Kaolin!
When I started on my skincare journey, bentonite clay was one of my first purchases. Being an older millennial (totally a thing!), I did a shit ton of online research before buying it. I first heard about it on Buzzfeed as Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, but soon realised it was just bentonite/fullers earth, so that's what I ordered off Amazon at a bit less than the name brand stuff.
My first batch was fab. I loved it. Sometimes I just mixed it with apple cider vinegar, other times I added crushed aspirin (toned down my redness, temporarily). It vibrated and pulsed as promised and made me feel like I was doing something positive for my skin and left me feeling soft and super clean. When I ran out, I reordered a larger bag.
Three things happened the first time I used some clay from the larger bag. First, I decided to mix some turmeric in with the clay and ACV. I had read that it would brighten my complexion. Second, I convinced my partner to do a mud mask with me. He humours all the weird shit I put on my face (snail mucin is the one that really weirds him out) and likes it because it makes me happy. He thinks I'm beautiful even with a face full of spots though (he also does the dishes and laundry...I've found a keeper!).
The third thing that happened was the most significant. It made my eyes water like nobody's business. I thought it was the turmeric...maybe I had added too much? Nope. I've used it many times since then and it's the same result. Tears.
I'm cheap though, so I can't buy more until I use it up, right?
Enter kaolin.
Did you know there's more than one type of clay that's used for face masks? I didn't. I was looking up the ingredients in NIODs Flavanone mask (finally bit the bullet and purchased it...hoping to do an accelerated five day course during half term) and kaolin was in it. Then I found a Klog article about it. All signs were pointing to kaolin, so I bought some.
I love it.
I really, really love it.
I've been mixing it with rose water that I get for next to nothing in the Asian aisle at Sainsbury's and it just feels really posh having a mask made of porcelain and rose water on my face. On top of that, it's a lot more soothing than a bentonite mask. There's a bit of pulsating, but no redness afterwards.
The clay mixes up a lot thinner that bentonite, so less liquid is needed and I'm more likely to apply it with my fingers than the thicker mask. It also feels less crumbly once it's dried. It doesn't leave bits of mask on my couch, which is a definite plus. On the whole, it's all the loveliness of an Aztec Secret Indian Healing Mask without all of the bits I disliked. Sometimes I will mix in a bit of the eye watering bentonite to thicken things up and it tones down the eye watering quality as well. This will likely be my new go-to mud mask. The only downside is when I mix turmeric in, it feels like I have to scrub to get the yellow off. Otherwise, it's porcelain faced loveliness for me!
My first batch was fab. I loved it. Sometimes I just mixed it with apple cider vinegar, other times I added crushed aspirin (toned down my redness, temporarily). It vibrated and pulsed as promised and made me feel like I was doing something positive for my skin and left me feeling soft and super clean. When I ran out, I reordered a larger bag.
Three things happened the first time I used some clay from the larger bag. First, I decided to mix some turmeric in with the clay and ACV. I had read that it would brighten my complexion. Second, I convinced my partner to do a mud mask with me. He humours all the weird shit I put on my face (snail mucin is the one that really weirds him out) and likes it because it makes me happy. He thinks I'm beautiful even with a face full of spots though (he also does the dishes and laundry...I've found a keeper!).
The third thing that happened was the most significant. It made my eyes water like nobody's business. I thought it was the turmeric...maybe I had added too much? Nope. I've used it many times since then and it's the same result. Tears.
I'm cheap though, so I can't buy more until I use it up, right?
Enter kaolin.
Did you know there's more than one type of clay that's used for face masks? I didn't. I was looking up the ingredients in NIODs Flavanone mask (finally bit the bullet and purchased it...hoping to do an accelerated five day course during half term) and kaolin was in it. Then I found a Klog article about it. All signs were pointing to kaolin, so I bought some.
I love it.
I really, really love it.
I've been mixing it with rose water that I get for next to nothing in the Asian aisle at Sainsbury's and it just feels really posh having a mask made of porcelain and rose water on my face. On top of that, it's a lot more soothing than a bentonite mask. There's a bit of pulsating, but no redness afterwards.
The clay mixes up a lot thinner that bentonite, so less liquid is needed and I'm more likely to apply it with my fingers than the thicker mask. It also feels less crumbly once it's dried. It doesn't leave bits of mask on my couch, which is a definite plus. On the whole, it's all the loveliness of an Aztec Secret Indian Healing Mask without all of the bits I disliked. Sometimes I will mix in a bit of the eye watering bentonite to thicken things up and it tones down the eye watering quality as well. This will likely be my new go-to mud mask. The only downside is when I mix turmeric in, it feels like I have to scrub to get the yellow off. Otherwise, it's porcelain faced loveliness for me!
Comments
Post a Comment