Women's Health February 27, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Power of Clay and Mud Masks: Experts Reveal the Surprising Skin Benefits You’ve Been Ignoring!

Ever caught yourself wondering whether your face mask should be more ‘clay’ or ‘mud’? Believe me, you’re not alone. After years of slapping on countless creams and serums, sometimes the daily skincare routine starts to feel like autopilot, right? That’s where the magic of face masks kicks in—an excuse to slow down, get a little grubby, and emerge feeling like you’ve just had a mini spa day at home. But let’s be honest: the world of face masks is a jungle. Clay masks, mud masks—what’s the real difference? Which one truly delivers the glow-up your skin craves (without the confusion)? I’ve dived deep with some brilliant experts to uncover the nitty-gritty. So let’s unpack the earthy wisdom behind these two skincare heavyweights and help you decide which muddy miracle suits your unique skin story best. Ready to get down and dirty for your beauty and wellbeing? Let’s crack on. LEARN MORE

If you’re anything like me, taking the time to do your skincare routine feels like investing in both your beauty and your overall wellbeing. I just love that refreshed feeling I get after patting in my nighttime moisturizer—knowing that despite the hectic-ness of everyday life, I was able to set aside a few moments to prioritize myself and my skin.

That being said, going through the motions of the same regimen day in and day out can feel redundant. One way to spice things up and create a true at-home spa experience is to smear on a face mask, kick up your feet, and relax for a while. Plus, masks are “designed to enhance the daily skincare regimen that you may already have,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital. They’re great when “when you need an additional boost,” he adds.

Meet the experts: Joshua Zeichner, MD, is the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital. Nancy Ilaya, PhD, is the Global Scientific Director at the cosmetics brand Kiehl’s. Tammy Fender is an aesthetician and founder of Tammy Fender Holistic Skincare. Marisa Plescia, is the vice president of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and founder of FemChem Beauty, a cosmetic chemistry consulting company. Sandrine Dixneuf is the spa director at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.

But much like skincare creams, serums and exfoliators, face masks come in all shapes and sizes, so it can be hard to know the benefits and drawbacks of each kind. Two categories of face masks that are deceptively similar are clay and mud masks. To be sure, there is a solid amount of overlap between the two, experts say. But there are also some notable differences that may give one product an edge over the other depending on your skin concerns.

So without further ado, here’s everything that experts want you to know about clay masks and mud masks—including what, exactly, each type of product is, the benefits they provide the skin, and how to know which one is better for you. Beauty class is in session!

What are clay masks?

Clay masks are skincare treatments that leverage the minerals inside naturally-occurring clays from the earth to benefit the complexion. There are countless clays to choose from, but the two most abundant ones you’ll find are kaolin and bentonite clay, explains Nancy Ilaya, PhD, the Global Scientific Director at the cosmetics brand Kiehl’s. “These are the most commonly available in nature, especially in things like riverbeds or any sort of sediment sink,” Ilaya says.

Other clays you might find in masks include white clay, green clay (also called illite), as well as pink and red clays, says Tammy Fender, an aesthetician and founder of Tammy Fender Holistic Skincare. There’s pretty much a different clay for each color of the rainbow—so when perusing the skincare aisle of a beauty store, keep in mind that the exact perks of a mask will vary depending on the mineral composition of the clay being used, Ilaya adds. For example, clays with a high concentration of zinc (such as green clay) may be more effective at detoxifying the skin and absorbing excess oil compared to gentler clays with different minerals.

And the exact way a clay mask is used depends on the product formulation. So be sure to carefully read the instructions on the label to ensure you’re getting the most out of your mask. For instance, more aggressive clays can be low in water content and make the skin feel tight and dry if left on too long. Others, meanwhile, may be formulated with hydrating ingredients that allow them to be worn for longer.

But generally speaking, clay masks are applied on the face and left there for five to 10 minutes, Ilaya says. And if that sounds a lot shorter than what you were expecting, you’re not alone. “A lot of people use clay masks incorrectly. People leave them til it really dries up like a riverbed and you get the cracks,” she says. But this can actually cause the mask to remove too much of your skin’s natural oils and leave you feeling like a prune, Ilaya says. Yikes.

After wearing the mask, you’ll usually rinse it off completely with lukewarm water. And to avoid unnecessary irritation or breakouts, clay masks are typically only used one or two times per week, Dr. Zeichner says.

What are the benefits of clay masks?

If your skin is feeling dull, oily and congested, a clay mask might be exactly what you need. Here’s a quick breakdown of the perks of this type of product:

Detoxify and deeply cleanse the skin: Clay masks work to draw out dirt and impurities from the skin primarily through oil absorption, explains Marisa Plescia, the vice president of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists and founder of FemChem Beauty, a cosmetic chemistry consulting company. To be fair, the research on common ingredients found in clay masks is relatively nascent. And there aren’t large bodies of evidence to support their benefits compared to skincare ingredients like retinol and vitamin C, for instance. But we do know that clays like kaolin and bentonite are able to absorb oil and draw out dirt and dead skin cells due to their large surface area, porosity, and negative ionic charge, according to a 2023 study in the journal Skin Research & Technology.
Fight acne: Acne can occur when excess oil and grime combine to clog your pores. This environment can allow the bacteria that causes acne to flourish. But that 2023 study found that, among 75 adults with oily or combination skin, using a clay mask twice-weekly over the course of 4 weeks resulted in fewer pimples, less sebum (the natural oil our skin produces), as well as a more even skin tone and increased skin hydration. So by detoxifying the skin, clay masks work to banish stubborn comedones. Sign me up!
Smooth skin texture: No one wants to deal with congested, clogged pores. Not only do they contribute to acne as previously mentioned, but they can also create a rough and uneven skin texture that looks and feels almost like sandpaper. But by purifying the skin, clay masks offer the added benefit of a poreless, smooth complexion. Bear in mind, masks won’t do the job quite as well as chemical exfoliants like alpha and beta-hydroxy acids, but they are a perfectly reasonable auxiliary treatment to add to your beauty regimen if you struggle with rough skin.

Here are some clay masks that are sure to bring some luxury and skin-balancing benefits to your beauty routine:

Clay Face Masks that Experts Love

Best For Clogged Pores

Kiehl’s Rare Earth Pore Minimizer Face Mask

Credit: Kiehl’s

This mask is designed to reduce the appearance of pores thanks to its mineral-rich Amazonian white clay that works to draw out impurities. Plus, it won’t make you feel dry afterwards because it contains allantoin, a powerful moisturizer.

Best For Oily Skin

Tammy Fender Holistic Skin Care Purifying Luculent Masque

Credit: Tammy Fender Holistic Skin Care

If you’re looking for a mask that can deeply cleanse the skin and rid your complexion of excess sebum, this is the one for you. It contains green clay, which is known for its particularly strong detoxifying and purifying effects.

Best For Sensitive Skin

Tatcha The Clarifying Clay Mask

Credit: Tatcha

Some clay masks are super drying on the skin, especially if worn for too long. But this one contains glycerin, a super-hydrator that will leave your skin soft and smooth. Plus, it contains a cocktail of clays that will gently exfoliate and purify the skin.

What are mud masks?

Mud masks are another type of skin treatment that employ natural, earthy ingredients to soothe and nourish the skin, and they’re considered “the gentler sister of clay masks,” Ilaya says. These products often contain specific types of mud gathered from mineral-rich sources like the Dead Sea or volcanic ash, as well as botanical extracts and minerals, she adds.

If you scrutinize the ingredients labels of products labeled as mud masks, however, you’ll often find familiar ingredients like kaolin and bentonite clay as well. And that’s because, in Plescia’s experience, the terms ‘clay’ and ‘mud’ “are used so interchangeably” in the cosmetics industry, she says. “They’re all part of the earth.”

But depending on the specific formulations of the products, there can be sensorial and textural differences between the clay and mud masks, Plescia says. For instance, mud masks tend to feel thicker and heavier, Fender says. And these masks are sometimes formulated with additional hydrating ingredients such as water, humectants (ingredients that work to attract water from the hair and to the skin) as well as oils that you may not always find in clay products.

Think of it this way: “When you’re a child and you make mud pies, you refer to it as dirt when it’s just sitting there,” Plescia explains. “But then, as soon as you put that water in, it becomes a mud pie. Mud is just water with silt and clay.” So essentially, mud masks can be thought of as clay masks, plus other additives.

And similar to clay masks, you can expect to smear a mud mask on your face and leave it there for a certain amount of time depending on the specific product instructions. Then, you’ll rinse it off.

What are the benefits of mud masks?

Again, there’s lots of overlap between the benefits of clay and mud masks. For instance, many mud masks help prevent acne as well as detoxify and cleanse the skin for the same reasons as clay ones. But experts generally agree that mud masks are a bit gentler thanks to their more hydrating and nourishing formulations. That means mud masks can be a good choice for all skin types, including those with oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin.

And while clay masks often focus on extracting impurities, mud masks are typically better at “pushing active ingredients into the skin,” adds Sandrine Dixneuf, the spa director at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, making them something everyone can consider adding to their regimen.

If you’re struggling with signs of inflammation such as redness, irritation and dry skin, a mud mask fortified with calming and hydrating ingredients may do the trick. And that’s because many contain aloe vera, a do-it-all ingredient that’s known for its anti-inflammatory properties and is packed with vitamins and minerals. Mud masks are also likely to contain soothing ingredients like niacinamide, panthenol—a moisturizing humectant—as well as glycerin, a super-hydrator found in practically all types of skincare products.

If a mud mask sounds like exactly what your skin is craving, here are some picks Women’s Health editors love:

Expert-Approved Mud Masks

Best For All Skin Types

Borghese Advanced Fango Active Mud for Face and Body

Credit: Borghese

If you’re skin is feeling irritable and congested, this nourishing and hydrating mud mask is sure to soothe your complexion. It is formulated with hyaluronic acid, a moisturizing humectant, as well as bentonite clay to extract impurities. Wear it for two to five minutes for best results.

Best For Acne-Prone Skin

medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Facial Mask

Now 13% Off

Credit: Medicube

This Korean mud mask offers far more than hydration and a luxurious experience. It’ll also smooth out your complexion and banish stubborn blackheads thanks to its combination of chemical exfoliants and detoxifying clays. Plus, it delivers results in just 3 minutes.

Best For Dull Skin

NewYorkBiology Dead Sea Mud Mask

Credit: NewYorkBiology

This mask is infused with minerals from mud of the Dead Sea. It’s fortified with nourishing and hydrating ingredients like aloe vera and jojoba oil. And its a standout option for those with dull skin thanks to its gentle exfoliation properties that leaves skin looking luminous.

Which is better: Clay masks or mud masks?

As is the case with most things in life, there isn’t a hard and fast rule to determine which category of product is better for you. It’s going to depend on your skin type, your cosmetic goals, and simply which type of mask you prefer the experience of wearing.

Nevertheless, the strong absorption power of clay masks means that they’re often better suited for folks with oily, combination and acne-prone skin. On the other hand, folks who are naturally on the dryer side or are particularly sensitive may not benefit as much.

Mud masks, however, tend to be amenable to pretty much everyone since their benefits focus more on hydrating and nourishing the skin. So if you’re unsure which product is best for you, consider starting off with a gentle mud mask and see how your skin reacts over time. And if you need to up the ante to get your desired effect, you can try a clay mask and see if it helps.

But at the end of the day, don’t stress. After all, using a face mask should be a delightful way to give back to yourself. And whether you use clay or mud, you’re sure to feel pampered and refreshed by the time you’ve rinsed the mask off. “We’re always on the go, and even when we do our skincare routine, we want to do everything so quickly,” Fender says. But using a face mask is all about creating a self-care ritual that allows you to slow down, she says. They allow you to “just lay there and feel like you’re having this beautiful at-home time.”

Katie Mogg is the beauty editorial assistant at Women’s Health. Since starting college at Northeastern University in 2020, her bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NBC News and The Boston Globe. She strives to help readers lead happier and healthier lives through science-backed stories that explain how to care for hair, skin and nails. When she’s not working, Katie enjoys live music, strolling through Central Park, planning her next beach getaway, and sharing hotpot with friends.

Brian Underwood is beauty director at Women’s Health, where he oversees content strategy for the brand across all platforms, including digital, print, and social. Underwood previously served as beauty and wellness director at Oprah Daily and O, The Oprah Magazine. During his tenure leading beauty content for the Oprah brand at Hearst, stories Underwood commissioned were awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation Media Award and a Fragrance Award for Editorial Excellence (his second). He was the launch Beauty Director of Dr. Oz THE GOOD LIFE, and has held additional editorial positions at Fitness, Organic Style, Good Housekeeping, Life & Style Weekly, and Woman’s Day and has written for Self, Shape, Seventeen, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and many more. Underwood previously served on the Skin Cancer Foundation’s gala committee and as partnerships director of the Trans Beauty Clinic, a New York-based charitable organization that provided beauty services and workshops to the city’s trans community.