Botanical treatment masks are the perfect addition to a simple, eco-friendly skincare routine. If you aren't yet using one in yours, I wanted to share some of their benefits for your skin and answer some common questions I receive!
Clay is rich in micronutrients that feed the skin while the texture of clay—once activated with water—easily cleanses and gently exfoliates the skin for a healthier, brighter, and smoother look and feel.
The earth is rich in different types of clay—and each of those clays offer unique properties for skin benefits.
- Kaolin or white clay is excellent for dry skin. It's lightly exfoliating and very gentle, so when applied as a mask, it doesn't increase circulation or draw as much as a clay like French green or bentonite clay.
- French green clay and bentonite clay are excellent for use on oily skin. Each clay offers a powerful drawing action that helps balance oil production. When combined with water or rose water, french green clay and bentonite clay will draw while balancing the skin at the same time.
- Rhassoul clay is a special clay. I love working with it not only because it's a beautiful color but because it's excellent for improving the texture of the skin and feeding dry, flaky skin as well as balancing oily and acneic skin.
Organic botanicals bring additional all-natural actions to your simple skincare ritual that exfoliate, brighten, strengthen, plump, and soothe the skin.
In addition to clay, I like to bring in different parts of a plant like petals, roots, and leaves that benefit the skin without the use of toxic ingredients. Some of my favorite organic botanicals and plant-based ingredients for skin benefits are hibiscus, rose hips, aronia berry, marshmallow, rose petals, and reishi mushroom.
- Hibiscus is a natural source of alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) which help to exfoliate the skin, speed cell turnover, and control acne breakouts. Plus, it's a beautiful hue and a delight for all senses.
- Rose hips are rich in botanical vitamin C which help to strengthen skin and support the skin's ability to naturally produce collagen.
- Aronia berry is filled with a potent polyphenolic antioxidant called resveratrol, which helps protect your skin from environmental factors like pollution and sun damage while also brightening the complexion.
- Marshmallow root provides B vitamins, mucilage, and polysaccharides aka a super cooling, hydrating, and plumping experience for your skin.
- Rose petals offer a hydrating, tonifying, and aromatic beauty to the mask, resulting in more plump, happy skin.
- Reishi mushroom pairs up nicely with marshmallow root by smoothing, soothing the skin, and addressing signs of premature aging through antioxidants, B vitamins, more polysaccharides, peptides, and amino acids.
How an organic mask benefits your simple skincare routine
Botanical treatment masks are the perfect addition to eco friendly and simple skincare routines because they can be hydrating, exfoliating, and brightening without the need for fancy chemical ingredients because nature offers what we need.
Another benefit is that clay masks are often sold in powdered form. This is a good thing because the powder can be mixed when needed and it doesn't require a preservative.
Creating your at-home organic mask ritual
Having an at-home organic mask ritual is a simple way to come home to yourself and practice natural self-care.
Tools for your organic mask ritual
I like to use a pinch bowl like this for mixing my clay mask along with a paint brush of some sort. I'm also an artist so I have tons of different paint brushes that I use both for painting and applying masks.
This brush is similar to what I use in my home organic skincare ritual. If you want a fan style brush, you can go with something like this. Most masking brushes are long with soft bristles but I personally like shorter brushes which give me more control over how much of mask I use and where it goes on my face. I like to lay it on thick!
Of course, you can also treat yourself to a fancy masking brush—just search on Etsy, Amazon, or your favorite beauty store's website to find one.
How to activate your organic clay and botanical mask
The general rule of thumb when it comes to activating your botanical mask is one part powder to two parts liquid. You should always aim for a mud-like consistency. Anything too watery won't work and anything too thick will just feel heavy and cake off as it dries which is a waste. You want something right in the middle that looks like a paste, regardless of the medium used to activate the mask.
Mask activator inspiration
There are a number of natural ingredients to use to activate your botanical mask.
- Water. It's the most easily accessible, common, and simple liquid to activate your organic mask. Water dries quickly so use a hydrosol or toner to keep your mask hydrated to keep your treatment going!
- Honey is my favorite mask mixture. It's nourishing, nutrient-dense, antibacterial, and a humectant so it draws moisture to the skin. Yes! Combine that with the power of clay and the result is a natural, irresistible glow that leaves you wanting more. Try it for yourself and you'll see!
- Hydrosols are my second favorite, next to honey, for use with powdered clay masks. What I love about hydrosols is that they are extremely gentle, smell incredible, and offer additional skin benefits—more so than water alone.
The masking ritual
Once you mix together your clay mask and your liquid of choice, apply it to your face and neck, then let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Liberally mist your skin with water or hydrosol to keep your mask hydrated and to extend the treatment.
Your mask ritual is a good time to sit quietly, meditate, read, make some tea, or spend some quality time with yourself. I like to make a French press of beauty tea and paint or just spend some quiet, intentional with myself.
When it's time to remove the mask, apply a warm, wet washcloth to your face and gently remove the mask using a small circular motion. This will provide an exfoliating action to the ritual while sloughing off dead skin that was hydrated during the process. You can also pop in the shower and use your hands to massage the mask off your skin.
Once the clay mask is completely removed, follow with your choice of hydrosol or toner and oil serum or face cream to lock in moisture and balance the complexion. Note that temporary redness post-mask is completely normal.
Meet the Lagom Body Co. organic masks
I have two clay masks as part of the Lagom Body Co. collection. I use these masks on rotation: I usually use the Renewal Mask 1-2 times a week and Recovery Mask 1-2 times a month.
Renewal Mask for brightening and exfoliating the skin
Renewal Mask is all about botanical brightening made with a blend of antioxidant- and AHA-rich hibiscus flowers, collagen-supporting and tightening rose hips, and mineral-rich rhassoul clay that work harmoniously to brighten, strengthen, and feed the skin.
Recovery Mask for hydrating and soothing botanical repair
Recovery Mask is a hydrating and soothing blend of botanicals works to gently repair, hydrate, and plump the skin. Features rose, marshmallow, and reishi mushroom to bring polysaccharide-rich compounds to the skin to soothe, plump, hydrate, and cool.
Happy Masking!
xo,
Kristen Runvik
Founder + Maker
