Here’s the full instructions on how to use a clay mask like bentonite.
If you were wondering, here’s a couple of the commonly asked (out of our 34 clay FAQ’s) for bentonite face mask questions answered below:
- How often should you use Bentonite Clay on your face?
- Is Bentonite safe for the face?
- Does Bentonite tighten your skin
- Does Bentonite Clay clog your pores?
- How long do you leave bentonite on your face?
How often should you use Bentonite Clay on your face?Can you use Indian Healing Clay (bentonite) everyday?
Bentonite clay has amazing benefits for your skin, and it’s tempting to use it every day. However even with other face mask or exfoliation applications you don’t want to apply daily.
Clay has a very strong drying affect on your skin, which will absorb oils trapped in your pores and natural skin oils. You might find some redness after application, due to the absorption of your natural oils. This is perfectly normal.
However, as explained in our how to use a dry clay mask instructions, do not let the mask fully dry on your skin.
It is suggested that for oily or combination skin you may apply the mask 1 – 2 times per week. For dry skin types, it’s suggested to only use once per week. Here’s my detailed guideline of how often to use clay here.
If you are suffering from a bad acne breakout, I have in the past used a mask daily for up to 3 days (MAX). When I initially started with Bentonite clay, this is how I got my acne under control. Let me preface with this, I have very, very oily skin. So my skin was not experiencing dryness after the repeated application.
Each persons skin is different so it’s important to see your results and change the scheduling of your clay mask accordingly.
Is Bentonite Safe for the face?
Absolutely! What I love about clay is that it’s natural, a mineralized product from our earth, made over 100’s of years.
Completely natural, without preservatives, additives, coloring or chemicals.
Whenever applying to your face or skin please ensure that you follow the directions. In this case, the most important part about ensuring safety for your skin is to not let the mask completely dry on your face.
If you do let it dry on your skin you can expect a little to quite a bit of redness for up to 30-45 minutes after application. This is generally how long it takes for your skin to natural replenish it’s oils that have been absorbed by the mask.
Does Bentonite Clay tighten your skin?
The benefits of Bentonite clay are numerous. After application of the face mask on your skin, you will feel a tightening sensation. Which leads you to think that the tightening effect might be lasting.
I have seen many products or blogs that claim that your skin elasticity will be improved with Bentonite. However, there has been a short term study, that found skin elasticity (aka tightening) was not improved after a single application.
However aseparate study found that after 7 days of applying clay to skin, there was an increase of collagen, which collagen does help to improve skin elasticity.
I’ll keep my eyes peeled and add an update if I find any other studies that prove the long term benefits of skin tightening from clay!
Does Bentonite Clay clog your pores?
No, in fact, clay does the complete opposite. I like to think of a Bentonite Clay mask as a vaccuum for my pores.
The cleansing effect of gets deep in your pores, and the sorption process attracts and removes impurities from your skin. Those impurities are positive charged bacteria, chemicals, toxins, and heavy metals.
So your pores will be cleansed after a clay mask, and with ongoing use, will reduce the appearance of those pesky pores.
I found since starting my clay journey that my makeup “wears” and sits on my skin soooo much better instead of getting sucked into my deep pores like it used too. I even started wearing makeup made with Bentonite clay!
How long do you leave Bentonite on your Face?
More is not better when it comes to clay. Most people misunderstand that if you let clay get super dry and flaky that it works more. At the last stage of the clay mask when the clay gets very dry it’s absorbing your oils.
Always remove the clay mask prior to it fully drying.
I put together some visual examples for how long to leave your clay mask on for.
If you still have questions about clay masks, it’s likely it’s one of our FAQ clay series.
Disclaimer: Our content does not constitute a dermatologistor medical advice.
Did you try this mask? I would love to hear how it worked for you! Leave a comment below.
