The Best Clay Face Masks For Your Cleanest Skin Ever

Supercharged with salicylic acid and zinc, this clay mask works especially well on those pesky pimples. Apply it all over after cleansing, or use it as an on-the-spot treatment. It might not boast a spa-style scent (that's my polite way of saying it stinks) but it sure gets the job done.

A great choice for enlarged pores and oily, acne-prone skin, this clay mask contains calming panthenol alongside kaolin and argilla clays. A good choice for angry, irritated skin that panics at the sight of an acid.

Not one to slap on ten minutes before you head out of the door, Seed To Skin's face mask is made for ritualistic moments.

Born on the Borgo Santo Pietro estate in Tuscany, the brand is a true labour of love, where home-grown extracts meet forensic formulation. The Peace is the brand's calming, clarifying treatment mask, combining mineral-rich pink clay with irritation-relieving allantoin and Sicilian prickly pear. The ingredients list is short yet powerful, and the results speak for themselves.

Combining chemical and physical exfoliants, Beauty Pie's mask will purify deeply congested pores within minutes. It's boosted with a trio of acids to prevent breakouts and brighten skin, making it one of the more intensive options. It's also black in colour, so if you use your best white flannel to remove it, don't say I didn't warn you.

Fans of The Ordinary need to get up to speed with Beauty Bay's skin-positive line, stat. A highlight, this super-affordable clay face mask contains kaolin and bentonite alongside a poly-hydroxy-acid to gently dissolve dead skin cells and ensure the clay can work as well as possible. Fragrance-free and mega-effective, this one might not be fancy, but it's a winner nonetheless.

Scarlett Johansson's new beauty venture, The Outset, is a good one to turn to if you struggle with sensitive, reaction-prone skin. The entire line is thoughtfully formulated and gentle enough for acneic skin types – including this deep-clarifying clay mask. Bentonite clay is combined with niacinamide and salicylic acid - the holy trinity for blemish-prone skin – but crucially, the brand's central moisturising extracts are also there to ensure skin isn't left dehydrated.

From another brand that knows exactly how to keep sensitive skin happy, this pore-purging mask combines kaolin clay with inflammation-calming spirulina. There's a blend of lavender and bergamot essential oils for a hint of luxury, too. Call on this one once a week to keep oily skin and enlarged pores in check.

Omorovicza's Hungarian spa is legendary for its healing waters, which are rich in minerals that ease aches and pains while helping to repair irritated skin.

This cult clay mask combines those fabled waters with Hungarian mud (again, packed with minerals) and fulvic acid to bring down inflammation. In short, it's a true powerhouse for skin that's playing up.

Tata Harper makes two clay-based masks, but this is the better choice for most skin types, as it calms and balances as it decongests. With skin-food probiotics, clarifying willow bark and calming aloe vera, it's a truly maximalist natural option.

If you're dry-skinned, this is the clay mask to go for. A clever multi-tasker, it can be applied just like a cleanser and left to linger, allowing the kaolin to gently clarify congested pores. It's much less drying than a traditional clay mask, so you'll emerge from the shower (or sofa) with fresh yet plump skin.

For a serious end-of-week treat, look to Sisley. From the oil-balancing Tropical Resins collection, this heavenly mask combines kaolin with a host of pore-tightening, redness-reducing plant extracts. A stellar choice for very oily skins.

Algenist's creamy clay treatment changes colour with the heat emitted from your skin. But that’s not why you’re buying it (I know, you’re serious about skincare).

No, you’re investing for the advanced probiotics inside, which work to balance the bacteria that make up your microbiome, reducing breakouts and inflammation. Once you’re converted (you will be), there’s a matching moisturiser waiting for you, too.

It might not be the sexiest thing you stick on your shelf – and the product name is frankly frightening – but this generously sized tub of kaolin and bentonite is brilliantly effective. It's boosted with AHAs, so you're getting enough exfoliating power to sort congestion, blackheads and rough texture in one.

When Tatcha arrived in the UK last year, beauty obsessives rejoiced. Previously only available via a Stateside Sephora pilgrimage, everyone's favourite fancy skincare brand is now in easy reach.

The best place to start? If you're prone to congestion, it has to be this light and creamy clay face mask, which boasts Okinawa-sourced kucha clay, known for its rich mineral content.

With a dose of oil-absorbing salicylic acid, this clay mask is made with breakout-prone complexions in mind. The detoxifying kaolin and charcoal are tempered by moisture-grabbing squalane, so it won't throw already temperamental skin off balance.