Natural Clay Masks

Clay is a natural remedy for all skin types. It’s been used for thousands of years in all cultures. Even today many tribes in Australia and the Americans use clay for healing purposes. But not all clays are the same! What clay should you choose? Which one is best for your skin? How do you make your own clay mask?

Cleansing and Purifying

There are many benefits to clay other than radiant, beautiful skin. Applied both topically and orally, clay will draw toxins out of the body.

This detoxifying effect is the reason why spas offer mud baths and full body mud mask treatments. This combined with a sweating in a steam or sauna and a massage are why spas are ideal for a holistic, preventative health regime.

Not only does clay draw away bad toxins, but the minerals found in clay are beneficial to the body. Clay is full of helpful, good minerals that the skin and body need.

Types of Clay

Kaolin and Bentonite

          Both have a few different varieties, harvested in different regions of the world. In general, Kaolin clay is for dry skin and Bentonite is great for oily skin. Normal or combination skin can use either.

Kaolin Clay: Great for dry and mature skin

Rose Kaolin Clay: Dry skin. We find Rose Kaolin to be more hydrating that regular kaolin clay. It’s rosy to orange hue comes from the iron oxide. It is also used in cosmetics as a pigment.

Bentonite Clay: Oily skin. Also used in cosmetics to add slip. Its absorption rate is higher than kaolin clay, which means it will absorb more oil and toxins.

French Clay: Is a bentonite clay that is found in France. Also called French Green Clay for its light green hue.

Natural Clay Mask Recipes

Each clay reacts different to water, therefore, having a different consistency. Bentonite needs more water than kaolin. You can customize this mask with dried herbs, essential oils and infused water.

1 Tablespoon Clay

2 ½-3 Tablespoons Water

You can use more or less water depending on the consistency you want. If you added some herbs, you would need more water.

1 Tablespoon Rose Clay

1 Tablespoon Water

Add:

Add Lemon rind, orange peel for vitamin c

Add Chamomile and dried Rose Petals to calm redness, relaxation, elevate the mood

Add dried blueberry for antioxidant mega dose

Add Avocado and essential oils for extra hydration

Add Violet Leaf EO: Great for skin infections, acne, redness. Strong medicinal properties

You can infuse the water with chamomile buds, rose buds, lemon rind or orange peel. Make like you would a cup of tea. 1 Cup water, 1 tablespoon dried herbs. Heat the water to a simmer. Take off heat. Add herbs and seep for 10 minutes. Cover and allow to cool for one hour.

You can also grind them up and add them to the batch. The lumpiness will depend on how course you grind the herbs. We use a mortar and pestle to grind the dried herbs.