DIY Clay Mask

Hey Wilders!

Yup just made that up! I hope everyone is doing well. Can you believe it’s February already? I thought this week I would give out a DIY recipe for you to try at home. For the last ten years, DIY has been a wonderful outlet for me. There’s nothing more satisfying than creating something from a few raw ingredients as a wonderful treat for yourself. Valentine’s Day is around the corner and who better to pamper than yourself? You deserve it!

This mask is suitable for most skin types but is best for acne prone or mature skin. It contains clay, honey, and Camu Camu powder which is rich in Vitamin C.[1,2] It also oxidizes very quickly when it comes into contact with air, so just make enough to use for one mask. I don’t recommend storing or saving any leftovers as they will spoil quickly. I usually smear the leftovers on my fiancée’s face.

The clay I use is Rhassoul (Moroccan) clay which leaves the skin feeling luxuriously soft. You can use Kaolin, French Green Clay or any you prefer. Grapeseed oil is a very light oil that adds hydration to the mask but can be substituted with another light oil such as Jojoba or Sunflower oil. The honey is also moisturizing. I use Manuka honey but you can use any honey you have on hand. As with any mask, exfoliating your face before you apply it will prepare your skin to absorb all the wonderful nutrients.

Most of these ingredients can be found at your local natural grocery store, such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, or Natural Grocers. There are some links below where you may find the ingredients. I source all my clay from Mountain Rose Herbs (MRH) as they have an excellent reputation for quality materials.

Full disclosure: Desert Wild Apothecary participates in the Amazon Associates program, and as such will receive a small monetary commission when purchasing from the Amazon links on this post. 

Recipe

Phase A

1/2 tsp Rhassoul clay or any clay of your choice (MRH)
1/2 tsp Camu Camu powder (MRH | Amazon)

Phase B

1 tsp Aloe Vera gel or distilled water (MRH | Amazon)
1/2 tsp of Vegetable Glycerin (MRH | Amazon)
1/2 tsp Manuka Honey or other raw Honey (Amazon)
3-5 drops of Grapeseed oil (MRH | Amazon)
1-2 drops of essential oil if desired (I use Ylang Ylang) (MRH | Amazon)

Directions

1. Combine the clay and Camu Camu powder in a small bowl, Phase A.
2. Combine the Aloe Vera Juice, Grapeseed oil, and honey in another bowl, Phase B.

1. Stir Phase B. Depending on your climate, you may need to heat phase B for 5 seconds in the microwave. You want the honey to be soft and easily dispersible, otherwise it will not combine with the other ingredients well.
2. Pour 1/2 of Phase B into Phase A, folding the clay into the liquid to ensure it becomes hydrated. Pour the remainder in slowly until you get the thick consistency of cake batter. You may not need all of the liquid. For best results, let the mixture hydrate for 5 minutes.
   
   Note: The consistency in the image above is a little too thick. I was paying more attention to the photography than the consistency when I was taking pictures. It was a bit difficult to spread on my face. 
   
   
3. After the desired consistency is reached, add in 1 drop of your preferred essential oil if you wish.
4. Apply a thin layer of the clay to your clean, washed, face, taking care to avoid the eye area. For best results, wet your face first so it can spread easier. 
5. You may leave the mask on for 15 minutes to 30 minutes. I usually do the latter.
6. This mask doesn’t completely harden due to the oil and honey, but it can be tough to rinse off. First, splash your face with warm water, then work your hands in a circular motion like you would when cleansing, to loosen the mask. Then follow up with tepid water to rinse it off. Be careful around the eyes. Camu Camu powder has small micro pieces of the ground fruit in it that can get in the eyes if you’re not careful.

Footnotes

1. Justi KC, Visentainer JV, Evelázio de Souza N, Matsushita M. Nutritional composition and vitamin C stability in stored camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) pulp. Arch Latinoam Nutr. 2000 Dec;50(4):405-8. PMID: 11464674.
2. Fracassetti D, Costa C, Moulay L, Tomás-Barberán FA. Ellagic acid derivatives, ellagitannins, proanthocyanidins and other phenolics, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity of two powder products from camu-camu fruit (Myrciaria dubia). Food Chem. 2013 Aug 15;139(1-4):578-88. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.01.121. Epub 2013 Feb 13. PMID: 23561148.