The Magic of the Dead Sea: A Review of Instanatural's Dead Sea Mud Mask

This stuff is great. I mean really, really great. But let's start from the beginning: You've probably all heard of mud masks. And, a lot of you may have wondered, "why the hell would I want to put mud on my face?" Well, truth be told that mud is rich in minerals and stuff that is beneficial for the skin. Of course, not all mud is created equal- for example, please don't use this as an excuse to run outside and dig up mud in your pseudo-backyard if you live in an urban area.

Instanatural sent me a huge (I'm talking 16 oz!) tub of their dead sea mud mask. Now, I've already heard about how floating around in the Dead Sea is like a spa treatment itself. Here's what Instanatural has to say about it:

InstaNatural’s Dead Sea Mud Mask is an all-natural detoxifier and purifier that comes from the renowned and sacred Dead Sea. More than a million visitors each year flock to this extraordinary body of water in the Mediterranean, which contains many minerals beneficial to the skin, such as magnesium, sodium, bromine, potassium and calcium. Once applied, this mud mask treatment starts working to absorb excess oil, dirt and toxins from the skin. It is great to expunge acne, pimples and blackheads. It also helps to restore an even skin tone for a smoother complexion. When used as a body treatment, the mud mask can soothe and relieve muscles aches and pains. Whether used on the face or the body, our Dead Sea Mud Mask is a superb in-home spa treatment that will reveal more vibrant, refined, healthier skin.

Okay, so they're being pretty straightforward here. Mud, especially mud from the Dead Sea, contains tons of yummy stuff for the skin- calcium, magnesium, potassium,  sodium, bromine. But, how exactly will this help your skin? These minerals restore skin's natural pH (optimal pH of skin is 5.5), provide a natural exfoliation, and is a great anti-inflammatory, meaning that it's great for sensitive skin and those with skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. In addition, these minerals detoxify- as instanatural mentioned- so, they help pull out heavy metals and debris that clog up the pores.

Like the product description, Instanaturals' mud mask is also very simple and straightforward (and it's gosh darn lovely).

Ingredients:

Pure Dead Sea Mud, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Organic Calendula Oil, Hickory Bark Extract

This is a very simple ingredients list that I absolutely adore- you can count the ingredients on hardly two hands! There are SIX to be exact.. six!! I love that it starts out with pure Dead Sea mud.. meaning that this product contains more mud from the Dead Sea than it does any other ingredient. It follows up with shea butter and jojoba oil, which help restore moisture and hydration in the skin (since this pulls stuff out from the skin, it may be a bit dry afterward without these ingredients). The aloe vera and calendula oil soothe and heal, while hickory bark extract is a common ingredient in mud masks and helps with detoxification.

Application:

Always, always, always cleanse and tone the skin before applying a mask. I mean, think about it- it doesn't really make sense to apply a mask on top of skin that has makeup, creams, and debris on  it. So, start out by cleansing, toning, then applying product. I like to apply masks after I bathe, if I have the time- this way, the pores are nice and soft, allowing for better absorption (this is why, when you get a facial, steamers are often used before masking).

I scooped out just enough product to cover my face and neck- you don't need too much, even though its tempting since this is such a huge container. It spread nicely on my face and was super smooth. The instructions say to leave the mask on 10-15 minutes or until dry. I think because, once it's dry, it means it has already done its magic. When removing, I splash some water on my face and rub it all over to re-wet the mud- this makes for a much easier removal. It will help to have a cloth or gentle sponge handy, especially in the nooks around the nose and hairline.

The Nitty Gritty:

After removing this mask, my face felt much cleaner. Though it didn't necessarily feel dry, I wouldn't want to use this product every day or anything- even though it has hydrating properties, remember that this mask's main purpose is to detoxify. My skin did seem to have a fresh look to it- not really a glow, because this isn't really the product for that. More like a really clean look- think "Noxzema girl," if anyone remembers those ads. And as for blemishes (which, believe it or not, I do suffer from every once in a while- especially blackheads, since I have combination skin that makes me prone to them), it does seem to help bring them to the surface.

Overall, this is a lovely product. The ingredients are pure and minimal and the container is huge. Even those that don't suffer from a single breakout would still benefit from a product like this. You can purchase a 16 oz tub of Instanaturals' Dead Sea Mud Mask from their website- at $25.77, you're in for a treat that will last you quite a long time.