We tried it: How do you use a powder clay facial mask?

Clay masks have been used for hundreds of years to improve the skin’s appearance. Today, judging by the number of beauty influencers posting Michael Myers-esque, LED-lit, clay-mask selfies, earthen facial masks are still wildly popular — and here to stay. Now, in addition to tubs and tubes of ready-to-apply masks, clay masks come in the form of dry clay powder, which turns into a paste when you add liquid.

Clay masks are favored by many beauty aficionados, since clay is rich in minerals like iron, calcium, silica, and magnesium. Clay masks:

• pull out impurities, including heavy metals and charged toxins, from inside the pores
• absorb sebum and prevent pore clogging
• may boost skin elasticity
• ease the effects of sunburn
• may help heal allergic skin reactions
• may promote collagen production to reduce wrinkles and firm the skin

The powder facial mask I tried was the Terra Beauty Bars Rose Coconut Dry Facial Clay Mask, developed for normal and dry skin. This beauty product line includes several specialized dry clay masks, including volcanic ash for oily/combination skin and matcha for oily/normal skin.

I appreciated the simple list of ingredients in the rose mask:

• Kaolin or white clay plus Brazilian rose clay powder, both of which are hailed for their gentle skin softening and non-drying effects
• Cocos Nucifera Fruit Powder, which is made from the fruit of mature coconuts and is full of nourishing fatty acids and B vitamins
• Rose petal powder, said to help soothe, calm, and cool the skin

Terra Beauty Bars says their mask will draw out impurities and leave my skin baby soft. Bring it on, baby, because my 40-possibly-50-something skin could use some softening!

Here’s what makes clay powder masks so cool: You can mix the dry clay with all sorts of skin-loving liquids, including:

• Water
• Coconut water or coconut milk
• Aloe vera
• Rose or lavender water
• A few drops of coconut, argan, olive, or another hydrating oil for extra moisturization

The directions on my dry clay masks say to mix one to two teaspoons of the clay powder with my choice of liquid — I used plain ol’ warm water.

Each of the times I used this product, I mixed it up in the palm of my hand — which I recommend doing over the bathroom sink, since inevitably, some of the very fine, loose powder will escape. It's shockingly red, but the natural clay cleans up easily.

How long do you keep a powder clay mask on?

The mask consistency is thin and easy to apply, and it only took a few minutes for the clay to dry and turn light, which means it's ready to rinse off. It was interesting to watch and feel the mask dry on my skin. I felt a pleasant tightening sensation and imagined all those impurities being sucked out of my pores — baby-butt softness on the way ... I hoped!

How do you remove a powder clay mask?

To completely remove the mask, I needed to rinse my face with warm water and help it along with a damp washcloth.

A dedicated washcloth is in order here — the red clay did stain the cloth.

Upon removal of the mask, I observed the following:

1. My skin indeed felt very soft. Soft as in baby? Maybe!
2. I definitely noticed that my pores appeared smaller and my face felt extremely smooth.
3. While my skin felt firm, it didn't feel dry and tight, so the hydrating aspects of the coconut and rose powders seemed effective.

As a semi-DIY, of-the-earth beauty treatment, the Terra Beauty Bar's Rose Coconut Dry Facial Clay Mask is easy to mix and yields soft, clean skin. Sure, the process is a bit messy, but it's fun and luxurious — and that makes it a keeper.