This Pink Ingredient Is Destined to Be Your Summer Face-Masking Fling

Millennial pink beauty products are a dime a dozen these days, so when I first heard about the benefits "Australian pink clay," I was mildly skeptical about how effective it could possibly be. My fears were not at all settled when the face mask arrived on my doorstep looking like a tub of bubblegum-colored goo with packaging to match. But during a recent “adult spring break” trip to Florida, after spending too much time in the sun, I decided to try it out.

One night of "face mask and chill" later, and I was head over heels in love—and not just because it made for a pretty Instagram photo (though TBH it does read a bit more white than rosy on skin). The ingredient is known to draw impurities out of the skin, which helps to detox your pores, but it's often paired with other ingredients such as pomegranate and aloe vera (as in the Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Porefining Face Mask), so it's super gentle on your complexion as well.

To double check that I wasn’t being blinded by the fact that Australian Pink Clay is really, really pretty (did I mention it smells like roses, too?),  I called Virginia-based dermatologist Lily Talakoub, MD at McLean Dermatology and Skincare Center to confirm that the mask is actually as life-changing as I thought after my first use. "This is an amazing mask,” she told me right off the bat (which, phew, means I’m not dreaming), and confessed she too had similarly fallen in love.

Dr. Talakoub also confirmed that it can actually calm red, sensitive skin and help with dryness and irritation, which is why it felt so good, when applied to my sunburn. "Come in after the sun, you can put it on, it will unclog your pores as well as soften up your skin,” she said. It’s one of those few-and-far-in-between type of masks that really can work for every type of skin, and is particularly game-changing for those with oily t-zones because of its ability to absorb oil. “If you're the kind of person who gets greasy by noon in your T-zone, you put this on at night and then in the morning you kind of get up and put your makeup on, it decreases that grease on your skin so your makeup fits a lot better, too.”

Perfect (and pink) summer skin, here you come.

Though Australian Pink Clay can help with sunburns after you get 'em, prevention is still seriously key, so try our favorite mineral sunscreen that won't leave you looking like Casper the chalky ghost after you apply. And no matter how diligent you are about lathering on the SPF, remember to keep an eye on these 6 signs your skin may be frying in the sun.