How to make a clay face mask

I have been using clay face masks for several years. I've tried different types of clay, but I always like to go back to the first one I tried. It's white clay. It's very gentle, suitable for sensitive skin and I feel it suits my skin the best. It's easy to prepare a clay mask at home and anyone can do it. Below I have listed some tips that you might find useful when preparing such a mask. Some you may know and some may be new to you. 

Always start with cleansed skin

Clean your face well before applying the mask. Ideally, use exfoliating oils and floral water to cleanse your skin. Cleansing your skin with oil is very simple and effective at the same time. The exfoliating oil dissolves the oil on the skin so that it removes makeup, impurities and at the same time does not dry out the skin. Then, finish cleansing with flower water to soothe and tone the skin. 

Avoid metal

Are you going to make a clay mask? Then in that case, use a wooden or ceramic spoon and a bowl. Metal reacts with the minerals in clay, so always try to avoid it when making a mask.  

Add hydrating and healthy ingredients

Pour a reasonable amount of clay into the bowl. Add the liquid ingredient (plain or flower water - I recommend flower water) in sufficient quantity to form a paste when mixed. You can also add other goodies to the mask such as oils, essential oils (always diluted in a carrier oil), honey, or gels (Aloe vera). In the next article I'm going to tell you how to add these ingredients properly to a clay mask. If you have cooked organic rice or oats in water, use the water in the mask and wash your face with this water at the end - the water will smooth and brighten your skin beautifully. 

No acidic ingredients

Lemon juice or vinegar have great astringent effects, but can interfere with the mask's action. Instead, use powdered vitamin C, pomegranate, or lemon or orange essential oil. Just be careful with these essential oils, as they are photosensitive, which means they increase the skin's sensitivity to sunlight. You should avoid direct sunlight after using these oils.

 

We apply the mask

The prepared clay mask can be applied to the face either with your fingers, a spatula or a brush. Apply the mask in a thicker layer and avoid the eye area. 

Do not let the mask dry completely

You shouldn't get to the point where the mask is completely dry and starts to crumble on your face. This is because we want the clay to pull all the toxins and impurities out of our skin, but if the mask gets too dry, it will also suck all the water out of our skin without delivering the beneficial minerals. Make sure you always put a thick enough layer of clay that the mask will last on your skin for a minimum of 8 minutes and a maximum of 15-20 minutes (depending on what clay you use and what type of skin you have). Alternatively, you can moisturize the mask with a spray of water or flower water while it is on. When it's time to wash off the mask, you should feel a bit of a tightening effect on your face, but at the same time, the mask should still be damp on the surface. This way, your skin will absorb all the nutrients from the mask. Wash off the mask with warm water. And I probably don't need to mention that you can't use the same clay a second time, because it has accumulated all the toxins from our skin. 

Source: Natural beauty: how to make a purifying clay face mask