Wearing a face mask is one of the new normals that we’ve had to get used to thanks to the coronavirus. While it’s good to protect you from the virus, it’s not as great for your skin. So do you know what the best clay masks for maskne are?
Long periods of wearing a face mask leaves you vulnerable to maskne. Maskne is a term that refers to the acne and skin irritation that occurs as a result of wearing a face mask.
Breakouts on the nose, jawline, and cheeks are some of the symptoms of this condition. These are areas that the face mask either covers or comes into contact with.
When you wear a mask repeatedly, the friction that the fabric causes damages the skin’s protective layer and increases dead skin cells. These clog the pores and increase their appearance.
What’s more, the mask traps humidity that condenses from your breath. This creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria that cause acne. It also increases the production of sebum.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to save your face without leaving your mask behind. You can minimize your makeup, clean your face mask regularly, and use a skin-friendly face mask. Exfoliating your skin will also go a long way, and there’s no better way to do this than with a clay mask.
What Are Clay Masks Good For?
Clay masks are good for purifying and nourishing oily or acne-prone skin; hence, they’re suitable for maskne. They’re drying and can, therefore, solve the problem of increased humidity and excess sebum production.
They also draw out impurities that clog the pores, soothing inflammation on the skin.
What Are The Different Types Of Clay Masks?
There are different types of clay masks, each suitable for different skin types. You should find out which is best for your skin type and condition. Here’s an introduction to the different clays that make these masks:
Bentonite Clay: This clay is the most common in products made for oily and acne-prone skin. It’s a super absorber of oil and impurities, getting rid of deep dirt from your pores and tightening them. Bentonite clay is also great for stripping excess moisture from the skin.
Red Clay: This clay has a high iron oxide content, which gives it a bright red hue. It works with all skin types to absorb excess oil while reducing irritation and purifying the pores.
French Green Clay: A super absorbent green-colored clay found in France. The green color is a result of the combination of decomposed plant material and iron oxide that make up the clay. French green clay draws out excess oil from the skin and tightens pores, giving them a reduced appearance. It also boosts blood circulation on the skin surface, resulting in a glowy appearance.
White Clay (Kaolin): Kaolin is a popular clay that’s gentle and contains anti-inflammatory properties. It’s less oil-absorbent compared to other clays like French green clay, which makes it great for sensitive or dry skin. While it’s known as white clay, you can find it in yellow, purple, blue, or pink hues.
Our Picks: The Best Clay Masks for Maskne
Here are our top picks for the best clay masks for maskne. There’s one for every skin type and maskne-related condition.
Freeman Deep Clearing Clay Facial Mask
This Freeman Deep Clearing Clay Facial Mask is ideal for oily skin that’s prone to breakouts. It’s a light formula, you’ll barely feel it on your face. It has a slight honey scent that’s pleasant while not being too overpowering.
This is a bentonite clay mask, made to quickly pull dirt and oil from pores to clear acne. With the additional ingredients including tea tree oil and Manuka honey, it also provides skin nourishment.
Apply this mask to your maskne problem areas, that’s the nose, chin, and cheeks. You should not keep this mask on for more than ten minutes, otherwise, it’ll become too drying. If you have sensitive skin, you can use it for a lot fewer minutes to get the benefits without over-stressing your skin. When you take it off, your face will feel cleaner and your pores will be tightened.
Alitura Clay Mask, Organic Treatment
We loved this organic clay mask from Alitura because of its excellent ingredient line-up. But first things first, it’s made with kaolin clay. This is a gentle clay that exfoliates the skin without stripping it dry.
Away from the clay, this mask contains ginseng, pearl, and seaweed known as pelp to advance its purifying and nourishing effect. Together, these ingredients contain many minerals, enzymes, and amino acids that support skin health in several ways.
Ginseng is a herb that boosts collagen production in the skin, tightening it and reducing the appearance of pores. Knowing there is ginseng in this mask, definitely makes it one of the best clay masks for maskne.
This mask also works to renew your skin, something that you’ll find helpful given that the friction that the mask causes destroys its protective layer. So, while the kaolin clay is drawing out the excess oil and dirt from your pores, skin-nourishing ingredients are helping to regenerate skin cells for a glowy appearance. This mask is suitable for dry, combination, and oily skin types.
Muddy Body Refresh Clay Mask
Our next pick is Muddy Body’s Refresh Clay Mask that contains French green clay. Good for normal or combination skin, this clay can remove excess sebum from your skin and clear blackheads.
It contains avocado and aloe vera, ingredients that hydrate the skin to ensure that it does not dry up as a result of exfoliation. Cucumber and matcha are included to soothe skin and supply it with nourishing nutrients.
This clay contains only natural ingredients, free of any irritating chemicals. As a plus, it comes with an application brush to make it easier to use. If you have sensitive skin, use it every 4-6 days. Normal or combination skin can do well with an application every 2-3 days.
Facial Clay Masks Clay Mask Multi-Pack
We love that this clay mask multi-pack contains four types of clay, is 100% natural, and comes with a brush. It has bentonite, rhassoul, French green, and kaolin clay. We rate this highly as one of the best clay masks for maskne on the market today.
Bentonite is great for when you want to do deep pore cleansing, while french green clay can reduce the appearance of pores. Rhassoul has a high content of potassium and calcium and is great for all skin types. Kaolin clay is your go-to for gentle exfoliation to cleanse your pores.
These packs are enough for 25 applications. They’re in powder form and should be mixed with equal parts water before applying. You can leave the mask on for 20 minutes, but only 5 minutes for sensitive skin.
Revive Science Clay Facial Mask
This clay mask contains pink, blue, and kaolin clay to gently exfoliate the skin and draw dirt and excess sebum from pores. It also has activated charcoal which attracts toxins and dirt from the skin and leaves it looking brighter.
The best thing about this clay is that it deeply cleanses the skin while ensuring that moisture is not lost, thanks to its inclusion of organic lecithin. Lecithin is a powerful humectant that retains moisture and keeps the skin nourished.
These clay masks can help you deal with maskne on your chin, jawline, and top of the nose. They get rid of the annoying breakouts by removing excess oil and dirt from your pores. They’ll also slough off any dead skin cells from the surface, revealing a brighter and more refreshed appearance.
Other Facial Treatments To Consider
In addition to treating your face to a clay mask, here are a few other things that may help to tone and soothe your face:
Conclusion
So if you are worried about your maskne, don’t despair, choose one of the clay masks from our selection and treat your skin to a soothing treatment. Give it a few days to work and remember to let your skin breath when it is safe to do so.
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