Purge baby, purge! De-junking your face

"We all wear masks, metaphorically speaking," (what movie?). Mud and clay are amazing ingredients at eradicating oil, dirt and clogged pores (sounds like they shouldn't be but alas they are) that's why they're the best for oily/combo skin types.

I mentioned some masks in this 20 minute Detox post but thought it was a category worth expounding upon. After all, there are so many options available with great ingredients it's worth delving into some other options:

~Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask de-clogs pores with charcoal and a White China Clay to draw impurities out. 

~Boots no.7 Beautiful Skin Purifying Mask contains a clay that heats up when activated with warm water- the heat helps open the pores making it easier for everything to come out. 

~Botanics Ionic Clay Mask is full of Willow Bark, a natural version of Salicylic Acid, so it's ideal for breakouts because it'll flush out the pore and treat inflammation. 

~WEI Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask comes in portable containers (perfect for travel!) and includes a luxurious brush to apply the mask with. Contains Kaolin clay and other herbs to rid the skin of any impurities. 

~Say Yes to Tomatoes Skin Clearing Facial Mask uses mud from the Dead Sea and contains Lycopene (from the tomatoes), which is a powerful antioxidant for protecting the skin. 

** A mud mask can be applied with a thin to medium thickness on your face (unlike the peel-off masks which need a thick layer). I personally like a heavy layered application... this goes back to my spa days, when during a facial, I'd apply a mask and then massage the clients hands and feet while the mask was working. I wish I had someone to do that for me now! Anyway, most of these masks you rinse off once they're dry, about 10-15 minutes later and use only 1-2 times a week. Your skin should feel really clean and soft.

Extra Tip: Because these masks draw impurities out, they are fantastic spot treatments for a blemish. After cleansing, spot treatment & moisturizing (and whatever else goes into your nighttime routine) apply the mask with a Q-tip type-applicator to the blemish. It doesn't have to be too thick of a layer, just enough to see it, and let it dry completely before going to bed. You'll may end up look like a spotted cheetah but it'll be worth it in the a.m. This trick is especially helpful if you can do this in the beginning stages of a blemish- like the ones you can feel coming and will turn into Mt. Everest if you let it have its way. 

I've personally done this mask spot treatment and seen so much success. I had a bad cystic-like blemish coming and did this 3 nights in a row. Each day I would wake up and it would be shrunken and less red. As I said before, it really works best though if you can nip it in the bud... but you may not see dramatic results if it's an older blemish. Still worth a try though!

Any mud/clay masks that you're crazy about?