Shhh...Aztec Secret Review
Like many girls (and guys!) out there, I have had a long-standing struggle with oily skin, especially in times of high stress. Since middle school, I’ve tried everything to combat shine and the annoying acne that it brings: salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, retinol, two different antibiotics, anything my dermatologist can prescribe me. Topical treatments failed to do the trick, and I eventually got sick from being on antibiotics for over six months each time.
In August, I decided that I had had it, and I quit everything that I was using. I started to use strictly gentle skincare products, such as Cetaphil and Cera Ve. These helped to ease the irritation that all of my harsh treatments had inflicted upon my skin. Regardless, I still needed something to tackle the oil in the late-summer humidity. After researching solutions online, I discovered the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask.
The Aztec Secret Clay Mask proudly states on its container that it is the “World’s Most Powerful Facial”. The mask consists of 100% natural calcium bentonite clay, sourced from Death Valley, California, that has been dried by the sun for six months tops. The clay can even be used for a relaxing bath or treating bug bites. With 4.5 stars and over 10k reviews on Amazon, this stuff is the real deal.
I absolutely had to get my hands on the clay, so I called around to stores that usually carry the clay near my home in Portland, Maine, and it was sold out everywhere! Luckily, Amazon sells one-pound jars for $12.57, and I had one waiting for me at PC by move-in day.
My routine for using Aztec Secret starts with taking a hot shower or steaming my face for 20 minutes to loosen my pores. Next, I use Neutrogena’s Deep Clean Gentle Scrub ($4.79, CVS) for squeaky clean skin. Here’s where Aztec Secret comes in: I mix a small amount of the powder with water in a container or plastic bag and apply it liberally to my face. The hardest part is waiting for the clay to completely dry on your skin. As it dries, the mask pulls out every impurity, and in doing so pulls the skin and stimulates blood vessels, creating a pulsating sensation. In all honesty, this facial is not for the faint of heart, but the results make it incredibly worthwhile. Once dry, which depends on how oily my skin is on a given day, I wash the mask off, again using the scrub to get rid of any extra debris. I finish my twice-a-week routine off with either my Cera Ve moisturizer or a benzoyl peroxide spot treatment.
After a month of following my routine, my skin is looking a million times better. So good, in fact, that I save my full coverage makeup only for my nights out. The Aztec Secret has even become a hot commodity in Meagher Hall, with some girls ordering two-packs of the clay. An added bonus: it makes for some seriously good snapchats!
