SkinCeuticals Clarifying Clay Masque for dry sensitive skin
Kaolin
Bentonite
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Glycerin
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit ExtractCaution
- CautionDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A poor match for dry sensitive skin; the cleansing masks alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Low suitability for your dry and sensitive skin as kaolin and bentonite clays absorb moisture, potentially exacerbating dryness, while aloe and chamomile offer some soothing benefits. The formulation lacks sufficient emollients and humectants to adequately counteract the drying effects of the clays.
- While the clays provide excellent pore cleansing for oily skin types, they are not ideal for your dry skin concerns.
- The product is safe for your skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like aloe and chamomile.
How to apply
- Use your cleansing mask PM once a week as part of your weekly routine, and increase to twice a week if your dry skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the cleansing mask after cleansing and enzyme powder, but before your hydrating toner, serum, and moisturizer.
- Smooth an even layer of the cleansing mask over your face while gently avoiding any unnecessary rubbing.
- Apply the cleansing mask to clean and dry skin to ensure better comfort for your sensitive skin type.
- Always avoid the eye area and do a patch test before using the cleansing mask for the first time.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 900+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this mask for effectively decongesting pores and reducing excess oil without stripping or drying out the skin, making it a favorite for oily, combination, and acne-prone types. The formula is frequently noted for leaving skin feeling smooth, soft, and balanced, with many users reporting visible improvements in pore size and skin texture after regular use.
Highlights
Non-drying formula Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't strip skin”
- “leaves skin soft”
- “creamy texture”
- “hydrated feel”
Pore refining Mostly Mentioned
- “pores look smaller”
- “cleans out pores”
- “removes blackheads”
- “decongests skin”
Oil control Often Mentioned
- “controls excess oil”
- “mattified look”
- “balances skin”
- “reduces shine”
Smoothes texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels smooth”
- “soft and supple”
- “improves skin texture”
- “exfoliates gently”
Soothing effect Sometimes Noted
- “calms red skin”
- “soothing on application”
- “doesn't irritate sensitive skin”
- “calms breakouts”
High price Sometimes Noted
- “cost a bit more”
- “expensive”
- “pricey”
- “investment product”
Application difficulty Rarely Noted
- “hard to smooth”
- “takes effort to apply”
- “thick consistency”
- “hard to spread”
Jar packaging Rarely Noted
- “dip fingers in”
- “jar is unhygienic”
- “prefer a tube”
- “messy jar”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “smelled like sulfur”
- “strong smell”
- “medicinal scent”
- “earthy odor”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, bluemercury.com, skinceuticals.com, lookfantastic.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with SkinCeuticals Clarifying Clay Masque for dry sensitive skin?
Lovi advises caution because the clays in this mask absorb moisture and may make dry skin even drier, while the formula lacks enough rich moisturizers and humectants to balance them out. A cleansing mask for dry sensitive skin needs rich hydrating and barrier-restoring ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to keep the skin comfortable and protected.
Which ingredients make this mask a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
Kaolin and bentonite clays make this mask a poor fit because they absorb moisture and may worsen dryness on your dry sensitive skin. A cleansing mask of this type needs rich hydrating and barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to maintain moisture and protect dry skin.
What does Kaolin Clay do for dry sensitive skin?
Kaolin clay is a poor fit for dry sensitive skin because it absorbs natural oils and can worsen dryness and irritation. A product of this type needs soothing, hydrating ingredients and a gentle formula to protect dry and delicate skin.
What does Bentonite Clay do for dry sensitive skin?
Bentonite clay is not an ideal match for dry sensitive skin because it absorbs a lot of oil and moisture, which can leave dry skin feeling even drier. A product for this skin type needs gentle hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid or glycerin to soothe and restore moisture without causing irritation.
Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This mask is a poor match for dry and sensitive skin because its clays absorb moisture and may make dryness worse. A product of this type needs enough rich moisturizers and water-attracting ingredients to keep your skin soft and smooth.
Can I use this mask with retinol, and in what order?
You should exercise caution when using this clay mask with retinol on dry and sensitive skin, as the clays may significantly worsen dryness and irritation. To protect your skin, a mask of this type needs plenty of rich softening ingredients and deep moisture-locking agents that this product lacks. If you still choose to use it, apply the mask on a separate day from your retinol treatment to prevent overwhelming your skin barrier.
How often should I use this mask?
This mask is a poor fit for your dry sensitive skin because the clays absorb moisture and may worsen dryness. To use a product of this type safely, your skin needs rich moisturizing ingredients like plant oils and heavy butters along with soothing plant extracts to protect and comfort the barrier.
Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cleansing mask is unlikely to clog your pores or cause breakouts on dry sensitive skin, but it can worsen flaky dryness because the clays absorb moisture. To work well for this skin, a mask of this type needs more rich moisturizing ingredients and water-attracting ingredients to balance out the strong cleansing clays.
Is this mask fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Vectorization of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid with clay enabled its penetration into deeper skin layers and led to a significant clinical reduction in fine lines in the crow's feet area compared to placebo after 28 days.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024Twice-weekly use of a clay mask over 4 weeks in 75 adults with oily or combination skin improved acne-related outcomes, sebum content, skin evenness, hydration, and reduced dryness and irritation.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan/organic montmorillonite nanocomposite demonstrated superior moisture-adsorption and retention compared to hyaluronic acid, good UV-protection ability, negligible dermal irritation, and prominent moisture-retention efficacy on human stratum corneum when formulated into a cosmetic cream.
Carbohydrate Polymers, 2017A novel water-in-oil emulsion with a lecithin-modified bentonite prevented epidermal degradation and inflammatory protein secretion induced by urban dust and cedar pollen more effectively than a conventional water-in-oil emulsion in a reconstructed human epidermis model.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Bentonite nanoparticles and honey co-administration improved skin wound healing in BALB/c mice by reducing inflammatory cell infiltration and increasing fibroblastosis, new epithelium thickness, granulation area, and collagen density compared to the untreated control group.
The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds, 2025A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Fermented bilberry extract improved wrinkle depth, skin smoothness, roughness, firmness, elasticity, antioxidant capacity, and complexion evenness compared to a placebo in 66 subjects over 84 days.
Nutrients, 2024Topical application of oil-in-water creams containing wild bilberry leaves extract and seeds oil produced significant beneficial effects on the skin of healthy human volunteers.
Antioxidants, 2021Bilberry fruit extract incorporated into chitosan-based hydrogels demonstrated antioxidant, anti-hyaluronidase, and anti-tyrosinase activities, supporting their potential use in topical anti-aging preparations.
Antioxidants, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Kaolin, Bentonite, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ci 77891 Titanium Dioxide, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Sunflower Seed Oil, Saccharum Officinarum Sugar Cane Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Orange Fruit Water, Citrus Limon Lemon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharinum Sugar Maple Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Rosemary Oil Leaf, Cucumis Sativus Cucumber Fruit Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil Flower, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Curcuma Longa Turmeric Root Extract Extract, Sclareolide, Rosa Spp Rose Oil Flower, Jasminum Officinale Jasmine Extract
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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