This cleanser comes out of the tube a creamy red clay--see my photo. Spread it on wet skin--it functions as a nice quality clay mask. Massage it in, and it turns into a rich, creamy, foam cleanser. It'll take a while to transform--as it does, it turns from red to white---and in the time it takes, that's enough to absorb excess oil. No waiting 5-10 minutes for normal clay masks--I've skipped my normal clay masks since I've started to use this. don't need them. My skin feels soft, cleansed, and excess oil is gone. This may be my new favorite cleanser, and if it's not, it's definitely number two.