Volcano Mask

Oily skin does more than shine. Excess sebum mixes with dead skin cells and surface debris, and together they clog pores, stretch them, and give acne somewhere to start. Volcano Mask is a rinse-off volcano face mask made for that cycle. Volcanic ash and clay absorb the oil, salicylic acid loosens what's lodged in the pore, and probiotics and colloidal silver support skin that tends to break out. It's a clay mask for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin, and it comes in a 1.7 oz full size and a 0.5 oz mini.

How This Clay Mask Clears and Minimizes Pores

Volcanic ash works like a sponge. It pulls excess sebum and surface impurities off the skin, which is why oily skin looks matte right after you rinse. Sodium magnesium silicate and hectorite, both clay minerals, add to that oil absorption, and volcanic materials are naturally rich in trace minerals like sulfur, magnesium, and silica. Sulfur is in the formula too. As the mask dries it leaves a cooling, soothing feel on the skin. Pores look smaller afterward because they've been emptied, not because they changed size, so the effect is temporary and builds with regular use rather than lasting from one application. That's how any good volcano face mask minimizes the look of enlarged pores, and why this one is built to be used a few times a week.

Salicylic Acid vs. Glycolic Acid for Breakout-Prone Skin

Plenty of exfoliating masks are built around glycolic acid, a water-soluble alpha hydroxy acid that works mostly on the skin's surface. It helps with dullness and rough texture, but it doesn't get far into the pore. Volcano Mask doesn't contain glycolic acid. It uses salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid that is oil-soluble, so it can work inside the pore where sebum and dead skin cells pack together into blackheads and pimples. Loosening those dead cells also smooths surface texture, which means the exfoliation happens where oily skin needs it most. If your skin is also dull or bumpy and you want a surface exfoliant on your off nights, our exfoliators are the place to look.

A Volcano Face Mask That Doesn't Strip Skin

The usual problem with a clay mask for oily skin is the aftermath: the oil is gone, and so is the comfort. Volcano Mask adds glycerin and propanediol, humectants that hold water in the skin as the clay dries, along with resveratrol, lavender, and eucalyptus oil to soothe. Active probiotics (lactobacillus and bifida ferment extract) and colloidal silver help keep acne-causing bacteria in check, and zinc oxide and sulfur round out a formula aimed at breakouts without parabens or artificial fragrance. It holds 4.8 stars across 28 reviews, and 96% of reviewers would recommend it. Reviewers agree it clears pores and calms breakouts. One found it quite drying used all over, which is a sign to mask only your T-zone, chin, and breakout areas if your cheeks run dry.

How to Use a Face Mask for Oily Skin

Start with a clean face. Silver Clarifying Face Wash takes off makeup and oil so the mask isn't working through them. Apply a medium layer of Volcano Mask, concentrating on problem areas and avoiding the eye area. Leave it on for up to 10 minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water or towel it off. The directions call for 2 to 5 times a week or as needed, and if clay masks are new to you, one or two times a week is a gentler place to begin. Add more as your skin adjusts. Follow with an oil-free moisturizer like Nano Clarifying Hydrator so skin feels fresh instead of tight, and wear sunscreen the next morning, since exfoliating acids can make skin more sun sensitive.

Building a full routine around breakouts? Browse our acne collection, the oily skin collection, or the rest of our face masks, and read our guide on how to use a face mask. Not sure which products fit your skin? Take the free skin consultation.