This Natural Clay Mask Unclogs My Pores Without Making My Face Feel Tight
The Splurge is our recurring column dedicated to expensive beauty products that are actually worth it. This week, why we're rebuying Clark's Botanicals' Intense Radiance Mask, despite the $72 price tag.
Last Christmas, my mom's partner gifted her a Roomba vacuum. Once we set it up, I sat on couch and watched the robot do laps around the living room, sucking every last crumb out of the carpet. A few days later, in the midst of my PMS and cheese-induced breakout, I remember wishing I brought a clay face mask home with me that worked on my congested pores like this vacuum cleaned my mom's floor.
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As the OG treatment for detoxing your skin, clay masks work by pulling out and absorbing all of the excess oil and junk that's clogging your pores. And while viral K beauty-inspired pore vacuums promise to give your pores an extra-deep clean, in my opinion, a rinse-off mask is the foolproof way to go.
However, not all clay masks are created equal. The ingredient is supposed to suck up excess moisture, which sometimes can leave your face feeling dry and tight. But thanks to a few extra ingredients, Clark's Botanicals Intense Radiance Mask is one of the exceptions, and my go-to clay mask.
The natural skincare brand includes algae extract and glycerin to hydrate and seal in moisture, while still working to clear up any skin congestion. So the mask is able to give my pores a Roomba-level deep clean, but it doesn't suck the life out of my face. Instead, once I rinse it off, my skin is soft, supple, and glowing from the inside out.
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Depending on your skin type, clay masks can be used bi-weekly to keep oil and breakouts under control. For me, I slather this Clark's Botanical's mask on as a preventative measure against PMS breakouts or when my combination skin is extra oily.
Sure, there are $5 masks you can get on a drugstore haul, but thanks to hydrating ingredients and no harsh, unknown chemicals, this $72 option is guaranteed to not dry out and irritate your skin. As I like to say: Clear pores, soft skin — can't lose.
