Writing a book is stressful! It caused my first autoimmune flare in months and the first time I’ve had a skin breakout in years. I’m back on the autoimmune reset diet and my symptoms are all fading quickly, but to help speed up the skin healing, I’ve been doing my deep cleansing mud mask recipe (in fact, I have one on my face as I type this!).
I got a natural facial as a gift one time and it was so relaxing and my skin felt great for days. My budget doesn’t allow regular facials, so I wanted to find a good at-home option instead. This mask has been great for clearing up my stress-induced breakout and getting my skin back to normal.
Ingredients Needed
- Bentonite Clay: I like to use this Essential Living Clay for external uses like facials. I’ve written before about the many benefits of healing clays, and bentonite is especially good at firming and detoxing the skin. It is also great for detoxing the hair and restoring natural volume and shine.
- Honey: Another facial ingredient I love, honey is naturally soothing and cleansing. I often use honey alone to cleanse my face in the evening (I use the oil cleansing method in the morning) with great results. Raw honey is naturally antibacterial and is great for skin healing. It also adds a smooth and silky texture to the mask.
- Herbs and Essential Oils: I put some chamomile flowers and calendula flowers in the blender to make a fine powder and add to the clay before mixing with the honey and water to add some extra skin nourishment. I also like to add a couple of drops of lavender essential oil for scent and skin health. If I don’t feel like powdering the herbs first, I just make a strong tea with them instead and use the liquid in place of water in the recipe below.
Mud Mask Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of bentonite clay
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
- 1 teaspoon of water (or more if needed)
- 1/2 tsp of powdered calendula and chamomile flowers (optional)
- 2 drops of lavender essential oil (optional)
Mud Mask Instructions
- Mix the bentonite clay with the powdered herbs (if using) in a small bowl.
- Add honey and mix to form a thick paste.
- Add enough warm water to form a thin paste. Add lavender essential oil (if using).
- Immediately apply to face and neck in a circular motion, avoiding the eyes.
- Leave on 10-15 minutes or until it has hardened.
- Wash off with a (dark colored) wash cloth soaked in hot water (really hot water helps to steam off the mask without having to rub the skin).
- Pat skin dry and enjoy your smooth skin!
Ever made a mud mask at home? What did you use? Tell me below!
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Hi Katie, love your blog!
Question – why couldn’t this be made ahead of time and kept in plastic container? I would love to take this with me when traveling and not bother with trying to mix the ingredients every time I would need to use it.
Hi Katie, I’m so thrilled that I found this recipe. My daughter (13y) has severly acne and I had a doctors appointment next week in order to get her the pill that would have stabilised the skin. Tomorrow I will cancel the appointment of course. Thank god I found a Swiss online shop to order the bentonite clay so I may start the treatment mask soon on my desperate daughter. Thank you so much !! Regards from Switzerland
Hey Katie, thank you for this great recipe, I am going to try it later.
I have something on my heart for ages, my skin turned very bad in the last two years and I started not only having a couple of pimples, I actually have acne nowadays. I went an saw several skin doctors and everyone wants to give me medical creams, antibiotics or the pill! I don’t think any of these “remedies” are a good option though, they all come with side effects. Do you have any recipes for me to use daily on my skin? Any self made cream and/or washing liquid to use that might help with my acne? I am certainly following a certain diet to improve my skin, but it doesn’t seem to do much.
I tell you, I am desperate to get my skin back to normal. I happy for any tips!
Much love, Margret
All of my natural beauty recipes can be found here: https://wellnessmama.com/category/beauty/
Can this be made and stored for later use?
Yes, but you just don’t add water or any liquid until you are ready to use it.
Would you include honey as one of the liquid ingredients? My parents used to keep bees and basically anything could get into our honey, except water, and it would remain stable, but that once the honey got wet it was no longer any good … but I am unsure about packaging it as a gift with the honey as a paste, or simply packaging it as a powder with directions for adding the honey and liquid.
I would really like to know too!
This is what I am wondering, as well. Any word as to yea or nay?
I am looking to package this in zipper pouches. Is it okay to use honey powder instead of raw honey?
Yes. I have been doing it and it’s worked wonderfully!
I’m interested in this for aging skin. Someone suggested it with ACV. What would the quantities be. I know that I have burned my skin using ACV directly on it.
Love this 🙂 Trying it tonight!
Hi Katie! It sounds great!!! How many times a week do you use it?
Usually just once a week, but sometimes more often if I feel like I need it.
I just discovered your website and I am overjoyed. I have been exploring more healthy choices for my face and skin and looking forward to trying the mud mask and other recommendations. Thank you
Love this, Katie! I actually used to use almost this same exact recipe as an exfoliating face wash years ago. Only difference was that it also included ground oats. I love masks! Yay!