Introduction
Codex Labs may not yet command the household reverence of legacy beauty giants, but among ingredient enthusiasts its science led formulas and rigorous testing have earned a quiet cult following. The brand’s latest launch, the Shaant Balancing Clay Mask, arrives with a name that sounds like a whispered promise of calm and clarity—fitting for something aimed at tempering rebellious complexions.
Codex touts this wash off mask as a multitasker capable of dialing down oil, smoothing rough texture, easing visible redness and doing it all without bullying the skin’s microbiome. The formula leans on 2 percent bentonite clay, turmeric and a blend of starches, with clinical stats claiming hefty dead skin removal plus modest gains in mattifying and redness reduction within a month.
Intrigued by those numbers, I spent a solid two weeks slathering it on thrice weekly to see if the reality matches the lab coated optimism and if the results justify the swipe of your credit card.
What is Shaant Balancing Clay Mask?
Shaant Balancing Clay Mask is a rinse-off treatment that sits in the wash-off mask family. Unlike creams or leave-on serums, wash-off masks are meant to stay on the skin for a short window so actives can get to work before being removed with water. This approach suits people who want targeted exfoliation or oil control without the longer contact time that can sometimes provoke irritation.
The formula relies on a 2 percent concentration of bentonite clay, a mineral rich powder known for binding excess sebum. Turmeric and plant starches join in to help lift dead cells and lightly polish rough patches. According to the brand’s in-house testing the mask can remove up to 72 percent of surface debris, smooth texture by 65 percent, curb shine by 4 percent and dial down visible redness by 7 percent over a month of routine use.
It is marketed toward oily, acne-prone or congested skin types and is meant to be applied two or three times a week. The mask is massaged onto damp skin, left to dry for five to ten minutes then rinsed away. The goal is a clearer matte finish without disturbing the skin’s resident microbes that keep the barrier balanced.
Did it work?
I went full lab coat for this trial and benched my usual wash off mask for a few days beforehand so my skin could start from a clean slate. Very scientific, I know. Six applications over 14 days felt like a reasonable window to see if the clay and turmeric combo could live up to the press release.
I followed the directions to the letter: damp skin, thin layer, five minute dry down then a gentle rinse. The first thing I noticed was a pleasant coolness that never tipped into stinging. Post rinse my T-zone looked nicely matte and pores around my nose seemed fractionally tighter, though by late afternoon the usual sheen was back. That immediate effect repeated itself with each use so I would call it a temporary but welcome quick fix rather than lasting sebum suppression.
Texture wise the mask did help loosen stubborn flakes along my chin where I often get congestion from sunscreen. By week two those patches felt smoother under fingertips which lines up with the brand’s dead skin removal claims. What I did not see was a dramatic shift in overall redness; my scattered hormonal spots looked slightly less angry right after rinsing yet by the next morning the tone had returned to baseline.
On the upside it never triggered irritation or the post mask tightness some clays can cause. My microbiome seems to have survived the experiment unbothered which is more than I can say for a few harsher clarifiers in my drawer.
So did it deliver? Partly. It gives an immediate clean sweep feel and a modest texture bump but stops short of transformative oil control or redness relief. I will probably finish the tube yet I am not rushing to slot it into my permanent lineup. Still, if you crave a gentle midweek detox and have oilier skin than mine the Shaant mask could be a helpful occasional reset.
Shaant balancing clay mask’s main ingredients explained
The headline act is 2% bentonite clay, a smectite mineral that swells when wet and works like a micro vacuum to pull excess oil and grime out of pores. It sits alongside kaolin, a gentler clay that soaks up shine without the same drying edge, which helps explain why my skin never felt parched after rinsing.
Turmeric root extract gives the mask its warm tint and a dose of curcumin, a polyphenol praised for antioxidant and soothing powers. While the brand trumpets a 7% redness drop in clinical testing, turmeric also has a reputation for mild staining so be thorough when you rinse and keep light fabrics out of splash range.
Lactobacillus ferment is included to keep the microbiome on speaking terms. This postbiotic can produce antimicrobial peptides that limit breakout-causing bacteria yet leave commensal species alone, an elegant way of balancing skin rather than carpet bombing it with harsher antibacterials.
Then come the texturizers: shea butter, caprylic/capric triglyceride and octyldodecanol give the creamy slip that lets the mask spread evenly. Shea sits around a 0-2 on the comedogenic scale and caprylic/capric triglyceride around a 1-2, meaning they can clog pores for some users prone to congestion. (Comedogenic means an ingredient has the potential to block pores and trigger breakouts.) If your skin reacts to richer emollients patch test on the jawline first.
Three marine extracts—spiral wrack, green microalgae and seaweed—supply trace minerals and sugars that help retain moisture once the mask is rinsed off. Centella asiatica brings madecassoside and asiaticoside to calm irritation while patchouli oil adds an earthy scent, though its naturally occurring eugenol can provoke sensitivity in the very reactive.
The formula avoids obvious animal derivatives so it is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. It is also free of synthetic fragrance, relying instead on plant oils for scent, which can still pose issues for fragrance-sensitive noses.
Pregnancy safety is a gray zone because the mask contains essential oils and salicylate-rich botanicals. While concentrations are likely low, anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding should get the nod from a healthcare professional before folding it into a routine.
There is a polite level of preservative protection via potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate and the pH sits in a skin-friendly range so the actives remain stable without waging war on the acid mantle. Overall the ingredient list balances oil-mopping clays with barrier-loving emollients and a scattering of botanicals that add antioxidant flair, though those with highly sensitive or very acne-prone skin will want to keep the comedogenic rating of the richer ingredients in mind.
What I liked/didn’t like
Here is the quick rundown after two weeks of use.
What works well:
- Delivers an immediate matte finish and smoother feel, especially across the T zone
- Gentle clay blend avoids the tight, stripped sensation some masks leave behind so skin feels balanced post rinse
- Microbiome friendly formula with postbiotic ferment means no flare ups or irritation in my trial
What to consider:
- Results are short lived for oil control so frequent use is required to maintain the freshly cleansed effect
- Turmeric tint can cling to towels and light fabrics if you are not diligent during rinse off
- Contains richer emollients that may not suit very congestion prone or ultra sensitive skin types
My final thoughts
After two weeks of hands on use I would slot Shaant Balancing Clay Mask into the “solid but not spectacular” category. It ticked the boxes on immediate mattifying and post rinse smoothness and it did so without upset or drama, something my combination skin always appreciates. Where it fell short was longevity: oil control faded by mid afternoon and the incremental redness relief was the kind you have to squint for. That lands it at a respectable 7/10 in my book. I would recommend it to friends with normal-to-oily skin who want a gentle maintenance mask rather than a major pore reboot; I would steer very dry or severely congestion-prone complexions toward something either richer in hydrators or more acid forward.
If you are shopping around, a few other clay formulas that have earned repeat appearances in my bathroom are worth a mention. Deascal’s Pink Clay Glow Mask is an excellent allrounder that manages to exfoliate, clarify and brighten in one go and its price is kinder to the wallet than its performance suggests. For stubborn congestion NIOD’s Flavanone Mud goes deeper without leaving skin parched while Caudalie’s Instant Detox Mask is my go-to when I need visible pore refinement before an event. If you prefer a slightly more hydrating clay experience Innisfree’s Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask gives a balanced clean that never feels stripping. I have used each of these enough times to vouch for their strengths and limitations so consider them viable substitutes depending on your priorities.
Before you dive into any new mask remember a few basics. Clay can be wonderfully clarifying but it is not a one-time miracle; consistent use is the only way to keep results ticking along. Also, please humor me and patch test first on the underside of your jaw or behind an ear even if that sounds like the advice of an over protective parent. Skin quirks are personal and your face will thank you for the extra two minutes of caution.