This $8 clay mask is one of the most popular beauty products across the internet, and it's the only thing that has helped clear up my skin

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• I've tried a lot of face masks in my life — from dirt-cheap impulse purchases to $80 award-winning at-home facials  — and nothing has improved the clarity of my skin like this giant $8 tub of the Aztec Secret Clay Mask.
• After seeing it all over the internet and having a colleague call it her "most recommended product," I gave it a shot.
• It basically acts like a vacuum for your pores in the five to 20 minutes it's on. 
• Like many Amazon reviews state, my best results came from mixing the mask with Apple Cider Vinegar.

There are a few things that the majority of people who know me would be able to recite off-the-cuff that I love. That list would include the Scribd reading app, comfort and convenience in general (twill sheets, fluffy robes, and smart lights), and, lastly, face masks.

For the last few years, face masks have been a pivotal part of 'relaxing' for me. Long day? Throw on a face mask! Horrible commute? Face mask. It became the creature comfort version of Penicillin for every daily ill.

While I've tried everything from the Allure Best of Beauty 2017 $80 TLC Babyface Facial to whatever was under $6 in the TJ Maxx pile, the changes in clarity specifically were always minimal or too fleeting to warrant much shouting from the rooftops or jazz hands in the streets. Sheet masks and hydration masks always moisturized well enough, and peels helped target dark spots and texture, but clay masks remained entertainingly garish and lavish (so, more mentally helpful) rather than a tool for improving the clarity, texture, and tone of my skin. 

That is, until I tried the $8 Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask that has tens of thousands of 5-star reviews across the internet. Even though I've been obsessed with face masks for years, this is the only one that I would go so far as to claim has actually markedly (and for the long-term) improved my skin's clarity. After a few weeks of using it once a week, my temperamental combination skin is smoother, clearer, and more even overall. 

The Aztec Clay Mask basically acts like a vacuum for your pores in the five to 20 minutes it's on. The 100% natural calcium bentonite clay draws out all the impurities deep in your skin for what has been called 'the world's most powerful facial'. I can't say it's "the world's most" anything, but it is the first thing I have ever used that wasn't prescribed by a dermatologist and actually works. In fact, it's the first topical treatment I've ever used (prescribed or not) that has actually worked. 

Like all of my best purchases, I found it through a recommendation. I asked the Business Insider staff to send me the best things they had ever bought on Amazon for under $25 and I bought this mask after seeing a colleague mention it as her "most recommended product." Apparently, it had been hiding in plain sight. Once I had heard of it, I couldn't stop seeing it everywhere: in articles, videos, Youtube testimonials with over 1 million views, and even the Sephora beauty blog, which is typically filled with luxe options from of-the-moment brands. But, all in all, the Aztec Clay Mask is worth the eerie, cult-favorite hype. 

Now, instead of putting on any face mask to have a fun night drinking wine with girlfriends, I apply this religiously once a week to sit with my facial muscles rendered immobile for about 10 minutes. In other words, it's the first mask I've used for the purpose of what it does to my skin, rather than how it makes me feel. I actually had a moment of paranoia where I considered buying another tub (which is giant even for $13) in advance in case the sellers catch onto the craze and raise prices.

However, you should be careful to only use the Aztec Clay Mask for the recommended 5-10 minutes if you have delicate skin. When I had a dermatologist critique my skincare routine, she recommended washing it off once I could feel it becoming tight and dry to prevent the clay from sucking too much oil from the skin (your skin will adapt and compensate by starting to produce more oil). Be prepared to feel the mask become scaly and tight on your face. I actually have to drink out of a straw when this stuff is on. It's powerful, so you'll see some redness after you take it off, but that has always dissipated within 10-15 minutes or so for me, despite having the sort of sensitive, pale skin that makes yoga teachers worried they aren't giving the class enough water breaks. 

Thanks to its massive popularity, you can grab it from basically any retailer, but it's a few dollars cheaper on the organic food site Thrive Market ($6.59 — though it's currently out of stock and you'll need a membership to access it). Or, you can order it through Target for $7.99 right now. 

The bottom line

All in all, I can say from experience that this cheap wunderkind clay mask is absolutely worth a try if you'd like to see clearer and smoother skin. Skincare is a touchy thing, and even with tens of thousands of 5-star reviews across the internet you can't know for sure that it will work for you, but it is so far the only thing that has ever really made a difference in the clarity and appearance of my skin — and it seems I'm not alone in feeling that way. 

*Update: After many suggestions from Amazon reviews and a reader writing in, I tried the Aztec Mask mixed with Apple Cider Vinegar. It worked markedly better than before even. You may find the smell unpleasant, but it is worth it for the soft skin, even texture, and improved tone — and absolutely at $8.