7 purifying face masks for acne-prone skin

Clay is a great ingredient for helping clear acne-prone skin because it absorbs excess oil and impurities. This mask contains pink kaolin clay to rid skin of pollutants, toxins and a build-up of grime to leave skin clean and clear. The addition of antioxidants in the formula also help tighten pores, which we definitely appreciate.

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The combination of fruit and lactic acids in this mask helps to remove stubborn dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, while the balm-like texture is pampering (but not pore-clogging) on the complexion. The prebiotics in the formula create a healthy environment on the skin that’s free from acne-causing bacteria, and the scent of rose, passionfruit and chamomile is divine.

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Besides oil-absorbing kaolin clay, your skin is going to love the antibacterial manuka honey and pimple-fighting salicylic acid in this mask mix. It soothes, hydrates and controls oil (while still leaving skin radiant; yes, we swear it's possible), plus 98.76 per cent of the ingredients in this drugstore face mask are naturally-derived, which is always a bonus.

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Packed with pumpkin enzymes and a few other AHAs, this chemical exfoliant mask sweeps away dead skin while also increasing cell turnover and boosting collagen production (hint: two top qualities for fading acne scars). It's also got a little physical exfoliant action packed in, thanks to aluminum oxide crystals, so get ready for some serious smoothness.

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Acne and charcoal are a match made in concern-and-cure heaven. The charcoal draws out toxins and impurities to leave skin purified and cleansed, so it's definitely the star of the show, but the blend also contains aloe vera to calm inflamed acne and pomegranate extract to rebalance your skin's natural oil production levels. What more could you want?

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There are a lot of great acne-fighting ingredients in this mask: activated binchotan charcoal to absorb excess oil and dirt, sulphur to increase cell turnover, niacinamide to reduce congestion, Chilean wild mint to minimise the appearance of pores, and alpha hydroxy acids to remove dead skin cells for a brighter and clearer complexion.

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No, sheet masks aren't off-limits for acne-prone skin types; in fact, this one was designed specifically for them. It's especially great if you're dealing with a complexion that's both oily, blemish-prone and dehydrated, as it won't be as drying as a traditional mud mask (but does contain a few clay forms to make sure grease and bacteria is banished with each wear).

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