In Japan, there has been a health-conscious movement that promotes beauty as an expression of one’s character. This philosophy is being applied to the world at large through DIY clay masks. It offers a way for people to take charge of their own beauty and try out different looks without changing their lifestyle drastically.
The ‘clay masks’ are easy to make DIY clay masks that can be made for less than $1. The mask has been used since ancient times as a beauty treatment. These clay masks helps in improving the texture of the skin as well as in removing impurities caused because of regular exposure and pollution.
People discovered a method to employ clay in medicine and profit from it more than 2000 years ago, and unexpectedly – they were onto something. Fast forward to the twenty-first century, and we now know that the topical use of particular kinds of clays may have great skin advantages.
Today, we’ll go further into this topic and discover how to apply clay to the skin. Clay can nurture your delicate skin while also aiding in the treatment of acne and other skin issues.
If you’re still doubtful, that’s OK; we’ll provide you with evidence. There is proof that various kinds of clay may assist with various skin disorders, but the most essential thing is to know how to pick the proper clay for your skin and what natural components to combine it with to produce the ideal DIY clay mask!
So, let’s get started.
What are Clay Masks Exactly?
Let’s start with the fundamentals.
Clay is a mineral-rich, natural grained rock or soil substance that is helpful to human health and skin. A clay mask is created by mixing clay with a creamy or thick paste and applying it to the face for washing, clarifying, purifying, renewing, or other functions. Clay masks come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each designed for a specific function.
You may purchase a ready-to-use clay mask or manufacture your own at home by mixing clay with other natural materials to create a unique and effective mixture. You may also purchase the clay and then follow the directions to mix it with water and apply it to your face, which is the easiest method.
You can’t go wrong with clay masks for the face since they have no negative side effects. Ingestion of clay, on the other hand, might have negative consequences, so be cautious.
Although using clay topically is generally safe, it’s important to understand how to build a clay mask on your own if you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of it.
How Clay masks Aids In Skin Nourishment?
Of course, this depends on the sort of clay and other materials in your DIY clay mask, but in general, clay masks are known for pulling toxins out of the skin’s pores.
For example, bentonite clay has been shown to successfully bond with heavy metals and other environmental toxins, allowing them to exit the pores. When the bentonite clay is washed away, the bonded particles will be washed away as well.
We also said that clay is a mineral-rich substance. Iron, potassium, silica, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and copper are some of these minerals. Many of these minerals have antimicrobial, soothing, and therapeutic characteristics that aid in the battle against inflammation in the skin.
One research from 2008, for example, looked at two iron-rich clay minerals to see whether they may be used to treat a variety of bacterial diseases. They came to the conclusion that some mineral compounds indeed contain inherent, heat-stable antibacterial characteristics and may be used as a low-cost therapy for a variety of ailments.
Many Advantages of Clay Masks:-
Now that you know how clay masks work to preserve and maintain your skin’s clarity and smoothness, here are some of the advantages of using them on a daily basis.
- Clay masks are used to treat a variety of skin irritations and conditions.
- Clay masks have powerful antibacterial capabilities.
- Clay masks are excellent in treating skin disorders and infections such as acne, poison ivy, eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis because of its antibacterial properties.
How do they function?
Clay masks, on the other hand, may bond with germs and other skin infections. When you use a clay mask on your face, the active components sink into the pores of the skin’s surface, where they seek for harmful toxins and germs, bind with them, and attract them to the skin’s surface. These germs dry off when the mask dries and are rinsed away when the mask is removed from the face.
This helps you lessen the symptoms of the above-mentioned skin diseases by reducing the overpopulation of bacteria within your skin.
Clay Masks Help To Clear Your Skin
Clay masks’ binding characteristics may suck out excess oil, dirt, debris, and makeup residue, which can pile up within pores and cause blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, or even extremely inflammatory acne outbreaks, as previously said.
By rinsing off the mask, you will effectively eliminate all contaminants from the skin, leaving it clear and clean.
Clay masks help to unclog pores and shrink them.
For those attempting to achieve perfect skin, large pores may be a nightmare. Large pores are prone to become blocked easily and often, resulting in blackheads. Unfortunately, there’s nothing more irritating than having your face seem like it’s covered in microscopic blackheads, which is how huge pores appear even after you’ve washed regularly.
So, how might clay masks assist you here? Sebum and dirt buildup are common causes of large pores. The clay mask will absorb everything from the pores, leaving them clean and tightening the skin as it dries. You will definitely see improvements in this section with frequent usage and appropriate living practices!
Clay Masks Can Help You Tone Your Skin
Sun damage is one of the most visible and well-known variables that may cause changes in your skin tone owing to oscillations in your melanin production. These variations in melanin production don’t always occur uniformly across the skin, so you may see areas of discolouration. Clay masks’ antimicrobial characteristics, as well as the healing minerals they contain, may help the skin recover from the damage that causes a melanin imbalance in the first place, and level out your skin tone effectively. This effect may be amplified by combining the clay with additional skin-brightening substances. Cucumber, lemon juice, or activated charcoal are all good options. The recipes are listed below.
Softens and nourishes the skin
Clay masks are high in ‘silica’ which is a fascinating nutrient. If you’ve never heard of silica before, you can look it up on Google, and you’ll find that most of the sites will tell you that it’s the best thing you can do for your nails, skin, and hair.
Most importantly, silica will nourish and deliver the proper nutrients to your skin, making it soft, smooth, and shining!
Various Types Of Clay For Skin
These are the most well-known clay varieties used in cosmetics.
Bentonite Clay is a kind of clay that is used to make
We’ll begin with bentonite clay, which is arguably the most well-known of the clay varieties. Some claim that the high reputation stems from the fact that bentonite clay is the most powerful.
But, before you leap to any conclusions, bentonite clay isn’t the greatest form of clay.
Because every person’s complexion is different, a different sort of clay may be healthier for them.
Bentonite clay is the most effective in removing dirt from the skin, absorbing it, and preventing bacterial infections. It’s excellent for oily and acne-prone skin because of this. However, because of its strong abrasive action, it is not recommended for delicate skin, since it might cause irritation.
The main disadvantage of bentonite clay is not knowing whether your skin can take it or not.
Earth Clay (Fuller’s Earth)
Fuller’s Earth is not as powerful as bentonite clay, but it is significantly more effective for brightening. If you have discolouration, dark age spots, uneven skin tone, or blemished skin, fuller’s earth is the greatest option. Make a DIY clay mask with lemon juice or activated charcoal if you want to boost its qualities even more. You may also choose a DIY face mask from the list provided at the conclusion of this post.
Clay Kaolin
If bentonite clay was known for clearing acne by being excessively harsh on the skin, kaolin clay is known for its delicate approach to acne treatment. If you have oily, acne-prone skin that is also sensitive and easily irritated, kaolin clay is your best bet. It comes in a variety of colors, the most popular of which is pink, however if you have really sensitive skin, white or yellow kaolin clays are a better choice.
To get a more powerful impact, kaolin clay is often combined with bentonite clay. You may experiment with this by adjusting the proportion of bentonite clay and kaolin clay to get the right balance of powerful and sensitive.
Green Clay from France
Green clay from France is for those seeking the fountain of youth. If you’re dealing with aging skin issues like wrinkles, fine lines, or dark spots, the french green clay is the way to go. This mask tightens pores, increases circulation, reduces inflammation, and evens out skin tone.
Unlike bentonite clay, french green clay is mild on the skin and is suitable for delicate skin.
Clay Rassoul
If you have dry or combination skin and are constantly dealing with blackheads or pimple eruptions as a consequence of impurities, rassoul clay will help you get rid of them. Toxins, sebum plugs, blackheads, germs, and other pollutants are all drawn out of the pores by this treatment.
Best of all, it won’t overdry your skin, but will instead hydrate it. This is why it’s ideal for dry, combination, and sensitive skin types.
How To Make A Clay Mask At Home And What To Pair It With?
The method is straightforward.
The first step is to choose whatever sort of clay you want to apply on your skin and then purchase a high-quality clay powder. They’re ubiquitous, and there are even high-quality alternatives available online.
After you’ve found a good clay powder, the next step is to figure out what natural components you’d want to use with it. And, believe me, the choices are unlimited when it comes to natural cures! Fruits, vegetables, and herbs contain superpowers that act on all skin types and may alleviate the symptoms of virtually any mild to severe skin disease. Honey, aloe vera, oats, and tea tree oil are examples of such substances.
Other components may work brilliantly for certain skin types and problems, but they may aggravate others.
Lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and egg whites, for example, are excellent for oily and acne-prone skin due to their drying properties, as well as for skin tone and discoloration issues due to their brightening properties. They are, however, powerful and inappropriate for delicate or dry skin. In any event, it’s important to pay attention to your skin’s response anytime you employ any of these components. If your skin feels tight after using lemon juice or ACV, it’s because the substance is too drying for your skin, since the pH levels of these items might be overly acidic.
For difficulties with normal to dry skin, the rule of thumb is to utilize oils to add more moisture to your skin. However, there are exceptions, since certain oils may be quite useful for a variety of skin issues and do not clog pores. You may also combine them with your favorite moisturizer to increase its moisturizing abilities.
Check out the articles below to learn more about the finest natural components for your skin and how to combine clay powder with them.
The rest is a piece of cake after you’ve gotten these steps out of the way.
The final step is to figure out how much of each item you’ll be combining. This will be determined by the desired consistency as well as the components’ strength. Most of the components should be 1 to 2 tbsp each, coupled with a few drops of essential oils, and watery elements like rose water and witch hazel should be used to obtain the ideal consistency.
Your mask is ready to use after you’ve mixed everything together well.
How Long Should You Use Your Homemade Clay Mask?
The straightforward answer is till it dries out. However, depending on the components you’ve included, this might take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. If you make the paste a bit too fluid, you may not be able to see it dry completely.
Keep the mask on for no more than 45 minutes or half an hour. Irritation and redness are possible side effects.
The sweet spot is roughly 20 minutes, plus or minus five minutes.
It may take some time to get the consistency just right so that it dries at this time, but with practice, you’ll get there.
On the face, how should clay masks feel?
This subject may sound strange at first, but I believe it is important to address it since many individuals are unsure of what feelings to anticipate and which sensations should cause concern – in other words, how do you know when you need to wash it off right away?
Is it typical, for example, for clay masks to cause a burning sensation when applied?
This is entirely dependent on the substances you use in your homemade clay mask.
Aloe vera, for example, produces a cooling feeling. Lemon juice, egg whites, and apple cider vinegar, in general, can irritate and dry up your skin. When the mask dries fully, your skin may feel like it’s rock hard.
Burning, itchy, or unpleasant feelings, on the other hand, are not acceptable!
If you start to see them, quickly wash your face with cold water. Consult a medical practitioner if the burning or itching persists.
These negative effects might occur when persons with sensitive skin use too much strength in their DIY clay mask. This is why doing a patch test prior to putting the mask directly to the face is always a good idea.
Is It Necessary To Moisturize After Using A Homemade Clay Mask?
Yes, since clay may dry up the skin, this is highly suggested.
It actually depends on the mix of components in the mask, but moisturizing towards the end is usually a good idea.
If the mask contains lemon juice or other drying components, omitting the moisturizing section might make your situation worse.
How Frequently Should You Use DIY Clay Masks?
It all depends on what you put in the mask, once again. The more powerful and abrasive it is, the fewer often it should be used.
In general, once or twice a week is the ideal amount of times to apply these masks. My advice is to start by doing it once a week and see how you feel.
Recipes for the Best DIY Clay Masks-
Best for oily or acne-prone skin:
Mask with Tea Tree Oil and Kaolin Clay
Ingredients:
1 tbsp powdered kaolin clay
a couple of drops of tea tree oil
Water
Procedure:
Add one tablespoon of kaolin clay powder and a few drops of tea tree oil to a small bowl. After that, gradually add little quantities of water while stirring constantly with a spoon. Make sure you don’t use too much water and that the consistency isn’t too thin. A thick, smooth paste is what you’re after.
Apply a medium coating of the mask all over your face on a clean skin. Allow the mask to dry completely before rinsing with lukewarm water. Finally, use a moisturizer to seal in the moisture.
This mask should be used once or twice a week.
Bentonite Clay Mask With Apple Cider Vinegar
Ingredients:
apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp
2 tbsp clay powder (bentonite)
lavender oil, a few drops
Procedure:
To get rid of pimples completely, use apple cider vinegar and bentonite clay. If you have sensitive skin, do a patch test first before using it all over your face. Additionally, you may dilute the apple cider vinegar by mixing one tbsp water with one tbsp apple cider vinegar.
Fill a small bowl halfway with all of the ingredients. Mix everything together until it forms a smooth paste. Apply this paste to your whole face, avoiding your eyes and lips. Allow for 15-20 minutes of drying time. Keep it off your face for as long as possible. After that, wash your face with warm water and use a moisturizer to finish.
You should only use this method once a week to avoid overdrying your face.
All skin types are suitable:
Clay Mask with Lavender, Honey, and Bentonite
Ingredients:
1 tbsp clay (bentonite)
honey, 1 tbsp
lavender oil, a few drops
Procedure:
Take one small dish and mix the materials together until you produce a smooth paste, just as we did with the other clay masks. If the paste is too thick, thin it out with water until it has a creamy consistency. After that, apply a thin coating of the mask to a clean face and wait for 15-20 minutes for it to dry.
Always wash your face with warm water, pat it dry, and use a moisturizer afterward.
This mask should only be used once a week.
Fuller’s Earth Clay Mask With Activated Charcoal Powder
Ingredients:
1 tbsp clay powder (fuller’s earth)
1 tbsp powdered activated charcoal
as required rose water
Procedure:
In a container, combine all of the ingredients until they form a smooth, creamy paste. Cleanse your skin, massage it dry, then use a makeup brush to apply the mask. Allow it to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing it off with cold or lukewarm water. To protect your skin from becoming overly dry after applying the mask, add a moisturizer.
This mask may be used twice a week.
The best products for sensitive skin are:
Mask made with witch hazel, honey, and French green/pink clay
Ingredients:
1 tbsp green or pink clay powder from France
honey, 1 tbsp
As required, witch hazel extract
Procedure:
In a small container, combine one tablespoon clay powder and one tablespoon honey, then stir in witch hazel essence until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
After washing your face, pat it dry. Then, using a cosmetic brush applicator, apply the mask on your face. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes before washing it off with lukewarm water. Apply a mild moisturizer to finish.
This mask may be used twice a week.
Mask with Aloe Vera and Rassoul Clay
Ingredients:
1 tbsp clay mask (rassoul)
aloe vera gel, 1 tbsp
if necessary, water
Procedure:
To make a smooth paste, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. You may add water as required, but don’t make the mixture too runny. The consistency should be similar to that of cream.
Wash your face, pat it dry, and then apply the mask to your whole face, avoiding the eye and mouth regions. The aloe vera gel may have a cooling effect, which is normal. Allow 20 minutes for the mask to dry before washing your face with lukewarm water. After the process, use a moisturizer.
This mask may be used twice a week.
The “clay for face mask” is a DIY clay mask that can be used to help with acne, dry skin, and other issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a hydrating clay mask?
A: For this recipe, you will need to use a bowl or container that can hold water. Youll also need bowls of clean salt and sugar. It is important that the mixture be heated in order for it to dissolve properly.
Why you shouldnt use clay masks?
A: Clay masks are extremely drying and can cause skin irritation, breakouts, redness, etc. Its best to stick with the traditional sheet mask alternatives which have minimal impact on your skin.
What is the best homemade face mask?
A: The best homemade face mask is a mixture of egg whites, olive oil and honey. This will give your skin the most benefits for healing its dryness.
Related Tags
- how to make a clay mask at home without clay
- how to make bentonite clay
- green clay mask recipe
- diy clay mask for oily skin
- clay face mask formulation