When is Clay Gold? #bentoniteclay

Press Sample.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

There is something special about clay.  It cools, soothes, and cleanses, draws toxins and debris out of pores, and can make insect bites and stings feel better.  I am a true believer in the power of a clay facial mask!

Azteca Gold Healing Mask is a jar of pure, air-cleaned Bentonite clay powder - no additives, fragrance, or animal by-products, and guaranteed to be free from yeast or mold.  The powder is very fine, so be careful opening the jar!

One thing I've noticed about Bentonite clay is that it doesn't play well with water.  I mixed the powder and waited 10 minutes, according to the directions, and, like the first picture shows - clump city.  The magic ingredient for me to get a smoother mask is to add a little bit of apple cider vinegar.  I recommend starting with 1/2 teaspoon, or even less if you've never used it before.  On its own, it's a powerful astringent, and in this mask, it amps up the cleaning power of the clay.

Once you've got the basic mask, it's easy to add different ingredients to tweak it to your skin type.  Aloe Vera is a great ingredient that works well with the clay to soothe and heal, reduce redness, and replenish moisture.  Honey is also a great humectant and has antibacterial properties.  Add your favorite essential oils for an aroma-therapeutic treatment!

Bentonite clay has a negative ionic charge, which helps deep clean pores, gripping ionically to dirt and debris beneath the surface.  I love how bright my skin looks and how clean it feels after a clay masque treatment!  A freshly masked face is also a perfect blank slate for your favorite serums, too.

No flash or photo manipulation other than cropping.  I wish I knew how to make myself look less stoned in the second picture, though.

I really love clay masks as a treatment for my aging, oily skin.  The clay really helps remove all the excess oil, but doesn't make me feel like my skin is stripped or overly dry.  It's even supposed to be good for sensitive skin, and to help with wrinkles and scarring, though I can't attest to that, personally.

Azteca Gold-inspired nailart! I used China Glaze License and Registration, pls. as the base color, and framed with a silver striper. 

Azteca Gold is available on Amazon for $18.22.  They have a money-back, no-questions-asked satisfaction guarantee if you don't see the results you want! ETA:  They've added a discount code!  Not sure how long it's good for, but if you want to save 20%, use the code:  AMA20ZON

What's your favorite way to mask?