How To Do A Dead Sea Mud Mask | 6 Steps, Benefits

Dead Sea mud has pronounced antimicrobial action which effectively stops the spread of fungi and bacteria and shows an anti-acne effect. Additionally, it decreases signs of aging and helps people with arthritis. This article will show you how to use it.

At Natural Pioneers, we’re all about natural products that work. In the case of Dead Sea products, we went through numerous studies to find an answer to this question. The take-away? Most processed cosmetic products with long lists of ingredients are hit or miss. We found promising products containing up to 30% Dead Sea that just didn’t perform in studies. [1] However, two things show proven success: 100% Dead Sea mud masks with 100% pure Dead Sea salts.

1. STEP 1 | Clean Your Face

Start with putting your hair in a bun and use a headband to keep flyaways out of your face.

Wash your face with a gentle cleanser to remove any excess oil. Soak a wash cloth or small towel in hot water, wring it out and lay it on your face. Leave it on for about 1 minute to open up all your pores.

2. STEP 2 | Apply Eye Cream

Apply a few drops of eye cream or coconut oil around your eyes. Dead Sea mud masks tighten as they dry. The oil makes sure the sensitive areas around your eyes are protected. Don’t apply any mud those areas.

3. STEP 3 | Apply Dead Sea Mud

The mud may arrive with some salty seawater on the top. Give it a good stir when you open the bottle. Now apply a thin layer of Dead Sea mud to your face including underneath your chin. We prefer to use our fingers but you may use a brush as well. Avoid contact with your eyes and lips. Apply very sparingly. If Dead Sea mud is applied too thick, it won’t dry properly. Be gentle around the eye area and try not to get the mud in your hair.

Note: If you bought mud in a powder form, mix it with water before applying.

4. STEP 4 | Let Dry

Allow the mask to dry for about 15 minutes. You’ll feel a tightening as the mask tries. If you decide to lie down, make sure to protect your pillow with a towel. Get a book. It doesn’t have to be fully dry to receive all of its benefits.

Note: The minerals in Dead Sea mud cause a tingling sensation on your skin as the mask dries. If at any time you sense a very strong, burning sensation, stop and remove the mask immediately – you could be experiencing an allergic reaction.

5. STEP 5 | Rinse Off

After about 15 minutes, it’s time to rinse it off. Use warm water in a circular motion to gently remove the mud. You may want to use a wash cloth to remove any small areas with left-over mud. Pat dry with a clean cloth.

6. STEP 6 | Moisturize Your Face

Use a light moisturizer, like Vitamin C serum to give your face some extra glow. Avoid anything heavy including coconut oil, balms, and creams. Your face should feel smooth and look visibly clearer now.

7. How Often Should I Use A Dead Sea Mud Mask?

You should use a Dead Sea mud mask twice a week and follow with a light moisturizer for best results.

8. How To Do A Dead Sea Mud Body Mask

You can use Dead Sea mud on your body as well. It’s great for people suffering from acne on shoulders and for people with arthritis when applied to affected joints. Generally, it’s beneficial for all skin types and it’s benefits are proven in hundreds of studies.

• Wash the area with a cleanser and some warm water.
• Soak a wash cloth or small towel in hot water, wring it out and lay it on the area. Leave it on for about 1 minute to open up all your pores.
• Apply a thin layer of mud on the affected area. We like to use our fingers but you may use a brush as well. You may want to ask someone to help if you’re applying the mud to an area that is hard to reach, like your back.
• Let the mud dry for about 15 minutes.
• To rinse off, use warm water. You may want to use a washcloth in addition or rinse it off in the shower.
• Apply a light moisturizer.

If you’re dealing with arthritis, we strongly recommend Dead Sea salt baths. Read more in our article about Dead Sea Salt Vs. Epsom Salt.

9. How Dead Sea Mud Works For Better Skin

Dead Sea mud works in 3 ways.

1. Dead Sea mud has pronounced antimicrobial action. That means it effectively stops the spread of fungi and bacteria. The combination of mineral salts, sulfide and its low pH are the suggested main reason for that. But Dead Sea mud contains even more. Hundreds of natural compounds including plant extracts, essential oils and particles of marine sponges all play their part in the antimicrobial activities of Dead Sea mineral mud. This explains why Dead Sea mud masks show an antiacne effect. [2]

2. Dead Sea mud makes wounds heal faster. The high content of minerals and trace elements act anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and enhance wound healing. When battling with acne and breakouts, Dead Sea mud will accelerate the healing process of the spots in your face. [3] It makes sense that the black mud mined from the Dead Sea shores is not only used for face masks but also in body treatments to help with stretch marks, eczema, blemished skin, and aging signs.

3. More studies prove that Dead Sea mud stimulates blood circulation, enhances lymphatic flow, and cleanses the skin from dead cells, while soothing irritation and decreasing aging signs. That means on top of killing the acne infection and healing wounds, it can overall improve your skin with its cleansing and soothing properties. [4]; [5]

These studies are done with 100% pure Dead Sea mud. No lotion, cream or other cosmetic product. Therefore, we strongly recommend the use of 100% pure Dead Sea mud when trying to achieve these same effects.

In addition to using Dead Sea mud to treat acne, studies have proven beneficial properties of Dead Sea salt baths. Baths won’t directly work on your face, but induce indirect healing action. Furthermore, baths can help with breakouts on your shoulders, back, chest and neck and benefit. We’ll take a look at Dead Sea salt baths next.

10. Studies Prove Benefits Of Dead Sea Minerals

Dead Sea salts can help us in various ways. The difference between Dead Sea mud and Dead Sea salts is that Dead Sea mud is the smooth viscous black paste harvested from the shores of the Dead Sea whereas Dead Sea salts are dried minerals of Dead Sea water.

Benefits of Dead Sea Mineral Salts

1. Dead Sea salt baths at home reduce skin breakouts by up to 35%. The minerals have a healing effect and reduce inflammation, skin roughness, and redness. [6]; [7]; [8]
2. Dead Sea mineral baths restore moisture and enhance skin hydration. The minerals contain a natural moisturizing factor that can improve the look of acne damaged skin. [9]
3. Dead Sea baths reduce aging sings on human skin. Dead Sea minerals have a rejuvenating effect on your skin. [10]
4. In rheumatoid arthritis patients, Dead Sea mud packs significantly improve morning stiffness, hand-grip strength and activities of daily living. [11]
5. Dead Sea mud packs reduce pain severity in patients with chronic low back pain. [12]
6. Dead Sea mud accelerates the wound healing process. [13]
7. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, daily baths in Dead Sea salts significantly improve morning stiffness, fifteen-meter walk time, hand-grip strength and circumference of joints. [14]
8. Studies show Dead Sea spa therapy modalities help with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. [15]
9. In patients with knee osteoarthritis, balneotherapy helps with pain, physical function and walking speed. [16]

Up for a trip to the Middle East?

• Baths in the Dead Sea help with Fibromyalgia. Studies show a relief of symptoms (pain, fatigue, stiffness, and anxiety) and reduced frequency of symptoms (headache, sleep problems, and subjective joint swelling). [17]
• Intermittent balneotherapy in the Dead Sea helps with knee osteoarthritis. Results lasted up to 6 months. [18]