Easy Clay Face Mask Recipes for Healthy Skin

For thousands of years, primordial people have used clay for nearly everything.

Houses and bricks made from clay and mud, making pottery – it’s the mortar of civilisation.

Over the last few decades, clay has become a skin hero.

When you consider that clay is free, the irony of purifying masks, often found on the expensive counters of many department stores, is even more apparent.

Here at the NC, we love getting creative.

As your cleanest dirt advocate, we’ve curated a few recipes for you.

To create your very own clay face mask recipes.

Clay Face Mask Recipes

Clay masks treat various skin conditions and are particularly beneficial for combination, oily, and acne-prone skin.

They soothe, heal, remove oil buildup, purify, and draw impurities from your pores.

The most basic uses water and clay, but you can get creative by adding herbal extracts and essential oils to target different concerns.

Clay is highly absorbent and slightly keratolytic, gently exfoliating and removing dead cells from the top layer of your skin.

Leaving your skin clear, bright and shine-free.

There are so many clays to choose from that we dedicated an entire article to the types of clay used in homemade face masks.

Time to Build Your Base

You can use the clay face mask recipe as an absorbent to mop up excess oil on the surface of your skin, to help pull out impurities, and also as a binder within your formula.

Next, you want to add an oil, which you can read all about here.

Next, depending on your skin concern, add some of your chosen hydrosols, such as rose, witch hazel or lavender.

You can fragrance with essential oils, but do a patch test first.

1. First, pour the water or hydrosol into a bowl and add the preservative.
2. Next, add your chosen oil.
3. Then sprinkle the clay into the mixture, letting the bulk of it absorb naturally.
4. Once absorbed, add the other active ingredients, such as essential oils and herbal extract and mix.
5. Next, add the all-important preservative to prevent microbes from spreading all over your face.
6. Mix everything, put your formula in a container, and you are ready.

Clay Face Mask Recipes for Oily Skin

Step 1
10ml Witch hazel
50g French green clay
30ml Springwater
1 ml Preservative

Step 2
4ml D Panthenol
2 Drops of Rosemary
Two drops of Lemon myrtle essential oil

Cleansing Face Mask

Step 1
10 ml Lavender hydrosol
40 ml Springwater
40 g Kaolin mask
10 g Fuller’s Earth clay
One mlof  preservative

Step 2
Two drops of Tea tree essential oil
Two drops of Kanuka essential oil

This is an excellent mask for those with oily skin conditions.

Tea tree and Kanuka work in synergy as antibacterials and antimicrobials, helping slow oil production and keep harmful bacteria and shine at bay.

Soothing Mask for Acne Inflammation 

Step 1
30ml Rose Hydrosol
20ml Springwater
50g Pink clay
1.5 ml Preservative

Step 2
3 ml Apricot kernel oil
Three drops of Geranium essential oil
1 Tbsp Aloe vera concentrate

This is your face mask if you have dry, dull, dehydrated skin lacking lustre.

Rose hydrosol and pink clay are perfect for calming and sensitised skin, while aloe vera moisturises parched skin.

Not all clay face mask recipes will yield the same results, so it is essential to note that different types of clays absorb varying quantities of liquid.

Nourishing anti-ageing mask

Step 1
30 ml Witch Hazel Hydrosol
20 ml Springwater
40 g Kaolin

10 g Manuka honey
1.5 g Preservative

Step 2
3ml Squalane
Three Dps Manuka essential oil

Manuka honey is a skin saviour. It offers numerous benefits to the skin, particularly for those prone to blemishes and breakouts.

It is antimicrobial, anti-viral and antiseptic; you can read more about its healing properties here.

To conclude. The naked truth

This is not a clay mask recipe intended for sale; it should only be used at home, as clay is a challenging ingredient to formulate and maintain stability.

In a commercial setting, clay is sterilised before use. The clay carries the risk of introducing bacteria into a formula that makes sense, especially when you think you’re using organic material.

Clay is an ideal environment for organisms and microbes to thrive.

The bottom line. Yes, clay has many benefits; avoid introducing ingredients that degrade quickly into your formula.

This will encourage the growth of dangerous microbes and fungi that aren’t visible to the naked eye.

If you’re keen to learn more about the research behind the use of clay in skincare, this fascinating study examines jojoba oil facial masks that effectively treat breakouts and mild acne.