BOO!
So, I bet you didn’t expect to see my face covered in green goop staring back at you, did ya? Admit it. You were surprised.
With this crappy economy, and time being precious, I never get to a salon for a facial. Instead I do them weekly at home. Using what, you ask? Well, this green goop, of course.
Actually, this is Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. It’s 100% natural calcium bentonite green clay which is exceptional for drawing out impurities in the skin. I even remember using it as a teenager to draw abscesses out of our horses’ hooves.
I mix mine twice a month with all-natural Apple Cider Vinegar and then twice a month (every other week I rotate, follow?) Apple Cider Vinegar and some organic Honey. Add in once heaping scoop (a coffee scoop works well) of your Clay, stir well and then apply to your face. Let it sit while you watch TV, relax, and read my blog (Hee!).
Most health food stores, like Trader Joes and Whole Foods, have the Aztec Secret clay in stock. My tub was $8 at a local natural food shop and it will last me over a year with the weekly use. Very, very economical. And your face feels SO AMAZING afterwards.
Definitely a Bionic Buy!
Have any Bionic Beauties used the Aztec Secret clay as a mask? What’s your favorite face mask and how often do you do them?
The Bionic Beauty™ blog features cosmetic reviews from indie, drugstore and luxury brands; makeup looks and tips; beauty & makeup freebies; plus your weekly dose of fun, confidence and self-esteem!
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{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
8 bucks a rub? Sounds like something to try, even if it doesn’t work for me, it’s hardly any money compared to other beauty products out there. =D
Hmmm… My Oil Absorb is bentonite clay, calcium carbonate, kaolin and a lil silica. I think I’ll mix with some apple cider vinegar and give it a whirl! Do I have to do it when no one is around to complain about me being stinky?
Hazel, It’s SUPER cheap! And a tub will last you a long long time. That mask I have on in the picture is really thick and I only used 1 heaping tablespoon of the dry mud!
Robyn, Once I mixed in the vinegar, I think the mud killed some of the scent. Well, at least my dogs didn’t complain.
Ha! And the version I make with the honey smells even better!
I just looked at your Oil Absorb. Sounds like it would certainly work. With the B. Clay & Kaolin you’ll have super smooth skin! Let me know how it goes!!
Cheers,
BB
Maybe I’ll try it tonight while watching Survivor! I don’t have to take a picture though, right? LOL
Ahh… I miss Survivor! We don’t get CBS at our house. So I don’t get to see Survivor, CSI, etc anymore. Of course, I could watch them online, but then again, I’m already addicted to House, Fringe, Chuck and Torchwood. That’s enough shows I guess.
And no, you don’t *have* to take a picture… but you could!
P.S. I’m on your website right now checking out the new items!!
Darn cool you’ll post a pic of yourself in a green mask!
I’m not so brave.
Lush List, Thanks! A few years ago, I never would’ve photographed myself like this, but now I figure, what the heck.
And Welcome to Bionic Beauty! I hope to see you around here in the future.
Cheers,
BB
This is soooo weird! I was just reading a thread on an african american hair board about using this clay as a deep conditioner for natural hair ladies or those transitioning.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310371
I think I may have to pick this up!
Ah, I LOVE face masks! It’s instantly relaxing to have one on… I can’t wait to try this one!! I’m heading to Whole Foods before work today… so excited to have the house to myself tonight!
Sounds like a wonderul mask. Next I make it out to the city with our Whole Foods, I may have to pick this up. Thanks for the tips!
Right now I’ve been using the Queen Helene Mint Julep mack. It’s about $3 a tube, and it’s almost the only mask we can find on our drugstore shelves anymore, and I couldn’t wait because I had been out for two weeks! I’ll review for y’all soon!
Nicki, Thanks for that link! I didn’t realize people used it as a deep conditioner. I’ll have to read up! I do know that people use the clay on body parts that are hurting, painful, swollen, etc. It has a drawing & calming affect and also is great for detoxing your skin.
Let me know if you decide to try it. I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts!
Cheers,
Jami (BB)
Joycey, Let me know if you pick it up! I know we have similar skin, so this should work wonders for you!
Sarah, I’d love to hear if you try it! I used to love that Queen Helene mask. The sulfur in it really helped my acne when I was a teen. However, since I ‘grew up’ I developed an allergy to glycerin which is a major ingredient in the mask. So booo… I don’t get to use it anymore.
Hey there!! I love this stuff, but I have been using for a few years now. I have gotten to where I experiment with adding different things to the mix. I do add Apple Cider Vinegar to the mix, but I have added different essential oils to try out. I love to add Weleda brand Rose oil to help calm and soothe my skin, plus it makes it smell better.
Enjoy!!
Hi Abbster, Have you tried adding Tea Tree Oil? It makes it smell nice and I really like it in summer because of the slight cooling effect. Plus it helps even further with any potential breakouts.
And for Weleda, you should sign up for their free magazine. I have it listed somewhere on here (http://bionic-beauty.com/weleda-products/) that way you can get lots of great coupons! (just a hint anyhow)
Cheers,
Jami
they sell this stuff at trader joe’s?
Hi Amber, Yes it should be available at Trader Joes or Whole Foods. I don’t have any Trader Joes’ near me now, but in my previous area they had it. If yours doesn’t stock it, check your locally-owned natural markets or ask the TJ manager to order it in for stock. They are usually great about that.
Cheers,
BB
Amber – I’ve been checking my TJ’s ever since this was first posted, and have yet to find it there. I did find it at Whole Foods though!
Oh and I found mine at Whole Foods and Natural Food Supply.
Hey I was just wondering if anyone knows if this can be found in Canada? I don’t think we have Whole Foods… at least not where I am. Would most health food/drug stores have it though? Or what about places like Sallys Beauty Supply or even Safeway? I hope I can find it here!!
Hi Lisa, I’m trying to get some friends to check in their areas of Canada. When I hear back from them, I’ll let you know.
I don’t think Sally’s Beauty Supply has it (at least not down here). Let me try to find some places for you.
Have a great weekend!
Jami (BB)
Lisa, You can order the Aztec Secret Green Clay from Amazon.com for $7.95 for the 1 lb tub. They’ll ship it to you in Canada.
http://www.amazon.com/Aztec-Secret-Bentonite-Clay-Organic/dp/B000VV02P6
Let me know if you decide to order. I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts too!!
Hey ladies, I came up with a new variation if you suffer from acne or the occasional pimple- add 2 drops of Tea Tree Oil to your mask mix! It’s all natural, gentle and makes the mask smell amazing. Plus it’s got great anti-bacterial properties that will help clear up those pimples. I’ve added this mix to my rotation.
If you’re dry and have some breakouts, do the apple cider vinegar plus honey plus Tea Tree. If you don’t need the extra moisture punch, just leave out the honey. And if you’re out of vinegar- mixing the mask with water also works great!
Hope this helps! (I’m sitting here with my weekly mask on as I type this…/grin/)
Thanks so much! I will just have to order it online for now I guess… if you hear of any stores in Canada in the meantime, please still let me know! Thanks again
Lisa
Glad I found this thread! I have started using Queen Helene Mint Julep masque (after hearing about it from Erin “The Cheap Chick”, here in MN), after not using anything for a few years. At 40 years of age, I still have minor skin issues (blemishes, that sort of thing). I do the QH stuff at least once a week. I later do the University Medical Acne Free kit, even though I saw on another post of yours, BB, that it was voted #3 worst treatment (I’m sure to moisturize, even during the summertime.). It seems to work fine for me, even if the tiny grittiness is a tad annoying. It still does its job for me, for what it’s worth. I will have to seek out the Aztec masque you mentioned, and try your variations as well, perhaps. I can’t afford the fancier stuff marketed to women my age, but I wouldn’t want them anyway. It’s crazy. I’ll stick with other options. P.S. Would adding lavender essential oil to the masque be a problem? I have that, for a hair mist I use with bottled water on my curly hair, when not washing it every day. Thanks!
Hey there! Just like Nicki above, I also read about the Aztec mask on the same website. Recently, I was in a health food store and a girl was talking about the mask and how she mixes it with the Apple Cider vinegar twice a week. Her skin was flawless! Needless to say with your reviews Bionic Beauty as well as the others I have received, I will be going to purchase some immediately (because I do suffer from acne one in awhile- so annoying).
Hi PrettyCute76,
It’s really a great mask. If you can’t find this exact brand just keep your eyes open for “Bentonite Clay”. It should look like a really fine gray-khaki powder.
I can always tell when I skip a few weeks of doing my mask, because my pores start to clog up and then breakout again. I have been tailoring mine by season and needs too. The Apple Cider is great, but I also add a few drops of organic honey (or whatever honey you have around) for a little extra moisture; or lavendar oil (2 drops) if I want to really relax; Tea Tree Oil for anti-blemish; etc. The possibilities are endless!
And don’t freak out when you wash off the mask- the first few times your skin may be a bit pink. It’s quite normal and it should be back to normal within 30-60 minutes.
I can’t wait to hear about your experience! I suffer from acne like you occasionally too. But this has REALLY helped. Plus I’ve been using some sulfur-based treatments instead of the harsh benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid ones that you normally find. The sulfur has done wonders! I’ll get a full review up soon (here’s a bit of reading if you want: http://bionic-beauty.com/other-ways-to-treat-acne/)
Thanks for being a Bionic Beauty reader!
Jami
Prettycute76 – at least Jami warned you about turning “a tad pink” (translation: BEET RED). She forgot to mention that when I tried it. But she’s right; it goes away quickly.
I’m never gonna live that down, am I?
Oh and my skin was just pink. Ha ha! But like everything, we all react differently. I *do* have very sensitive skin so I thought I’d end up red, but for once my skin was semi-nice to me.
I should have taken a picture of me after washing my face. You could have put it up next to yours wearing the mask, and you’d have a Halloween post
Is this mask for oily skin only? I have the occasional breakout but my skin tends to be more dry than oily. I would like to try this mask because it sounds interesting but I don’t want to contribute to more wrinkles!!! Thanks!
Hi Patti, I really depends on how you mix it. If you have normal skin, I would use the Apple Cider Vinegar and then add a dollop of organic Honey to the mix. That will keep a great moisture balance while detoxing your skin.
I hope this helps! You could also do my new recipe with the Jojoba Oil: http://bionic-beauty.com/all-natural-face-mask-recipe/
Cheers,
Jami (BB)
I just bought a tub of this mask and I’m super excited to try it! I think I’ll add a little tea tree oil to the mix.
Hi Lauren, First off- welcome to Bionic Beauty!! I hope I continue to see you around the blog. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and results with the Aztec Mask. I recently packed my house and moved quite a distance. Due to this, my weekly mask routine has been interrupted for a few weeks and I can definitely tell a difference. The pores around my nose and chin are much more prone to “congestion” when I don’t use the mask. I swear by it now! Just don’t freak out if after the first few times, when you rinse, that your face may be a bit red due to all the increased blood flow.
Cheers!
Jami
i have found sacred green clay and am amased by it.
I am sooo excited to try the mask. I’m going to get it tomorrow. I break out alot and have SUPER oily skin. any suggestions? I know vinegar and tea tree oil will help but i’d also like to try a few different ones.
WWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!
I don’t think my face has ever been this soft,except maybe when I was born.
When it first started drying I felt like my face was being suffocated from the pulling. After about 10 minutes I had to wash it off instead of letting it dry all the way because it felt like I couldn’t breathe. I will DEFINITELY use this again and get rid of all the store bought stuff because they’ve never worked this good. : )
Can anyone tell me where I can get this to buy in stores, specifically in New Jersey. Thank you!
Hi JJ, Welcome to Bionic Beauty! I would try your local Natural food stores/groceries, Trader Joes, or Whole Foods. Those all reliable carry this clay. Or you can order it online from the links in the articles above.
I hope this helps!
Cheers,
Jami
Would this also work as a deep cleaning shampoo or leave on treatment? I have very oily hair..
I have purchased the clay at Vitamin Shoppe! Love it!
I saw this product at my favorite grocery store. I was hesitant on purchasing so when i went home I researched the product. I hadn’t heard not one negative thing about it so I bought some. I just moved and my Apple cider vinegar is WAYYY to far down in my boxes so I opt for water. I applied my mask and watched a movie (lost in translation). Like advertised I did feel my face pulsing! When I rinsed it off my skin felt great but the true test is the day after and let me tell you, my oily skin is so tammed. It’s soft but firm and the same time. My pores look great and I have no shine. Also, when I woke up in the morning I saw little pieces of gonk that was clogged in my pores on the surfaces. I just wiped them off before I washed my face. I’ve never been so happy about a face mask. I can’t wait to use it again.
I purchased it on iHerb.com. 1 lb costs $5.99 but use the code MUK551 and you get $5 off for the first purchase.
I love Aztec Indian!
I even use it as a hair mask for my kinky-curly-coily hair
Here’s my recipe:
http://www.lillian-mae.com/transitioning-guide/beauty-day-aztec-indian-healing-clay-wash/
It also works really well if you mix in a pinch of turmeric. I use it this way and it leaves my skin looking like porcelain.
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