Calcium Bentonite Clay as a FINISHING POWDER!!

If you were to google Aztec Secrets : Indian Healing Clay  right now — this suggestion would pop up.

” Excellent as a face mask ” —- and this is indeed the most commonly followed path.

And so how does it fare as a FACE MASK? And how do you mix it?

Prep instructions on the jar :

Mix a spoon of the clay with water / apple cider vinegar A.C. V (Bragg’s preferably OR any organic A.C.V) in a non reactive plate. The mixture fizzes a bit. Apply it on your dry face. Do not eat/ talk whilst the mask dries up 😀 😀 because it seriously dries up like Plaster of Paris! When it completely dries up, wash off with water!

So then, how did it fare for me ???

1) It excels at LITERALLY pulling out the impurities from the skin ….and it did not make my wallet weep. It retails at £9.65 for a HUMONGOUS 1 lb jar on Amazon.

2) It is great for OILY skin …and acneic skin in particular. If your face is an OIL SLICK, there is nothing better than this healing clay. However, it did not work for me, especially in this London weather because i have a combination (OILY  T-zone) skin. And this clay sucks out the moisture from my skin.

3) The addition of A.C.V gives the clay greater power to draw any sebum/ impurities right up to the surface. However, I couldn’t bear the pulsing/throbbing feeling on my skin after couple of minutes of applying the mask.  Since the clay almost felt like a heavy cakey substance, I couldn’t wait to take the mask off!

4) In order to take the cakey-mask off– I have had to use a wash-cloth to gently wash off the mask. But this leaves my face a bit scratchy, red, splotchy and definitely dry. As a face mask, it did not make my heart sing because, it made my skin way too dry and TACKY :-(. And I like dewy/ moist!!!!!!!

5) However, all is not doomed. The humongous jar had been lying around begging for it to be used and I seriously did not know what to do what THAT MAMMOTH JAR……..

6)…………until i came across a tip on NMDL — one of the readers said it worked brilliantly for her as a FINISHING POWDER.

7) I had to test the tip!  The weather in London can be a bit finicky. On days when the humidity factor is high, I use a clear eyeshadow brush and dip it into the clay. I shake off the excess and lightly dust the T-zone. The key to this tip is to LIGHTLY dust (no heavy handedness here!) and voila, I am ready to face the day sans an oily face.

8) You might wonder if the clay would impart a greenish hue to the makeup. The answer is NO! It does a fine job of mopping up any excess oil and keeps the original colour of the foundation intact. It acts as a perfect makeup setter. It is definitely a cheaper version of the Lily Lolo flawless matte finishing powder which essentially consists of just Kaolin + Mica which by the way is a great makeup setter.

9) The FINISH is non-cakey, matte for the oily zones and I really have not felt the need for a blotting paper AT ALL. If you have access to Kaolin clay, that would work even better because of its finer texture.

So, girls—- Do y’all use finishing powders / makeup setters???

and Is Aztec Secret Indian healing clay your favourite clay mask???