Although it may seem counterintuitive to rub mud all over your face to get cleaner skin, it’s a trick people have been using since ancient times! Back in the day, people used to travel to the Dead Sea for its famous clay.
Luckily these days you don’t need to go quite as far to get your fix.
Today, we’re explaining the benefits of clay in beauty products, and where to find the best ones.
Why Clay?
Clay is a star beauty ingredient because it is able to absorb impurities and sebum. These contribute to congestion in the pores, which lead to blackheads, breakouts and more. Cosmetic clays are rich in minerals, and they work well with acne-prone, dull and congested skin types.
Clay helps to gently exfoliate, clean and invigorate the skin while also improving blood circulation. It can also enhance the lathering capabilities of facial cleansers, making it a good ingredient to wash your face with.
Which types of clay are best in beauty products?
Clearly, slapping any old mud on your face won’t work. But which clays are the best ones to look out for? Try:
Volcanic Clay – made from the hardened lava that formed after a volcanic explosion, this is a natural and rare ingredient. It has the ability to absorb and remove sebum and wash away impurities from the skin, while also purifying and moisturising it. After using volcanic clay, your skin will be cleaner, without the feeling of being tight or dry.
Kaolin Clay – a fine and light clay, kaolin has natural absorbency properties. When applied to the skin, it soaks up excess oils and stale sebum.
Rhassoul clay – rich in magnesium, silica, potassium, and calcium, the molecular structure of Rhassoul clay gives it the ability to absorb excess dirt and oil, as well as extract impurities from the skin.
Taean mud – containing natural minerals, this mud is well known for moisturising the skin, removing impurities and micro dust.
Our favourite K-Beauty products featuring clay
With volcanic Jeju Island only a hop and a skip away from Seoul, it’s little wonder that Korean Beauty products frequently feature clay from Jeju Island. Some of our favourite K-Beauty products featuring various clays include:
Cosmetea Peppermint Tea Green Clay Mask – with a soft whipping-cream texture that looks more like an Aero chocolate, this mask offers skin resurfacing benefits. It targets dullness, uneven texture and large pores. Kaolin and bentonite are combined with peppermint tea to tighten and improve uneven skin.
Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask is a cult favourite featuring mud, clay and charcoal. It purges pores of excess sebum and trapped dirt, giving you purer, clearer, more radiant skin. Best of all it comes with a fun twist – as it bubbles, it turns your face into a fluffy cloud!
Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask – one of the most popular Korean beauty products on the market, this face mask contains clay from pristine Jeju. It works as a vacuum on the face, suctioning out blackheads, dirt and impurities from the skin. It can be used three ways; as a spot treatment for acne; to remove blackheads (instead of strip masks); and as a full face mask. Talk about value for money!
Cosmetea Black Tea Pink Clay Mask – this smooth pink mask offers skin resurfacing benefits and targets the loss of firmness and elasticity. It works to hydrate, tighten and improve uneven skin. Black tea, kaolin and bentonite absorb and lift away impurities, debris and excess oil that can clog pores and cause skin to look dull.
Foams
Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam – a nourishing face wash that contains volcanic clay clusters from Jeju Island. It works to clear blackheads, dirt and impurities from the skin.
Sheet Masks
JJ Young by Caolion Lab Pore Charcoal Mud Sheet Mask – this unique 3D pore tightening mask dries to firmly fit your exact face shape. Peel it off to remove sebum and impurities and deeply cleanse your pores. It’ll leave your face visibly firmer, smoother and more hydrated.
What benefits have you noticed from your clay beauty products? Let us know in the comments!
"Clay is a star beauty ingredient because it is able to absorb impurities and sebum. These contribute to congestion in the pores, which lead to blackheads, breakouts and more."
Shobha Ramnarain
August 22, 2023
How can I buy this product in South Africa.