Why Getting Dirty Is THE Best Way To Get Your Skin Clean

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When it comes to taking it all off – makeup wise – one wouldn’t think slathering on mud, charcoal, and clay would be the way to go. On the contrary, these grimy ingredients (that should never go near your white towels, PS) are extremely detoxifying and deep cleaning. And they help soothe redness, clear up acne, and basically vacuum your pores until they’re clear AF. From triple duty bars and cleansing gels, to clarifying masks and exfoliating wipes, here are six good reasons to go to the dark side on your next skincare haul.

The Do-It-All Bar

Drunk Elephant Juju Bar, $28: If you’re low on time, skip the complicated multi-step skincare routine and reach for a multitasking 3-in-1 product instead, like this thermal mud and bamboo powder bar. Unlike soap, which strips the skin due to a pH level of 9 or above, Juju’s pH is only 6.3 so it’s a more gentle choice to exfoliate, brighten, refine texture, and remove dirt and oil all at the same time.

The Squeaky Clean Pore Treatment

GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD Activated Charcoal Treatment Mask, $59: Every time GLAMGLOW releases a new variation of their buzzed-about masks they pretty much sell out overnight. Their activated charcoal formula remains one of our favorites, since it works like a magnet extracting gunk from your pores and blasting blackheads and breakouts after just one application. Use all over for an instant complexion reboot, or as a spot treatment to clear up problem areas on the fly.

The Purifying Gel

Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Purifying Cleansing Gel, $38: Ireland is known for a few things: lucky shamrocks, strong pints, and some magical mud apparently, which PTR was smart enough to launch an entire skincare collection around. Hijiki seaweed, volcanic ash and charcoal, and willow bark and tea tree oil join forces with the transformative black goop to say bye-bye to flaky skin and reveal a smoother mattified visage.

The Eco Cleansing Mud

Grace + Tonic Cleansing Mud, $25: Maybe it’s the arrival of spring and its besties (allergies), or maybe it’s the fact that you’ve been perfecting your face beat nonstop – whatever the case, skin gets clogged and so do pores. Set yours straight again with plant-powered ingredients, Brazilian purple clay and Cupuacu butter for a luminous refresh. Plus this COSMOS-certified natural organic mud is free of parabens, sulfates, and all synthetic fragrance. Just what we need come Earth Day.

The Detoxifying Facial Wipes

Sephora Charcoal Exfoliating Wipes, $7.50: We’ve all been guilty of falling into bed with a full face of glam and regretting it big time the next am. Stash a pack of these dual-sided charcoal-infused towelettes in your nightstand for easy access. One side exfoliates, while the other softer side lifts away any leftover residue.

The Clarifying Mask

SkinCeuticals Clarifying Clay Masque, $52: A lot of clay masks can be super drying, but SkinCeuticals’ version is the opposite, thanks to high-quality natural earth clays and botanicals. Suitable for all skin types, it also contains a 5% hydroxy acid blend to slough off dead cells and balance oil production. Use once a week and let the #nofilter photos rip.