BOY OH BOY WHERE DO I START?!
Who knew that adding Kishu Binchotan charcoal sticks to your water would kill bacteria & purify it water like a boss.
To be real, you could even take a bath with it to improve circulation & detoxify, but we’ll get to that.
A TSC reader DM’d me on Instagram & told me I had to add charcoal to my water immediately. Obviously, I did what I always do…went off & researched everything, then decided to test it for 3 months before I talked with you guys about it.
I.AM.OBSESSED.
You can’t go wrong here really. This is one of those TSC tips that’s affordable, effective & just really belongs on the master list.
But before we get deeper into this, lets figure out how it works. Kishu – an activated charcoal sticks which is extremely porous – when added to water binds with toxic molecules, it acts as a powerful magnet for removing toxins. It’s like a water filter that attracts contaminant found in tap water. Unlike other filters that does multi step process or which require high temperatures to kill bacteria, this charcoal stick you just need to dip in to your water and that’s it!
It is made from natural oak branches not from coconut shell or bamboo although coconut shells can also be a good product for charcoal.
These charcoal sticks were being used as water purifiers in Japan since the 17th century.
Don’t mean to brag, but I’m excited about this one. Ok, I feel like I’m being a cocktease, let’s get to all the benefits of charcoal infused little black sticks.
Benefits of charcoal infused water (kishu charcoal):
♡ it’s a green way to filter tap water- environmentally friendly.
♡ fits in water bottles.
♡ a fabulous green alternative to plastic filters like Brita.
♡ infuses water with minerals.
♡ detoxifies & removes toxins from water ( without chemicals ).
♡ reusable: one stick lasts 4 months.
♡ softens water & make it taste better.
All you have to do is simply drop a charcoal stick into your bottle or glass of water & it starts filtering & purifying immediately. You don’t have to remove the stick after a certain amount of time- just leave it in. You wonder what charcoal infused water tastes like? It is tasteless and nontoxic.
Some very TSC ways to EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY use of charcoal sticks:
♡ add it to a bubble bath.
♡ put it in a water pitcher with lemon, mint, lime & ginger.
♡ drop it in your Hydro Flask ( if you haven’t read this post on why you need one you’re missing out on life itself ).
♡ pop a stick in your tea.
♡ drop one in your pedicure foot soak.
The great thing about this is they’re affordable, they last for 4 months & they’re easy to have on hand. They’re recyclable too- you can use them over & over. One stick can cover a large surface area – like your bathtub. It has wide range of uses and health benefits.
The ones I bought are from Amazon, but make sure you get the Kishu ones. It’s the highest grade of Japanese oak charcoal.
“Kishu is a finely crafted form of activated charcoal also called activated carbon. By heating wood to an extremely high temperature, usually in a kiln, and slowly depriving it of oxygen, the wood becomes carbonized. Kishu Charcoal is 97% pure carbon. This pure form of carbon readily adsorbs or bonds with toxins, principally metals, at the molecular level. Kishu Charcoal has been found to be effective at reducing: LEAD, MERCURY, COPPER, ALUMINUM, URANIUM, and MOLYBDENUM to name a handful of those we tested. In addition, Kishu Charcoal imparts three minerals: Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium.” { via }
These are a totally natural alternative to other water purifying systems. I really am obsessed.
BEWARE: they will make your fingers black. So if you’re handling them after a fresh manicure, be sure to use a paper towel when you pick them up. Other than that, there’s really no downside to adding charcoal to your water.
I feel like these little sticks deserve their own post on .and.the.skinny.was.like…thoughts?
What the most random, weird hack you’ve discovered lately that we all need to know about?
Alright, I GTG drink my lemon infused, charcoal ginger water, & watch Vanderpump Rules. Why is this show so good? I can’t stop.
x, lauryn+
+ The perfect water pitcher for charcoal & fresh fruit medleys.
++ Learn how to create your own eucalyptus shower.
Get On Board With Charcoal
Hmm that seems really cool! I have never heard anything about these, but they are so interesting! I definitely need to try these out.
-Kate
https://daysofkate.com
Thanks for sharing so useful information, I may try this charcoal filters soon.
thank you for reading!