Clay facial mask are classics in cosmetics, and most of us have made them already ourselves. This instruction in the middle of the scale easy – difficult. The precondition is that you know, how to prepare a simple emulsion. In principle, a clay facial mask requires no other raw materials than high-quality cosmetic clay and water. When making such a clay facial mask, attention must be paid to the quality of the clay.
The clay effectively absorbs impurities but also moisture from the skin. Most cosmetic clays are too drying for the skin. Only kaolin is suitable for everyone. You avoid this problem by using very little clay in the clay mask. People with sensitive skin should always mix clay with masks containing oils. Only 2% clay has been used in this recipe. It’s the suitable amount to make a gentle clay mask. In addition, the recipe contains plenty of skin-moisturizing ingredients to combat dryness caused by cosmetic clay.
Why are facial masks used?
Masks are quite popular these days. With Korean and Japanese cosmetics, the popularity of disposable fabric masks grew to its peak. Face masks have a very important role in skin care. With the help of a face mask, effective treatment substances can be brought to the skin. You can’t put so much active ingredients in serums and face creams because they stay on the skin all day. Face masks can also include ingredients that cannot be used in face creams at all. Such ingredients include, for example, cosmetic clays, minerals and other herbal powders.
The mask can also include nourishing, active ingredients that require time to be absorbed into the skin. That’s why face masks are kept on the skin from 10 minutes up to 20 minutes. Some face masks are recommended to work for up to 30 minutes. The effect time depends entirely on the ingredients used in the face mask.
Gentle facial mask
This clay facial mask is great for sensitive skin, dry skin and aging skin. Many facial masks are too effective for sensitive skin. Even for aged skin and dry skin, most facial masks may cause problems. Especially many fresh masks contain acidic ingredients that sting the skin. The pH of clay masks is always higher because clay is naturally alkaline. A clay facial mask made from only clay and water is therefore too strong for most skin types. In this facial mask made of green clay, the facial mask base consists of a simple emulsion cream. When we only use a very small amount of clay in the emulsion, the pH of the product does not rise too high.
Moisturizing facial mask
Most facial clay masks dry out the skin. The reason is the excessive amount of clay I mentioned above. Clay facial masks also often lack moisturizing ingredients. I have added moisturizing ingredients to this clay facial mask to bring more care. There are many moisturizing ingredients in cosmetics. I personally prefer more natural alternatives such as moisturizing herbs, seaweed and silk protein. Silk protein is not a vegan product. If you don’t want to use silk protein, you can replace it with seaweed extract. Natural ingredients are better for homemade cosmetics than industrial compounds. They are easy to use and you don’t have to be so careful when dosing them.
Ingredients of Clay Facial Mask
I have tried to keep the ingredient list very minimalistic. Only the necessary ingredients are included. For example, I didn’t want to add essential oils to this rinse-off product. The product gets its scent only from hydrolats. By varying different hydrolats, you can create your own pleasant scents to the clay mask.
Green clay
Although the name of this mask is green clay, in reality there is only 2% green clay in the product. However, it is a sufficient amount to bring the positive effects of the clay to the mask.
There are at least two different types of green clay. Illite clay is green in colour. It was found in the USA, Illinois, and that’s where its name comes from. Not all Illite clay is green. There are also yellowish illite clay grades.
French Green Clay
French green clay was discovered for the first time in France, but it is also currently mined in the USA and China. In addition to this, there are mixtures that include kaolin and some green clay. In this product, I used French green clay, which originates from France.
French green clay is highly valued in cosmetics. Its beautiful, light green colour comes from iron oxide and decomposing plant matter. French green clay effectively absorbs oil and impurities from the skin. It also has a brightening and firming effect on the skin. I myself have noticed it clearly when using French green clay.
Clays are minerals that are very sensitive to the environment
Always store clay in plastic containers or glass jars. Clay should also always be handled with a plastic spoon, not a metal spoon. During the preparation phase, the glass rod is the best tool for handle clay cosmetics. The ability of clay to absorb impurities is due to its electromagnetic charge. If the clay comes into contact with the metal, the charge changes.
You should be very careful when purchasing clay. Clays consist of different minerals. They can differ greatly in composition, even if the colour of the clay is almost the same. When you finally find good quality clay, don’t hesitate to stock it up. Cosmetic clays will last forever if you store them in a plastic box with a lid, protected from moisture and light.
Seaweed extract
Seaweed extract is full of all your skin’s favourite vitamins and minerals. Seaweed extract helps the skin to calm down. It softens the skin and reduces its sensitivity. Because seaweed cells are surprisingly similar to skin cells, it protects and maintains your skin’s natural balance and protects it against irritation. Seaweed accelerates the skin’s natural regeneration ability. And most importantly, seaweed is a super skin moisturizer. You can read more about the skin care effects of seaweed in my article.
Seaweed extract contains many nutrients including fucoidan, cysteine, lysine, asparagine, glutamine, proline, methionine, tryptophan, arginine and ornithine. Seaweed extract makes the skin look radiant and rosy. Seaweed has an antioxidant effect, it fights free radical attacks and thus prevents signs of aging. I have purchased seaweed extract for this product. Seaweed extract is also available in gel and powder form.
Silk protein
Silk protein is made from cocoons made by silkworm larvae. Silk protein is not a vegan product, but it is not made from animals either. You can replace the silk protein extract with seaweed extract if you wish.
Silk protein exists as a liquid extract and as a powder. You can make silk protein extract from silk protein powder when you mix it with water (1:9). Liquid extract definitely needs a preservative.
Since silk is a protein fibre, it is chemically very similar to human skin. This makes silk protein an ideal ingredient to use in skin care. Silk protein is a very moisturizing ingredient. In skin and hair care, silk protein has many other good properties.
Glycerol
I included glycerol to add moisture to the product. It works well with other moisturizing ingredients. You can read more about glycerol on my blog.
Marshmallow root
Marshmallow root is my favourite of moisturizing herbs. The herbal marshmallow root has very good moisturizing properties. In addition, it soothes the skin and prevents inflammation. The root of the herbal marshmallow is so gentle that it can even be used on eczema skin.
There aren’t many moisturizing herbs. That’s why, as a person with dry skin, I always keep dried marshmallow root at home. It is sold as pre-dried, small, light-coloured cubes. You can buy it, for example, a stock for two years use. It does not spoil or age easily. It can also be used in stomach-soothing drinks.
Make a decoction of the herbal marshmallow root for cosmetics
Measure 5 decilitres of water and 2 tablespoons of dried marshmallow root into the pot. Heat the decoction up to boiling temperature and let it boil slowly for about 10 minutes. Strain, cool and use for cosmetics. This makes quite a large amount of liquid. It is difficult to prepare a smaller portion. You can use the rest of the decoction as a hair conditioner.
Oils
I chose rice bran oil and argan oil for this product. If you want, you can change these oils to what you happen to have in your closet or which oils suit your skin best.
Rice Bran Oil
I have previously written an article about rice bran oil on my blog. I have used it in many recipes. Rice bran oil is a mild and balanced oil that is suitable for many skin types. It does not clog pores and does not irritate sensitive skin. Rice bran oil can withstand heating, which is important when we prepare emulsions.
Argan oil
Argan oil is an ecological and ethical oil, about which I have also written a comprehensive article on the blog. Argan oil contains more than 200 different active ingredients. It is a very therapeutic oil with great antioxidant properties. Argan oil is a rich oil that feels quite greasy on the skin. Therefore, it should not be used in large quantities. High-quality argan oil is also quite expensive. Argan oil is one of those oils that is widely counterfeited. That’s why I recommend spending some time when purchasing argan oil.
Argan oil is only added to the emulsion during the cooling phase. This way you ensure that all the valuable active ingredients of the oil remain unchanged.
Emulsifier Olivem 1000
Olivem 1000 is a familiar emulsifier that is easy to obtain. Olivem 1000 emulsifier is also one of the most stable and easiest emulsifiers. It suits well for a beginner. In this product we use a little more emulsifier than usual due to the clay. Remember that Olivem 1000 emulsifier continues to emulsify for about 24 hours. The next day, the product is clearly thicker than immediately after completion. That’s why I recommend that you put the clay mask jar in the fridge overnight to set.
Why here Is there no preservative in the recipe?
Clay products are really challenging in terms of preservation. Conventional natural cosmetics preservatives cannot reliably keep microbes away from clay products. There is also another shelf-life problem with my recipe. As the name suggests, silk protein is a protein, so it is easily perishable. That’s why you need an effective preservative if you want to keep the face mask without any worries at room temperature for a longer period of time.
In my case, I solved the problem very simply. I only made a very small batch of green clay facial mask that I only keep in the fridge for about a week. I also took care of hygiene very carefully during the preparation phase. I sterilized the jar and all the preparation tools very carefully.
However, if you want to use a preservative in the product, you should choose one that is not a natural cosmetic grade. Do you really want to absorb, for example, phenoxyethanol into your skin? I leave this matter to you to decide.
Ingredients; Moisturizing facial mask containing green clay
This recipe makes 50 gr of facial clay mask
Oil phase
- 7.5 gr Rice bran oil
- 2.5 gr Olivem 1000
Aqueous phase
- 19 gr Herbal marshmallow root decoction
- 14.5 gr Chamomile hydrolate
- 1.5 gr Glycerol
Add after the cooling phase
- 3 gr argan oil
- 1 gr French green clay
- 1 gr Silk protein extract (not vegan) or Seaweed extract (vegan)
Prepare the Green Clay Facial Mask as follows:
- Measure the ingredients of the oil phase into a heat-resistant container
- Measure the ingredients of the water phase into a heat-resistant container
- Place both containers in a water bath and heat to over 70 (72-75C) degrees Celsius
- Pour the oil phase into the water phase gradually, stirring gently all the time
- Remove the emulsion from the water bath and continue mixing until the mixture has cooled down below 40 degrees Celsius
- Add the ingredients of the cooling phase one at a time. Mix carefully so that there are no lumps in the product. After mixing, let the mixture to cool down.
- Pack the face mask in a jar and label it. Put the jar in the fridge overnight to set.
How do I use the Green Clay Facial Mask?
This facial mask is intended for face and neck skin. Always apply the clay facial mask on cleansed skin. Use a reasonably generous layer of the clay mask. Spread it evenly over the entire face area and, if desired, also on the skin of the neck. Avoid the eye area.
Leave the facial mask on the skin for about 20 minutes. Wipe the mask off the skin with a tissue paper and rinse the skin with water to remove any remaining traces of the facial mask.
After this facial mask, you may not need any moisturizer at all. The skin on the face feels cared for and moisturized. The colour of the skin also brightens.
You can use Green Clay Facial Mask once or twice a week.
What did you think of the guide? Share your opinion in the comments!