Avoid Expensive Clay Masks & Make Your Own

March 5, 2023 Biome

Make your own pink clay mask

A pre-made clay mask is an expensive product, but home made DIY clay masks are a healthy, quick and cost-effective alternative. Due to the increasing popularity of "Instagram-able" clay masking, brands are packaging up their own and setting a high price for the eager consumer.

But, a clay mask doesn't need to be expensive, or complicated, at all. In fact, you can make your own with pure, straightforward ingredients, and not only save money but create a beneficial, toxin-free product.

The Problem with Pre-Made Clay Masks

They're Expensive

When a beauty company creates their own pre-made clay mask, they're usually expensive to buy.

Tatcha The Clarifying Clay Mask - $116
Go-To The Removalist Clay Mask, 65ml - $48
Sand & Sky Pink Clay Mask, 60g - $60.90
Aspect Exfoliating Clay Mask - $69
Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque - $63
MCo. Beauty Australian Pink Clay Mask, 75g - $39
Alya Skin Pink Clay Mask, 120g - $49.95
Adorn Cosmetics Pink Clay Mask - $59

They're Diluted With Water

In these expensive clay masks, you will also pay for fillers and dilution, which means less of the active ingredients are in the product.

For most, the first or second ingredient is water, so it's a heavily diluted product, remembering that the first few ingredients usually account for about 80% of the volume.

Further, once water is introduced, the products need synthetic preservatives to stop any bacteria. You are better to have the mask in dry powder form and just add the liquid at home, whether it be water, hemp oil, witch hazel or floral water.

They're Filled With Synthetic Ingredients

Unfortunately, you're not just paying for the clay, but a host of synthetics and toxins. Most mask brands actively promote themselves as vegan friendly, cruelty free, and toxin free.

However, these clay mask ingredient lists often contain petrochemicals such as Propylene Glycol, highly synthesised ingredients such as caprylic triglyceride and Polysorbate 80, and synthetic preservatives like Phenoxyethanol and Parfum.

packaged clay mask

Alya Skin Australian Pink Clay Mask Ingredients*

Kaolin, Aqua, Bentonite, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Root Extract (Aloe Vera), Pomegranate Extract, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Isododecane, Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Fruit Extract, Rosa Rugosa Flower Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Peg-120 Glyceryl Stearate, Rosemarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Polysorbate 80, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77491.

Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Mask Ingredients*

Kaolin (Australian Clay), Aqua (Water), Bentonite, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Terminalia Ferdinandiana (Kakadu Plum) Fruit Extract, Centipeda Cunninghamii Extract (Old Man’s Weed), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Liquorice) Root Extract, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Undaria Pinnatifda (Kelp) Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Bark/Twig Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Sterols, Garcinia Mangostana (Mangosteen) Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Oficinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lactic Acid, CI 77491, Parfum, Glycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene.

Go-To The Removalist Clay Mask Ingredients*

Water, kaolin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, zinc oxide, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, propanediol, saccharide isomerate, pentylene glycol, glycerin, xanthan gum, glyceryl caprylate, vitamin e, sunflower seed oil, cetyl palmitate, sorbitan palmitate, bamboo powder, sodium dehydroacetate, willow bark extract, pepper berry fruit extract, riberry fruit extract, muntries fruit extract, citric acid, sodium citrate, natural fragrance.

*All ingredients lists are copied from the brand's website on 5 March 23. They may change at any time.

They Contain Palm Oil

With a packaged liquid mask you are also likely paying for a lot of palm oil. Creamy beauty products need an emulsifier to bind the water and oil together, and this is usually palm oil-derived. Palm oil ingredients in the above ingredient lists for Sand & Sky, Alya and Go-To include:

caprylic/capric triglyceride, glycerine, glyceryl caprylate, cetyl palmitate, sorbitan palmitate, stearic acid, retinyl palmitate, Peg-120 Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 80.

Being derived from rainforest and orangutan habitat-destroying palm oil means they are not cruelty-free.

Make Your Own Clay Mask Instead

With pre-made clay masks, you're paying for so much more than just the clay. You're paying for palm oil, synthetics, water, the destruction of the rainforest, and negative effects on your skin health.

So avoid expensive clay masks, and make your own instead.

The main ingredient you want of course is the clay. Pink clay particularly detoxifies, soothes troubled skin, draws out impurities, and tones. The liquid is primarily to create a paste for applying, but you can chose liquids that have beneficial properties also. Thirdly, you can mix in some other ingredients with active properties.

LIQUID: water, witch hazel, floral water, hemp oil, yoghurt. You quite likely already have some of these at home. Note that "aloe vera juice" in the ingredients is mostly water and is made from reconstituted aloe vera powder.

CLAY: pink clay, kaolin clay, bentonite clay

ACTIVES with additional properties: essential oils, fruit extracts, aloe vera powder, a slight exfoliant such as fine sandalwood powder. Using oils such as hemp and floral waters also provide some active ingredients.

How Do I DIY My Own Clay Mask?

Mix the liquid, clay and actives into a paste, apply the clay mask to clean skin, and wait while it works its magic.

The only thing to keep in mind about DIY clay recipes is to never use metallic utensils or crockery. Clay will absorb the metal, making it less effective at absorbing other things from your skin. To prevent this, use wooden or ceramic utensils. If you're using a jar as storage, make sure the mixture doesn't touch the metal lid or use a different lid.