The Clean Beauty Skincare Purchase You Never Knew You Needed — but Do

Powder face masks exist for a reason — and it's not to dirty up your sink. While the spillable formula may not be a mask of choice for messy humans, there is a reason so many natural brands opt to produce one.

According to Jessica Morelli, founder of Palermo Body, "When you make a powder mask, you don't have to add in preservatives." This is great for clean beauty brands that only use natural ingredients. As Morelli told POPSUGAR, preservatives such as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate are safe to put in liquid masks, but those ingredients are synthetic, or made in a lab.

How do powder masks work? When you mix in a liquid, the powder is activated. If you're a rule follower, you probably have only splashed water into your powder masks. That said, Morelli insisted that you shouldn't sleep on other activators. "You can add in honey, yogurt, or apple cider vinegar to address your individual skin condition," she said.

If you have dry skin, you might want to choose honey, as the humectant absorbs moisture and hydrates well. Those with oily or acne-prone skin might prefer using apple cider vinegar, which has an acidic quality that can rebalance acids on the face.

Yogurt works for a wide range of skin types, from oily to dry, and the dairy product contains lactic acid, which chemically exfoliates your face. Plus, you can pull it straight out of the refrigerator and onto your face for a cooling sensation. For that reason, Morelli suggested using it for soothing sunburns.

Keep reading to see our favorite powder masks.