEst. amount
ParfumAn aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredientsHigh~1.9–2.9%est.
Salicylic acidUsed for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)High~0.05–0.15%est.
Sodium palmateWorks as a cleansing agent. Helps water and oil mix togetherMedium~26–38%est.
Sodium cocoateWorks as a cleansing agentMedium~9.4–14.1%est.
Comedogenic
Clean of flagged comedogenic ingredients
None flagged

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Ingredients

Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.

Sodium palmate~26–38%
Irritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
Cleansing

Works as a cleansing agent. Helps water and oil mix together

More about Sodium palmate
Sodium cocoate~9.4–14.1%
Irritant · medium
Irritation risk
Medium
Works for
Cleansing

Works as a cleansing agent

More about Sodium cocoate
Water~4.7–7.1%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

Plain old water

More about Water
Glycerin~3.1–4.7%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low
Works for
Moisturizing

One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant

More about Glycerin
Parfum~1.9–2.9%
Irritant · high
Irritation risk
High

An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients

More about Parfum
Perlite~1.7–2.6%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

A type of volcanic glass. Absorbs moisture and can temporarily mattify the skin

More about Perlite
Zinc pca~1.3–2%
Key active
Irritation risk
Low
Works for
MoisturizingAnti-inflammatoryAnti-blemishAnti-oxidationAnti-aging

A compound that combines zinc with a hydrating ingredient PCA. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Can help calm down inflammation in skin. Could be helpful in reducing the formation of free radicals in skin. Might help to reduce fine lines in wrinkles, but solid evidence is missing

More about Zinc pca
Sodium chloride~0.85–1.25%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

Used to stabilize mixtures of oil and water, and create thicker, gel-like product textures

More about Sodium chloride
Sodium hydroxide~0.4–0.95%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

Used to adjust the product's pH

More about Sodium hydroxide
Charcoal powder~0.5–1.1%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

Benefits for the skin are not clear

More about Charcoal powder
Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate~0.05–0.2%
Formula
Irritation risk
Low

Helps stabilize the product formulation

More about Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate
Salicylic acid~0.05–0.15%
Under-dosedIrritant · high
Irritation risk
High
Works for
ExfoliationAnti-blemishAnti-inflammatoryAntibacterialEvens skin tone

Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)

More about Salicylic acid
Ingredient list view

Sodium palmate, Sodium cocoate, Water, Glycerin, Parfum, Perlite, Zinc pca, Sodium chloride, Sodium hydroxide, Charcoal powder, Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, Salicylic acid

Compare prices

Retailers ranked by price — lowest first.

🇬🇧 Supderdrug (UK)100 g
≈ $7.94 Out of stock
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🇬🇧 Amazon UK (UK)
Price unavailable Out of stock
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Worth comparing, line by line.

Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.

Side-by-side comparison of this product against its closest alternatives
GarnierCharcoal Bar Solid WashYOUR PRODUCTCliniqueAnti-Blemish Solutions Cleansing Bar for Face and BodyGrandpa Soap Co.Pine Tar Bar SoapMoroccanoilBody Soap
Match—46%46%45%
Price——$4.59$14.39
Shared key ingredients—4 of 43 of 43 of 4
Key difference—Salicylic AcidSodium Palm KernelateAgran Oil
Irritancy Medium Low Low Medium
Drying alcohol————
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Sources cited in this review

Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 7 studies and safety reviews.

  1. 1
    Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functionsncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. 2
    Zinc L-pyrrolidone carboxylate inhibits the UVA-induced production of matrix metalloproteinase-1 by in vitro cultured skin fibroblasts, whereas it enhances their collagen synthesisonlinelibrary.wiley.com
  3. 3
    Zinc Therapy in Dermatology: A Review hindawi.com
  4. 4
    Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive reviewncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  5. 5
    Beta Hydroxy Acidsfda.gov
  6. 6
    A review of toxicity from topical salicylic acid preparationssciencedirect.com
Garnier Charcoal Bar Solid Wash
GarnierCharcoal Bar Solid Wash
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Find on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate, WIMJ earns from qualifying purchases.