If you’re thinking back to history class when you learned about Mount Vesuvius’ eruption burying Pompeii in volcanic ash, you’re on the right track. That’s the same type of volcanic ash we’re talking about, but with a happier ending.

According to the Volcanic Ashfall Impacts Working Group, volcanic ash consists of fragments of rocks, minerals, and volcanic glass that forms during explosive volcanic eruptions. In the beauty world, these particles serve as nature’s exfoliator.

“Volcanic ash is a combination of natural ingredients including bentonite clay and sulfur,” says Peterson Pierre, MD, a board certified specialist in dermatology and cosmetic dermatology at the Pierre Skin Care Institute in Thousand Oaks, California. “Its high mineral content gives it antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.”

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