It's no secret that clay has tons of benefits for your body. You can put clay on your body, face, and even your hair for the ultimate purifying treatment. There are tons of clay masks out there, but it's hard to know which mask to pick.
A few of the most popular kinds of clay that you'll find are bentonite, kaolin, and French green clay. Kaolin clay absorbs oil and helps exfoliate the skin, bentonite absorbs oil and bacteria, and there's even research that shows it may help relieve dermatitis, and French green clay absorbs oil and gets its green color from decomposed plant matter. Clay can also help tighten pores.
I have extremely dry skin and am not particularly prone to oil or breakouts, so I rarely feel the need to reach for a clay mask. Recently, however, I experienced a stress-induced breakout, and my usual pimple patches just weren't cutting it. My roommate, who has experienced hormonal breakouts for years, swears by one particular clay mask—she says that after a bout of really difficult hormonal acne in college, this is the only thing that helped. With her glowing endorsement in mind, I ordered myself the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay.
This $13 face mask is made of pure bentonite clay and comes in powder form that you mix with equal parts water to activate. The label says to be sure to use a non-metal bowl and utensil to mix, so I used a plastic measuring spoon to mix it. After I got the clay to a smooth paste, I applied it to my face and let it dry for around 15 minutes. You can leave it on for up to 20 minutes if you're not sensitive.
It can be difficult to remove clay masks, so I recommend using a wet washcloth and rinsing it out after every section of your face that you take the mask off of. Your skin might be a bit red right after you take the mask off, but it should even out quickly.
I honestly wasn't expecting any immediate results, but I was shocked by how fast the mask worked on my skin. Thirty minutes after taking the mask off, I noticed that the pimple on my cheek had already shrunk slightly and was less inflamed than before, and the texture and redness on my forehead were gone. I can now see why my roommate likes this mask so much, and I'll continue to use it any time I experience a breakout. You can use it once a week or anytime your skin needs a little TLC.
Other clay masks that work miracles:
Tatcha's latest launch is this purifying clay mask, which is powered by Okinawa Kucha clay to absorb oil and exfoliate dead skin. This mask changes color and warms up as it's on the skin, thanks to Japanese volcanic ash. The warming sensation helps open pores even more than a traditional clay mask, drawing out maximum dirt and sebum from the skin.
With kaolin clay, bentonite clay, and charcoal, this mask works wonders to draw out impurities. Perfect for stressed skin that needs deep cleaning from dirt, environmental pollutants, and oil, consider this pore-shrinking mask a reset button for your skin.
I'd trust SkinCeuticals with just about everything, and its clay mask for acne-prone skin is just as good as you'd expect. It has kaolin and bentonite clays to absorb oil and impurities, and it also has a blend of hydroxy acids to exfoliate, while aloe and chamomile work together to soothe.
In a clinical study, 63% of participants noted that this mask helped visibly reduce the size of their pores. Volcanic clusters help supercharge oil absorption.
Glamglow's Supermud mask is well-known to zap dirt and impurities and tighten and lift skin. It also has a blend of six different acids—lactic, salicylic, glycolic, mandelic, tartaric, and pyruvic—to help brighten and slough off dead skin cells.
I tried this face mask recently and immediately fell in love with its gently purifying and evening properties. This chocolate-scented mask is a great pick for more sensitive skin.
Kaolin and bentonite clay work together to draw out impurities and tighten the skin in this detox mask. It also has grape-seed polyphenols, which help curb blackhead formation.
With a blend of kaolin, montmorillonite, and Moroccan lava clay, this mask draws out dirt and oil and visibly brightens skin.
Volcanic, white, and French green clays work together to absorb oils and draw out impurities. This mask also has niacinamide, kombucha, and BHA to clarify skin and support your natural barrier.
Umbrian clay, which helps nourish and brighten skin, is the star of this face mask. Sandalwood oil works to clarify skin while soothing agents like chamomile and lavender calm, leaving skin soft and smooth.
If you have acne-prone skin, consider this mud mask your new favorite product. Bentonite clay is combined with tea-tree oil for the ultimate purifying mixture.
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