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Clay Masks Benefits: How To Use

Clay masks Benefits for the skin and hair are numerous as they can cleanse, calm down, nourish, and revitalize facial and body skin.

If you haven’t been taking advantage of Clay therapy for face body and hair, you should start doing so ASAP!

Want to know more? We’ll cover all that and much more to help you achieve your better skin today!

How Do Clay Face Masks Work?

Clays can absorb impurities, eliminate toxins, stimulate blood circulation, heal and hydrate the skin.

In contact with the skin, clay can balance its natural minerals that act accordingly to your needs.

For example, a clay mask will adapt its benefits if you have dry, oily, mature.  

It will absorb impurities, hydrate, balance ph, minimize inflammations, and boost collagen. 

Clay Mask benefits

Benefits of clay Masks

Clay masks’ benefits are numerous, and we can expect them to purify, control oleosity, nourish and heal the skin.

Below we have a quick list of clay masks benefits:

  • It favors integral cell reproduction, thinning and whitening the skin.
  • exfoliation of the skin and scalp.
  • toxins and impurities absortion
  • Tissue reconstitution.
  • It does capillary, facial, and body metabolic detoxification.
  • Hair reconstruction.
  • Blood circulation
  • Regulates excess oil
  • Calming effect
  • Anti-bactericid
  • Softens and smoothens the skin
  • Combats blackheads, pimples and blemishes
  • Antiseptic
  • Anti-aging
  • Wrinkles and expression lines reduction
  • Calming effect.
  • Elasticity.

Clay masks contain different types and colors but are not the color that will define a clay mask benefit.

If you want to know which types of benefits a clay mask will offer you, you need to pay attention to its composition.  

Clay Mask Compositions And Benefits

Aluminum

It is suitable for evening skin tone, is cicatrizing, anti-inflammatory, reduces acne and cellulite.  

Iron

Clays rich in iron are great for dull, opaque, tired skin, as they make it look more luminous.

It can boost blood circulation, detox, hydrate, heal, and soften the skin.  

Magnesium

Clay that contains Magnesium is perfect if you are looking for skin hydration and boost collagen production.

So, it is anti-aging, relaxing, calming, can be exfoliating, and treat spots.

Manganese

Great for sensitive skin, it is anti-infective, cicatrizing, anti-allergic, anti-aging as it can boost collagen 

Silicon

Clay masks that contain silicon enhance skin tissue reconstitution are purifying, astringent, ​​reduce excess sebum.

In addition, it is very hydrating, leaving the skin firmer and reducing inflammation.

Clay Masks properties

The existing minerals in the clay masks are responsible for delivering many benefits to your skin. 

They contain chemical elements that we already have in our bodies, they are very well received and absorbed by our organism.

Chemical elements such as calcium and iron are detox, anti-inflammatory, healing. 

Below you have some properties of clay masks:

  • Absorption: Clay masks are easily absorbed by the skin, great for treating swelling.
  • Deliverance: They are very efficient in transferring their benefits for the skin, providing quick results in a shorter period.
  • At the same time that clay masks remove loosely and toxins, they insert their nutrients into the skin. 

Types Of Clay Masks

There are different types of clay masks, and to classify them, you need to look at the concentration of minerals this mask has.

To define the ideal mask, it is nice to know its composition to optimize your results.

The concentration of minerals can be represented or classified by different colors, and each color targets a specific goal. 

  • Dark colors: Treat inflammations, infections, and restores the skin, and are not indicated to apply on the face.
  • Medium tones: Recommended to treat oily skin as it is adstringent and provide a deeper cleansing
  • Lighter Colors: They are more gentle, great for sensitive skin. Use the white for peeling. The pink and the yellow are good to renew collagen.  

You can find clay masks in the following colors:

Green

Suitable for oily and acne-prone skin. Treats excessive oiliness, such as acne, seborrhea, and blemishes. 

Very effective on the lightening of sun-stained skin, high pigmentation of melasma, groin spots, elbow and feet grime.

It removes toxins that promote swelling and have a skin-tensioning effect.

Main component: Structured silicon on gypsum.

Warning: green clay can dry out the skin. To fix it, mix the white clay in the mask’s composition.

Red

Elasticity, exfoliation, and tone. Main component: Iron – mineral of strength, blood, hemoglobin. Iron increases tone and elasticity Indications: Choose in cases where the skin is devitalized.

Warning: Red clay masks are not a good option for sensitive skin.

Pink Clay Masks

Highly indicated for sensitive skin, improves elasticity, heals, and strengthens the skin tissue leaving it more luminous.

If you suffer from dermatitis, folliculitis, acne, psoriasis you will benefit from pink clay masks.

It is also anti-aging as it restores elasticity and regenerates the skin.

White Clay Mask 

It is great for sensitive, dehydrated skin is rich in aluminum, and pH levels are very similar to our own skin’s pH levels.

You can use a white clay mask to prep your skin for makeup, minimize wrinkles and lines, even skin tone, sebum control, hydrate, healing.

When used in the hair, it can take excess oleosity without drying the hair and is very effective to treat cellulite. 

Black

Black Clay, also known as volcanic mud, is the strongest of all clays.

You can use it for skin detox and is highly indicated for oily skin.

In addition, it treats acne and provides a deeper cleansing with anti-inflammatory action. 

It’s anti-stress and anti-aging. However, you need to pay attention if you want to use this mask on the face.

If you plan to use it on your face, make sure the brand states this is safe for facial usage.

Purple

Anti-aging, relaxing, nourishing, anti-wrinkle, and soothing. Main component: Magnesium.

Yellow

Regeneration, elasticity, protection, exfoliation, and stains. 

Main component: Potassium – enhances skin healing and regeneration. Indications: Rejuvenating treatment

Grey

Great for oily skin and those with skin spots. It contains titanium that fights pinpoints, blemishes, and works as an excellent exfoliator.

You can also use grey masks to delay sighs of age, minimize wrinkles and fine lines.

Brown Clay Masks

Brown Clay Masks Helps in blood circulation; It is great for treating blackheads and pimples.

It helps to remove excess oil, moisturize, smoothes, and soften the skin.

For the hair, you can use it for treating dandruff; Promotes exfoliation of the skin and scalp and stimulates hair growth.

In addition, it provides a rejuvenating effect, is detoxing, and offers an antiseptic effect.

Golden Clay Mask

Is rich in silicon, titanium, and potassium which are for collagen formation.

It is detoxing, improves skin texture, hydrating and anti-aging.

Grain Size

It is also important to take into consideration, the size of grains:

  • Smaller grains: Use for calming, relaxing, hydrating, anti-oleosity, and anti-aging treatments
  • Larger grains: can be used for exfoliation, and skin renovation  

Clay Masks By Skin Type 

I know there is so much information it is overwhelming, but now that you have the foundations to understand clay mask’s benefits, I thought was nice to simplify a bit a created quick reference guide, based on different skin types.

All Skin Types

Clay Mask Color: Golden and white

Contains healing, smoothing, and antioxidant properties, that even skin tone, improve texture and skin elasticity.

When used on oily skin, the white and golden clays help to reduce pores, regulate oiliness, and even out the texture, especially in the T-zone (chin, nose, and forehead).

Sensitive skin will also receive these clay masks really well, especially the white clay, which is very gentle.

Usage: Once a week and can be intercalated with other masks.

Oily Skin

Clay Mask Color: Green Or Black 

Green and Black clay masks are great for purifying, deeper cleaning, and sebum control.

Despite all the benefits of green and black clay masks, you should use them in moderation.

When used too much, they can cause irritations on sensitized skin. 

Overusing these masks, instead of resolving an issue, can cause even more oleosity and appearance of acne.

As it provides a powerful deep cleanser, you can intercalate with a white clay mask to nourish the skin.

Usage: Every 15 days. 

It is indicated not to leave them on the skin for more than 25 minutes.

In any case, read the brand’s direction as some masks allow you to leave them on the skin for 10 or 15 minutes.

If you want to treat pinpoint and blemishes, you can add a little hot or lukewarm water.

Dry Skin & Aging Skin

Clay Mask Color: Red and Purple

Red and Purple masks are antioxidants and stimulate collagen production. They are also hydrating and boost skin elasticity. 

Their composition is rich in magnesium and iron and copper oxides, which act as antioxidants, and anti-aging.

Usage

You can use red and purple masks every 15 days and intercalate with white clay.

After using these masks, make sure you apply a powerful hydrating.

Clay Masks By Skin Concern

  • Even skin tone & brightness: white clay can brighten, absorb oleosity, smooth and heal. You can also mix White clay + geranium essential oil;
  • Anti-aging: Yellow clay mask, boost collagen production, improves elasticity. You can use it to prevent and reduce signs of aging. / you can also mix ​​Purple clay + Lavender essential oil;
  • To Treat Sagness: Yellow Clay mask It acts as a skin toner and has a tensor effect. It stimulates circulation and eliminates toxins from the skin;
  • For acne: Black clay leaves your skin cleansed, detoxed and uniform / You can also mix Green clay + Melaleuca essential oil;
  • Rosacea: Use calming clay masks that improve blood circulation clay masks such as red clay.

How To Use Clay Masks

1. The first point is to understand you shouldn’t leave certain clays masks to dry out onto the skin.

It will depend on the quality of the clay. For this, it is important to find high-quality clay and to be sure to read the fabricant’s recommendation. 

If they advise you to leave it for 20 minutes, then do not exceed this time.

If you let it dry because you didn’t follow the right recommendations, it’s going to be much more difficult to remove it, causing damaging exfoliations that irritate the skin.

2. Secondly, different areas require different types of applications.

For example, on the head and hair, you need to dilute it more to make it easy to get in touch with the scalp and facilitate removal. 

On the face and body, you don’t have to dilute it too much and leave it with the consistency of mud.

On legs and feet where you may need to exfoliate, the indication is to leave it more consistent. 

3. Examine your skin and realize what type of concern you want to treat. Then choose the clay based on the best composition of minerals and how grainy you need it to be.

4. Then mix the clay with water. It is better to use mineral water or thermal water.

The thermal water contains minerals that can help your skin so this is a good match.

If you have oily skin, you can pick thermal water that contains 

Alecrin and use it with a green clay mask.

To treat signs of aging and dry skin, you can try Geranium thermal water plus white or yellow clay.

For sensitive skin, you can try lavender thermal water mixed with purple clay.

5. You can leave the mask on the skin for 10 minutes or 20 but it depends on the brand of clay you choose to use.

Make sure to read the producer’s recommendation and never exceed the recommended time.

To take all the clay off, it is better to use cold water and be very gentle throughout the entire process. 

I know you may think this is obvious, but we can forget and put too much force on it. I am certainly one of these people that need this kind reminder!

6. Go ahead and apply your skincare products, maybe a serum and then a moisturizer and you are good to go!

What Step In Skincare Is Clay Mask?

You should use clay masks with clean skin so after washing your face, go ahead and apply your mask.

The next step is to hydrate. For this use, lightweight facial cream and you can optionally choose to apply serum as well.

After that, you add sunscreen and you are good to go.

Some people go ahead and apply primer and makeup before the sunscreen. 

It is up to you!

How Often Should You Use A Clay Face mask?

It depends on your skin situation, the type of clay mask, and the producer’s recommendation.

For example, if your skin is sensitized you should not do it more than once a week.

If your is ok, then you can use clay masks once or twice a week.

Make sure to read the product labels to understand the best practices.

Can I Use Clay Face Mask Everyday?

It is not a good practice to use clay face masks every day, because your skin needs some time to rest and process the benefits.

I have seen some people using it every other day, which may work but you should always be careful if you decide to do it, ask for a professional recommendation before going ahead.

How To Remove Clay Mask From Face?

To help you remove the clay mask from the face, use a damp towel and gently press it onto the face and carefully remove the excess clay.

Then you can use cold or lukewarm water to wash your entire face, by doing circular motions.

Using Clay On The Hair

You can definitely use clay masks on the hair as I have mentioned before.

With this, you treat not only the hair but also the scalp, which is very important to ensure the hair will grow healthier.

As a benefit, you can expect oleosity control, hydration, dandruff treatment, and psoriasis.

All you need to do is dilute the clay in water and leave it kind of watery to make it easier to apply.

Leave it on the hair for five to ten minutes and rinse it out.

Have in mind that the best masks for hair application are low granulometry clay masks, as they are more malleable for this.

Amazing Clay Mask Combinations

I have mentioned before this is a good idea to mix clay masks with some ingredients to boost even more its benefits.

Clay + Aloe Vera

It will work amazingly for any skin type but is special for dry skin and sensitive or acne-prone skin.

Aloe vera is a powerful anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cicatrizing.

In addition, this combination is a hydrating, anti-aging, and anti bactericide.

Clay + Rose Hig Oil

The rose high oil can minimize spots and help with acne scars is cicatrizing, nourishing, and calming.

Works as an excellent anti-aging is great to treat sunburn and improves skincare texture.

Add a few drops of rosehip oil to prepare the clay and apply it.

Clay Mask + Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is purifying, great to treat enlarged pores, detox, and will absorb impurities and toxins.

Great for oily skin, it will control excess sebum and provide a natural glow.

Just add a little bit of activated charcoal powder to your clay and mix with thermal water.

What To Put On Face After Cay Mask?

It is important to protect your skin after using a clay mask, as it may feel tight.

Use a lightweight gentle hydrator to calm your skin down. 

A great tip is to apply chamomile tea on the face before applying creams or serums.

Should You Steam Face Before Clay Mask? 

It is a good idea to steam your face, before clay masks. In fact, this is a great thing to do before your facials.

By steaming your face you open up the pores and prepare your skin to receive and better absorb your facial treatment.

Tips To Get The Best Clay Mask Benefit

Below you have a few valuable tips to help you achieve the best clay mask benefits!

  • You can find soaps and other cosmetics that contain clay. So, so a quick and practical way to have their benefits you can also use these products
  • Use a glass or ceramic bowl to prepare your clay and avoid metal recipients
  • Never apply clay masks on wounded or severely inflamed, irritated skin. 
  • Once you hydrate your clay mask you should not save it for later. Use it immediately to avoid contamination
  • Use thermal water or tea and essential oils such as tea tree oil and rosehip oil, to mix with the clay

Clay masks Benefits Q&A

1. Should I use clay mask on a wet or dry face?

I think it is better to use it on a dry face, as applying it on a wet face may end up being messy.

2. Do I Wash My Face After A Clay Mask

Use water only to remove your clay mask. At this point, you don’t need to use soaps anymore.

3. Is It Normal To Have A red face after clay mask?

It can be normal to some extent. If you feel that this is strangely burning and too red, then stop using it.

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