Listen up when we tell you: charcoal is going to be HUGE.

Charcoal is actually pretty miraculous stuff – and not just for barbecueing kebabs. As an ingredient, it can draw chemicals, grime, oil, bacteria and toxins out of the skin, absorbing them so that they can be rinsed away – hence the word ‘Detox’ in the name of this product, from cult beauty name Clark’s Botanicals. (Which is going great guns at Space NK, BTW.)

This is at the pricier end of the charcoal spectrum, but it’s interesting. You put a dollop around the size of a 10p piece onto damp skin morning or evening – we’d suggest every few days, if skin is either drab or oil-prone – and massage into the complexion. Miraculously, the black charcoal turns to white and can then be rinsed away. (With all the aforementioned nasties.) Used like this, it’s a sort of deep cleanser.

Alternatively, leave it on for a three-minute blitz that really does brighten skin. (A great wake-up call for dull skin on these weary winter mornings.)

Sounds drying – but it’s not, because beside the two different types of charcoal (as well as bamboo), plus something called ‘jojoba oil golden’. And the product itself looks pretty amazing: a deep black, but with a golden shimmer we definitely never saw on a barbecue.

You’re absolutely going to be coming over to the dark side, in 2019. And this is an interesting place to start.

£50 for 140ml – buy here

Prize Draws