Clay face mask: homemade or ready-made products?

It would seem, what could be easier than making a clay-based face mask? Pharmacies and stores are full of dry mixes specifically for this purpose. Here is just one question: is a homemade mask so useful compared to ready-made clay-based products? Let’s try to answer as detailed as possible.

The benefits and effectiveness of clay masks

Natural clay is just a godsend for lovers of homemade cosmetics. You don’t have to be a great chemist to prepare a mask based on it, but the result is always there – and instant.

  • Clay has absorbent properties, which means it draws impurities out of the pores.

  • Another effect is mineralization. Let’s not forget that clay is a storehouse of all kinds of mineral compounds necessary for the skin.

Answer the questions of our test and find out which mask is right for you.

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Mechanism of action on the skin

Thanks to its absorbent properties, clay draws impurities out of the pores.

“Natural clay has an excellent cleansing and light drying effect. Soothes, absorbs excess sebum, visibly tightens pores. Clay is also known for its antiseptic properties. With regular use of products based on this substance, the complexion improves, the skin looks fresh, ”says L’Oréal Paris expert Marina Kamanina.

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Varieties of clay

Let’s focus on the four main types of clay.

  1. Bentonite is an excellent absorbent and rich in minerals. It is used to solve oily skin problems, as well as for detox, which is especially necessary for city dwellers.

  2. Green (French) clay, in addition to cleansing, has antiseptic properties, which means it is suitable for problem skin.

  3. White clay (kaolin) – the softest variety, used to cleanse the skin of any type, including sensitive and dry.

  4. Rassoul (Ghassoul) – Moroccan black clay is good for detox and mineralization of the skin.

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Homemade mask or ready-made product?

In dry form, cosmetic clay is a powder. To activate the product, it is enough to dilute it with water. A variety of components can be added to the composition. No wonder homemade clay masks are so popular. We asked an expert L’Oréal Paris Marina Kamanina, why do we need factory-made cosmetic masks, if we can prepare a beauty product with our own hands.

© L’Oréal Paris

“Ready-made cosmetic products are good because the clay that is part of them is thoroughly cleaned and does not contain microorganisms. And this is very important, given that it is obtained from the soil.

The texture of the finished cosmetic masks is more uniform, does not contain lumps that are found in homemade clay masks and can injure the skin upon application. There is only one minus for factory-made products – a higher cost compared to a homemade mask.

There are practically no contraindications for the use of such masks, except for increased dryness of the skin. For oily and combination types, clay masks are used 2-3 times a week, for normal – 1-2 times a week.

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Clay face mask: recipes and remedies

We collected homemade masks based on different types of clay, weighed the pros and cons and compared them with ready-made products from different brands. User feedback is attached.

Mask for oily skin

Purpose: cleanse pores, remove excess sebum, defeat blackheads and prevent their appearance.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon bentonite clay;

1-2 tablespoons of water;

1 tablespoon oatmeal (crushed in a blender);

4 drops of tea tree oil.

How to cook:

  1. mix clay and oatmeal;

  2. dilute with water to a paste state;

  3. add essential oil;

  4. mix.

How to use:

  • apply on the face in an even layer;

  • leave for 10-15 minutes;

  • remove with water and sponge (or wet towel).

Editorial opinion. Tea tree oil is a well-known antiseptic. With a tendency to rashes, this component will not hurt. As for oatmeal, it soothes and softens. And yet, we do not remove our main complaint about this mask: bentonite clay dries and tightens the skin. And this is one of the main reasons why we vote for a factory-made clay mask with a balanced composition that cannot be replicated in the kitchen.

Mineral Pore Purifying Clay Mask, Vichy contains not only kaolin, moisturizing and soothing ingredients are added to its composition: aloe vera and allantoin. And all this is mixed with mineral-rich Vichy water.

Mask for dry skin

Purpose: ensure cleanliness and freshness without discomfort, and at the same time nourish the skin with vitamins.

Ingredients:

  • 8 teaspoons of kaolin (white clay);

  • ½ teaspoon of liquid honey;

  • 1 teaspoon warm water;

  • ¼ teaspoon of bee pollen;

  • 4 drops of propolis.

It is useful to add a little honey to the cleansing mask.

How to cook:

  1. dissolve honey in water;

  2. add pollen and propolis, xmix well;

  3. add clay by a teaspoon, constantly whisking with a whisk or fork;

  4. bring the mixture to a creamy state.

How to use:

  • apply on the face in an even and dense layer;

  • leave for about 20 minutes to dry;

  • rinse with a sponge, towel or gauze;

  • apply moisturizer.

Editorial opinion. Thanks to bee products, the mask smells delicious, has a pleasant texture, has bactericidal properties, saturates the skin with vitamins and antioxidants. Not bad for homemade cosmetics. But there are products with more interesting “edible” ingredients, only they are prepared not on the kitchen table, but in laboratories.

Gel + Scrub + Facial Mask “Clear Skin” 3-in-1 against acne, Garnier Suitable for oily skin prone to imperfections. Cleanses and mattifies. In addition to eucalyptus extract, zinc and salicylic acid, it contains absorbent clay.

Acne Face Mask

Purpose: rid the skin of excess sebum, cleanse pores, soothe.

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons of green clay;

  • 1 tablespoon green tea (cold)

  • 1 teaspoon of aloe vera;

  • 2 drops of lavender essential oil (optional)

How to cook:

gradually dilute the clay powder with tea to a paste, add aloe vera and mix again.

How to use:

  1. apply on the face, avoiding the area around the eyes;

  2. leave for 5 minutes;

  3. rinse with a sponge with plenty of water;

  4. get wet with a towel;

  5. apply a light moisturizer.

Editorial opinion. With all due respect to the cleansing properties of clay, the antioxidant power of green tea, and the hydrating addition of aloe vera, this mask cannot compete with beauty products. If only because any clay has a drying effect, which is very difficult to level at home. And it’s easy to go overboard with cleansing. As a result, overdried problematic skin will become more greasy and quite possibly acquire new rashes. Why experiment on yourself when there is a ready-made tool created by specialists?

Purifying Mattifying Mask Effaclar, La Roche-Posay with two varieties of mineral clay, mixed with proprietary thermal water, rich in antioxidants, removes impurities from the pores, controls excess sebum production and fits perfectly into the beauty routine aimed at fighting acne.

Clay cleansing mask

Purpose: deeply cleanse pores, provide a detox effect, gently renew and soften the skin, give a radiant look.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon rassul;

1 teaspoon of argan oil;

1 teaspoon of honey;

1-2 tablespoons of rose water;

4 drops of lavender essential oil.

How to cook:

  1. mix clay with oil and honey;

  2. dilute with rose water to a paste consistency;

  3. drip essential oil.

Rassoul is a traditional ingredient in Moroccan beauty recipes.

How to use:

  1. apply a thick layer on the face and neck;

  2. rinse with water after 5 minutes;

  3. apply tonic (you can use rose water), cream.

Editorial opinion. Quite authentic Moroccan mask exfoliates due to the mild abrasive properties of rassul, does not tighten the skin too much thanks to oil and honey. It will appeal to those who love to cook. But despite all this, you should not write off ready-made masks.

Facial mask “Magic clay. Detox and Radiance, L’Oréal Paris contains three types of clay: kaolin, rassul (gassul) and montmorillonite, as well as coal, another excellent absorbent. The mask is applied in a thin layer, it can be kept for up to 10 minutes. It spreads just as easily as it rinses off. The result is cleansed, breathable, radiant skin.

Clay mask for problem skin

Purpose: cleanse the skin, pull out everything superfluous from the pores, cope with black dots.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon bentonite clay;

  • 1 tablespoon plain yogurt.

How to prepare and use:

after mixing the ingredients, apply a thin layer on cleansed face skin, hold for 15 minutes.

Editorial opinion. Yogurt contains lactic acid and therefore provides a light exfoliating effect, which is especially valuable for oily skin with problems. This mask is simple, even too much. We offer something more interesting.

Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque, Kiehl’s Amazonian White Clay Mask provides gentle exfoliation. It acts very quickly, pulling out impurities from the pores. When washed off, it exfoliates, working like a scrub.

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Rules and recommendations for use

  1. Do not use metal utensils and spoons.

  2. Stir the mask well – so that there are no lumps.

  3. Do not overexpose the mask on your face.

  4. Before washing off the mask, soak it with water.

  5. Do not apply the composition to the skin around the eyes.

  6. Be extremely careful if you have dry skin, or better yet, refrain from using clay.

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