Searching for a DIY Detox Face Mask for Acne?
Quite honestly, there are many reasons you might be looking for a detox face mask, acne or not. Between the makeup, skincare, and hair products most of us use and the junk food we occasionally eat…
Our skin is bound to become congested and in desperate need of a detoxifying face mask!
The good news is, you can quickly decongest your skin by using a DIY detox face mask to draw out impurities, banish toxins, clear blackheads, and even shrink pores. Think of it as a do-over for dull, congested, blemish-prone skin.
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What does a detoxifying face mask do?
A better question would be, “What can’t a detox face mask do?” Clay face masks have been praised as the cure-all for many skin issues.
Blackheads – Vanished
Volcano-Sized Pores – Shrunk
Angry Red Blemishes – Debunked
Dull, Lackluster Appearance – Revived
Deep Stress Lines – Lifted
Excessive Oil Production – Halted
A detox face mask is your chance to wave a magic wand, erasing a plethora of skin issues. Powerful absorption and exfoliation properties will reach deep within your pores and draw out unwanted gunk. After using a detox face mask, your skin will look fresh and radiant with a noticeable luminous glow and softer touch.
Related To: Choose Konjac Sponge for Your Skin Type
Related To: Best Skin Care Tools for 2020
What is the best detox face mask?
The best detox face mask for acne and other common issues is formulated with powerful ingredients such as activated charcoal, essential oils, and clay proven to reboot the skin. Here’s what this charcoal face mask is made of:
Kaolin Clay
Derived from China, kaolin is a white clay consisting of essential nutrients for healthy skin. Widely known for its ability to absorb excess oil, open pores, clear away blackheads, act as a deep cleanser, and reduce breakouts.
Kaolin clay is highly recommended for oily and combination skin types. I’ve found that you will get the best results for your skin when you choose clay for your skin type. Use our clay guide to find the right one for your skin.
Do you have normal, dry, mature, oily, or combination skin? Take our Skin Type Quiz now to discover yours!
Activated Charcoal
Similar to clay, activated charcoal is a natural way to remove impurities from the skin, absorb oil, help eliminate blemishes and stimulate blood flow. All of which results in a smooth, more youthful-looking complexion.
Did you know activated charcoal can absorb thousands of times its own weight? This is exactly why just a small amount of activated charcoal can absorb so many toxins from our skin. I shared more about the skin benefits of activated charcoal and how it’s made with my activated charcoal soaking salts recipe.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are often natures’ solution to many problems and one of the first ingredients I turn to for simple skincare. Read more about my experience and how I got started with essential oils here. For this detox face mask recipe, I choose two known particularly well for deep cleansing. You can also choose from these 5 starter essential oils for the skin.
Traditionally used in skin care products for its deep cleansing properties mentioned above, tea tree essential oil is great for all skin types. As a common aid for acne, tea tree essential oil can help resolve many issues and make a great addition to any DIY detox face mask.
Likely the most popular essential oil, lavender soothes and nourishes all skin types and is easy to incorporate into your daily skincare routine, not just in a face mask. Naturally derived, it is often used to help with skin irritation.
Jojoba Oil
Like our skin’s sebum oil, jojoba helps balance oil production by tricking the skin into producing less oil. It’s packed with antioxidants and essential fatty acids to protect and moisturize skin. This DIY charcoal face mask helps to clear away dirt and impurities, in addition to reducing inflammation often caused by blemishes.
Here’s What You’ll Need – DIY Detox Face Mask Ingredients:
1 teaspoon Kaolin clay
½ teaspoon activated charcoal
½ teaspoon filtered water
2 drops lavender essential oil
1 drop tea tree essential oil
⅛ teaspoon jojoba oil
How to Make a Detox Face Mask:
Combine 1 teaspoon Kaolin clay with ½ teaspoon activated charcoal in a small face mask bowl. Blend, then add ½ teaspoon of filtered water. Thoroughly mix and add 2 drops of lavender essential oil and 1 drop of tea tree essential oil to the mixture. Followed by ⅛ teaspoon jojoba oil until a mask begins to form.
Rather Have a Printable Recipe?
Charcoal DIY Detox Face Mask
Give your face a much-needed reboot by using this DIY detox face mask. Formulated with activated charcoal and Kaolin clay, it's the cat’s meow for pulling out toxins or impurities in the skin.
Materials
- 1 teaspoon Kaolin clay
- ½ teaspoon activated charcoal
- ½ teaspoon filtered water
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
- 1 drop tea tree essential oil
- ⅛ teaspoon jojoba oil
Instructions
- Combine 1 teaspoon Kaolin clay with ½ teaspoon activated charcoal in a small face mask bowl.
- Blend together, then add ½ teaspoon of filtered water.
- Thoroughly mix and add 2 drops lavender essential oil and 1 drop tea tree essential oil to the mixture. Followed by ⅛ teaspoon jojoba oil until a mask begins to form.
Notes
Apply a thin layer of the charcoal face mask with a face mask spatula or clean hands to your cleansed face, avoiding the eye area.
Leave the charcoal face mask on for 5 to 10 minutes or until the clay begins to harden and dry. You can extend the time if you have oily skin, considering it will take longer to absorb your oil. Or you can spritz the mask with a face mist or DIY hydrosol to keep it on up to 20 minutes.
After a detox face mask gently rinse with cool water and a washcloth.
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How do you use a detox face mask?
1. The first step to using a DIY detox face mask is cleansing. Start by cleansing your face to remove surface bacteria and dirt while opening your pores. (Have you tried my homemade aloe vera cleanser yet?) This step allows the face mask to reach great depths in your pores and pull all that unwanted gunk out!
2. Rinse with cool to warm water and gently pat dry. Then apply a thin layer of the charcoal face mask with a face mask spatula or clean hands to your cleansed face, avoiding the eye area.
3. Leave the charcoal face mask on for 5 to 10 minutes or until the clay begins to harden and dry. You can extend the time if you have oily skin, considering it will take longer to absorb your oil. Or you can spritz the mask with a face mist or DIY hydrosol to keep it on for up to 20 minutes.
4. After a detox face mask, gently rinse your face with cool water and a washcloth. I like to use my homemade toner or micellar water to remove face masks. Pat dry and follow up with a moisturizer such as my popular aloe vera face cream for refreshed, balanced skin.
What happens if you leave a face mask on too long?
If you leave a face mask on too long, you may irritate your skin, causing redness and dryness. I don’t recommend ever leaving a face mask on for longer than 20 minutes. And that’s only if you’ve been hydrating your face while it’s on with face mist or warm, wet sea sponge in the bath.
Something else to take note of is, after a detox face mask, you may notice new small blemishes or bumps in areas you normally don’t have breakouts. This is normal due to all the skin’s processes of clearing the pores. Depending on the condition of your skin, you may be in detox mode for a few days.
If that is the case, I highly suggest creating a homemade face steam the day after. You can find my instructions on how to do just that here. More pampering really for your skin!
Don’t have the ingredients to make your face mask?
Look for natural ingredients like the ones above in a face mask from a clean beauty company. MudMasky makes amazing face masks that don’t irritate my sensitive skin and leave my face feeling like I had an expensive spa treatment. Look for their facial detox purifying mask.
Give your face a much-needed reboot by using this DIY detox face mask. Formulated with activated charcoal and Kaolin clay, it’s the cat’s meow for pulling out toxins or impurities in the skin. Have you tried this detoxifying charcoal face mask? Let me know in the comments or tag #lifenreflection on Instagram to share your experience. And don’t forget to pin this recipe!
This recipe looks great! Yes, love that idea! Cool recipe! Thank you for sharing it!
Thanks, Emily, it’s a fun face mask to make and use!
Has anyone ever made a larger quantity ahead of time? I am wondering if adding the oil and essential oils to the clay and charcoal and then just adding water before use turns out well I would be interested in hearing about this. I want to make it and ship it to my daughter.
Cheryl, I haven’t made it ahead of time. You could certainly make the dry ingredients in advance. Could you place the oil and essential oils in a small empty glass container and send it?