Can KITTY LITTER shrink your pores? Beauty expert shows how a $2 bag of clay pellets can leave skin 'extremely soft'



Forget expensive wonder creams, one self-taught beauty expert claims pasting kitty litter on your face will shrink pores, prevent acne and leave skin feeling 'extremely soft'.



Michelle Phan, 25, from Boston, Massachusetts, who produces online make-up tutorials for a number of big brands including Lancome , reveals that the grey-coloured pellets are made from bentonite clay - the main ingredient in most purifying facial masks and body wraps.



In a homemade video - which has attracted 741,846 hits as of today - she sets to work using a $2 bag of cat litter and warns viewers to opt for the unscented variety 'because scented versions might have harmful chemicals that can irritate the skin'.

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Budget beauty: Self-taught beauty expert Michelle Phan claims pasting kitty litter on your face will shrink pores, prevent acne breakouts and leave skin feeling 'extremely soft'

'Open your brand new bag of kitty litter,' she chimes while scooping out two tablespoons of granulated clay into a small mixing bowl.

She notes that a bag of litter will probably last over a year if used for cosmetic purposes only.

After adding a splash of water Miss Phan squirts in some Aloe Vera, and gives the muddy-looking concoction a stir.



Unexpected benefits: Miss Phan says that kitty litter is made from bentonite clay - the main ingredient in most purifying facial masks and body wraps

After all of the ingredients are combined she places the mask into the microwave to cook for 20 seconds.

THE KEY TO A BLEMISH FREE COMPLEXION? BENTONITE CLAY

Bentonite, also referred to as Montmorillonite, is one of the most effective and powerful healing clays and can be used externally as a mud pack and in skin care recipes.

The substance if composed of age volcanic ash. It should be odorless, non-staining and a grey/cream color - anything bordering 'pure white' is suspect. When combined with water it produces an 'electrical charge', giving it the ability to absorb and remove toxins.

It can also be taken to help with digestive disturbances such as acid reflux, constipation and bloating and as a natural detoxification remedy.

The largest known deposit of Bentonite Clay located in Fort Benton, Wyoming. SOURCE: wellnessmama.com

'You just want your mask to be warm not hot, this will help dilate the pores,’ Miss Phan explains.

Once baked the 'flat and muddy' clay is ready for application. Instead of the pellets Miss Phan only applies the murky water to her skin.

'Try not to directly apply the clay rocks onto your face, you just really need the water.

'The water contains enough of the clay particles for this to work. The clay rocks are way too rough for your delicate skin,' she advises.



She also warns to avoid the eye area and only use thin coasts because 'less is always more'.

Once she's finished applying the kitty litter mask she waits 15 minutes for it to dry and even has time to give her pet cat some affection in front of the camera.

‘At this time you should start feeling a minty tingling sensation on your skin,' she says at he five minute point.



Once time is up she uses warm water to wash the white paste off before moisturizing.

She concludes: 'It's going to feel really refreshing... your skin should feel extremely soft. It just comes to show you the best stuff comes from the most unexpected things.'



Step one: Miss Phan purchase some unscented cat litter from the pet store for $2 - she warns the scented versions might have harmful chemicals that can irritate the skin



(Step two, left) Miss Phan adds water and a squirt of aloe vera to the grey pellets (Step three, right) The muddy-looking concoction is placed in the microwave for 20 seconds to cook



(Step four, left): Miss Phan applies the murky water to her face, just a thin layer (Step five, right): After the clay liquid has been applied Miss Phan sets a timer for 15 minutes and waits for it to dry



(Step six, left) Miss Phan uses warm water to wash the kitty litter face mask off (Step seven, right) The self-taught beauty expert tells viewers that the skin should feel 'extremely soft'



Miss Phan's Kitty Litter Facial Mask video has attracted thousands of comments since it was posted on YouTube in 2009.

One viewer thanked her for the budget-beauty tip writing: 'I've done this with great results!



'The only con is it's a little tedious and can get kind of messy. But it feels really nice, and actually helped clear up my skin!'

While another humorously added: 'That awkward moment when you go to the store to get kitty litter even though you don't have a cat.'