Clay Masks for Men: Benefits for Skin, Beard, and Hair

Clay masks are packed with minerals and nutrients that work wonders for both skin and hair; for men, this includes beards and mustaches. As well as making the hair of the face and head seem thicker, these masks can brighten the skin, draw out impurities, minimize pores, and leave you feeling fresh and rejuvenated.

I’ve used clay masks since my teens. Back then it was to help against pimples and oiliness. Now it’s to counter dullness caused by dry skin.

You’ll find there’s a clay mask for every man, regardless of skin type or age.

Types of Clay Masks

Kaolin

Kaolin is perfect for dry and sensitive skin types. It helps soothe irritations, reduce redness, exfoliate, and purify without stripping the skin.

Kaolin is white in color but may appear pink due to higher iron content. This reduces oxidative stress on the skin.

Bentonite

Known for its deep-cleansing and detoxifying properties, bentonite is great for oily and acne-prone skin. For enhanced detoxification, mix powdered bentonite with activated charcoal.

Because bentonite is very reasonably priced, it’s ideal for teenagers.

Rhassoul

Originating from Morocco, rhassoul clay (also called ghassoul clay) is for all skin and hair types.

It exfoliates, draws out impurities, balances sebum production, moisturizes, firms, and softens.

I’ve applied kaolin and bentonite to my mustache with good results, but rhassoul has the best thickening and defining effect. I can’t comment on the hair of my head since I don’t have much, but I guess it would give a similar result.

In case you’re blond, gray, or white, use only a neutrally colored product. Red rhassoul tends to dye hair, imbuing an undesirable hint of pink.

The Difference Between Clay and Mud

Like most people, I’d always thought that clay and mud referred to the same product. They don’t, or at least shouldn’t.

Confusion arises because some manufacturers use both terms interchangeably. Added to this, most mud masks contain clay.

Clay, however, is used for its cosmetic benefits, whereas mud has healing properties.

Like clay, mud improves skin texture. But due to its particular mineral content, it may lower stress levels, relieve rheumatism, arthritis, and joint pain, and stimulate metabolism and circulation to aid cell regeneration. The latter is also true of clay masks, but to a lesser degree.

As a rule, you’d apply a clay mask from the shoulders up—this particularly applies to men treating bacne (acne of the upper back). But mud may be helpful for any body part from head to toe.

The most famous line of mud products is probably Fango Active Mud by Borghese, which originates from the volcanic hills of Italy’s Tuscany region.

You may also have heard of Dead Sea mud. Like rhassoul clay, this is suitable for all skin types, from the oily and acne-prone to the very dry. It removes impurities and moisturizes.

I add olive oil when mixing to prevent the mask from drying on my face.

A Powder Mask or Ready-to-Use?

Ready-to-use clay masks, which come as a spreadable paste in a tube, tub, jar, or sachet, will obviously save you time. But powder masks are more versatile since you can tune them according to your skin’s special needs.

What to Mix With Your Powder Mask

For example, I’m prone to broken capillaries, which can be worsened through clay drying on the face. To prevent this, I add olive oil when mixing. Apart from obvious hydrating benefits, the mask remains moist throughout the application.

You can do this with any oil, including almond, jojoba, and sunflower.

Cow’s milk and yogurt offer the same benefits, as well as enhanced exfoliation through their lactic acid content. This is great if you want a brightening effect.

Other ingredients to add:

Organic apple cider vinegar contains malic acid, which is an alpha-hydroxy acid. It can benefit acne-prone skin and work as an anti-aging ingredient. Dilute to a ratio of 1-to-1 with water.
Due to its vitamin C content, lemon juice brightens and refreshes acne-prone skin, evens out skin tone, and can help prevent age spots. Always dilute with water to avoid irritation.
Pure organic aloe vera juice is good for all skin types but is particularly soothing for the acne-prone and sensitive.
For very dry skin, try adding honey.
Steeped green tea works as an antioxidant, while chamomile has a soothing effect.
Due to its high protein content, a clay mask mixed with egg is great for men wanting to add body and volume to the hair of the head and/or face. If you tend to oiliness, try using only the egg white.

Be creative while mixing, but remember that clay powder is activated with water. This means your additives must be fluid and/or well-diluted.

To maximize the effect of your mask, mix with warm rather than cold water. This also prevents clumping.

How Often to Apply a Clay Mask

As a young man, when I always had a pimple or two, I applied a clay mask three times a week religiously. I’d discovered that daily use triggered redness and irritations, and now believe this was the cause of my broken capillaries.

What I loved most about it at the time was the fuller appearance it gave my mustache, making me the envy of my schoolmates. Of course, I never confided my secret.

I’d actually grown it to hide pimples on my upper lip rather than show off.

Nowadays, my skin tends to be dry and dull, so I alternate between clay masks and chemical peels once or twice a week. Most important is that I moisturize immediately afterward in order to avoid irritations.

Preparing Your Face

For best results, apply clay after shaving and cleansing.

Instead of washing my face in the shower as I usually do, I cleanse with micellar water, which is quick, easy, and thorough. I can then save the shower for rinsing off the mask.

How to Apply a Clay Mask

There is such a thing as a mask application brush, which allows more control over how much product you apply, as well as being more hygienic than using the fingers. But, as a man, this probably isn’t how you’ll be applying your clay mask—it certainly isn’t how I do it. I like to own as few cosmetic items as possible.

Apart from that, there’s more likelihood of bacteria collecting on a brush over time than on hands that are regularly washed. Getting to the skin beneath a beard or mustache is also more difficult with a brush.

But you decide.

Applying to the Face, Neck, and Beard

I apply the clay to my neck with upward strokes and to my face in circular motions using my fingers, avoiding the eye area.

To get beneath my mustache, I push the clay upwardly, then smooth it down so all hairs are covered. I would work in the same way with a full beard.

After the recommended time has elapsed, normally about 15 minutes, I soften the mask with a warm, damp washcloth before taking my usual cold shower. Alternatively, rinse with lukewarm water.

Applying to the Scalp and Hair

Like all the men in my family, I enjoy full-blown male pattern baldness and don’t bother much with the few hairs left at the sides and back. I’ve also never had a problem with my shiny dome, so don’t apply clay beyond my forehead.

But a clay mask can help men prone to ingrown hairs of either the beard or scalp, and may prevent dark spots.

If you are not (yet) bald, apply the clay to dry, unwashed hair with your hands, pushing it into the scalp and making sure every strand is covered.

In case the clay starts to dry before you’ve finished, keep it moist with a water spritzer.

Let it work for the recommended time, then rinse—at best with cold water to close the cuticle and lock in moisture.

You’ll find it not only conditions but also leaves the hair squeaky clean.

Man applying a clay mask with an application brush. — There is such a thing as a mask application brush, which allows more control over how much product you apply, as well as being more hygienic than using the fingers.

Applying a Healing Mud Mask to the Body

You can apply mud with either a sponge or your hands. Work from your ankles upwards. But don’t spread too thickly.

If using a thermal mud like the above-mentioned Borghese product, loosely wrap the area you’re treating in Saran or Cling Film. This, of course, applies only to body regions below the shoulders.

Note: To avoid strangulation and suffocation, never use transparent film on your neck and face!

As the mud dries, you’ll notice a prickling sensation. This is a sign that the active ingredients are working.

After the recommended time, cut off the film and rinse with lukewarm water.

Minimizing Mess

When treating the body, minimize mess by confining your movements to the tub or shower, and keep a dark towel at hand.

If you’re only treating your upper body, relax in a half-filled tub—this is also a good idea for men treating bacne with a clay mask.

If you’re treating your whole body, go in the shower. Of course, standing around for 15 minutes waiting for the mud to do its work can spoil the fun, so you might want to invest in a waterproof shower seat.