Cupcake or... a bag of dirt?

There's no denying how good Lush's fresh face masks are, and they're not too expensive, but when money's tight is the nice packaging and smell worth the extra cost?

My go-to face mask is Cupcake, whose key ingredient is rhassoul clay, also known as morrocan red clay. It's prized for it's cleansing properties and ability to withdraw oil and toxins from the skin, and in its raw powder form is available pretty cheaply online! I bought mine from here on ebay, and for £2.70 inc p&p it lasts much longer than a Lush face mask.

Mix up the clay with just enough water to make a thick paste, plaster on like that tart on the giant lips on x-factor plasters on her foundation and relax until it's dry to touch. My favourite way to use the clay, is to mix it up using the dregs of a cup of peppermint tea and add a drop of essential oil.
To really rip off lush, mix up with cocoa powder, peppermint oil and water.