Activated Charcoal and Clay Mask for Oily Skin

Activated Charcoal and Clay Mask

As you know the last mask that I tried was an abject failure, for a number of reasons. However, I decided to carry on undaunted and try another mask. This time, taking into accont my oily skin I decided on a clay mask. Since I've been absolutely fascinated with the latest charcoal mask craze I was happier than ever when I found this recipe for an activated charcoal and clay mask. 

You can find the full recipe here : Recipe for the mask

I was unable to get my hands on bentonite clay and so substituted that for Multani Mitthi, also known as Fuller's Earth, an ingredient widely used in skin care, most especially masks for oily and acne prone skin. I also added a little water to the final paste as it was too thick initially.

The Ingredients

Activated Charcoal - Activated charcoal is well known for its properties of drawing out toxins and impurities. This property of binding to the impurities and drawing them out of the pores makes the pores look smaller and reduces the appearance of blackheads. Additionally it also extracts the excess oil from the skin. Activated charcoal powder is not easily available here, so I substituted it with powdered activated charcoal tablets.

Multani Mitthi (Fuller's Earth) - Multani Mitthi is well known for its properties of drawing out toxins and excess oil from the skin and has been used in Indian beauty routines for generations. It makes the skin glow and appear radiant by sloughing off dead skin cells, and helps to remove blemishes caused by acne and blackheads.

Apple Cider Vinegar -  In the post, the apple cider vinegar is optional but I decided to use it since it has excellent toning properties and helps to close the pores. Apple cider vinegar is also known to be anti-microbial and a cleansing agent.

The Trial

Let's get right to the fun part then. I mixed the ingredients and added the water to thin the paste a little. I then washed my face with my regular facewash, and towel-dried it in preparation for the mask. 

Here's what I looked like before

I applied the mask with my fingers and a plastic spoon. The mask spread easily across the skin and my only compaint was instead of being black as it is in the pictures it was a sort of mossy green. Of course this could be because of the changes I made, in fact it probably is, so I have no business complaining. 

Here I am looking like the swamp monster

I set a timer on my phone for 20 minutes and prepared to relax. I found that the mask is very cooling and feels great on the face as it dries. The apple cider vinegar fumes did make my eyes smart a little bit even though I took care to avoid the eye area, however, it was not enough to make me feel the need to remove the mask.

The mask also tightens a great deal as it dries and I had to be careful not to move my face too much for fear that it might cause fine lines and wrinkles (this was not helped by my mother who came outside and got a start seeing my lovely pea-green visage, making me want to laugh).

As the mask dries it starts to crack but does not flake off the face which is really good from the point of view of it being less messy this way. 

After 20mins I proceeded to wash off the mask. It washed off easily and left no stains or residue apart from a slight redness in certain areas. 

This is what I looked like immediately after rinsing

I followed up the mask with a moisturier. I was a little concerned about the redness, however it was not a skin irritation and subsided on its own in about half an hour. 

             

If you look at the before and after pictures you will see that the skin seems smoother while the size of the pores is reduced. It also helped deal with the fine spattering of blackheads that adorn my nose. Additionally, the skin felt soft and supple and the oiliness was much reduced (this reduced oiliness lasted for about 3 days). 

Conclusions

Pros

• The mask is easy to use and apply
• It is especially good in hot weather as it cools the skin
• The mask makes good on its promises and leaves the skin feeling soft, supple and radiant
• It is easy to wash off and does not make a mess
• Although the ingredients are not in themselves readily available, the available substitutes still deliver.

Cons

• The ingredients themselves are not readily available and some substitutes need to be used. 
• The apple cider vinegar can make the eyes sting, however, it is an optional ingredient
• The mask can make the skin feel alarmingly tight as it dries

My Recommendations

• This mask is great for use in the summer because it banishes oily skin and helps to cool the skin as well. It is also supposed to help with sun-darkening of the skin.
• Follow up the use of the mask with a moisturizer every single time, since the mask can dry out the skin somewhat.
• Do not use this mask if you have very dry skin as it will not be suitable
• People who have more sensitive skin should probably leave off the apple cider vinegar, and spot test the mask before applying it to their whole face. 
• Always remember whenever you use a mask you must precede it with washing the face and follow it up with a moisturizer. 

Cautions

I tried this mask a second time and have a few cautions to add to this review. Firstly I added 1tsp of apple cider vinegar and 1tsp of water but this left the paste a little too thin and I had to apply a double layer of it to the skin.

Another mistake I made this time, is that I forgot about the time and left the mask on for half an hour. This is not advisable as the skin can get irritated probably due to the acidity of the apple cider vinegar. When I rinsed my face the skin felt hot and red and I did break out slightly the next day. So please only leave the mask on for 15-20mins.