What's Your Clay Sign?

October 8, 2020 • Ann Gammie

Have you ever wondered what all the hype on clays is about, and if they are so great can I simply use any of them?

Don't worry you aren't alone and the choices can be endless we know!! But truth be told they really are extremely beneficial and have been trusted and used for centuries.

Clays have been documented as having therapeutic qualities as far back as 60 BC and Aristotle even made reference to eating clays for gastrointestinal and religious purposes between 384-322 BC.

Marco Polo described how in his travels he saw Muslim pilgrims cure fevers by ingesting “pink earth”. While history records that Cleopatra often applied a dead sea mud face mask to cleanse her skin.

So... while that's all extremely interesting it still doesn't help you decide what to pick? So here is some information on what each clay is said to contain and how that helps skin types and problems (because we definitely do not want you ingesting ours) topical only please!!

Clay Types

Dry Skin/Normal Skin – Rose Clay, Kaolin Clay, French Green Clay, Rhassoul Clay, Brazilian Clay (Natural, Dark Red, Pink, Purple, Yellow)

Normal/Oily Skin – Sea Clay, Green Zeolite Clay, French Green Clay, Bentonite Clay, Brazilian Clay (Natural, Dark Red, Pink, Purple, Yellow)

French Green Clay

- all skin types -

This clay comes from France and is known for its terrific oil absorbing properties. It has a fine texture and is commonly used for colour and oil absorption in facial masks. The light green colour comes from decomposed plant matter and iron oxides from volcanic matter. Because this clay is still fairly mild, it is great for dry and mature types, but also ideal for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin, Green Clay is great for restoring balance to skin. This powerful clay soaks up excess oil that may clog pores and doubles as a deep cleanser that helps to balance skin pH levels. As a bonus, Green Clay stimulates cell regeneration for glowing complexion.

Kaolin Clay

- sensitive and dry skin -

.Kaolin clay is the most versatile and least absorbent clay, making it a great ingredient for practically all skin types especially those who are sensitive and ultra-dry. It comes in a variety of colours: white, yellow, red, and pink. The most common colour of kaolin clay is off-white. It is a gentle clay, with less liquid absorbing abilities than most. White Kaolin doesn’t absorb so much as it does soften with super gentle bits for a mild exfoliation. Because it doesn't have a tendency to over-dry skin, it's a great detoxifier, gentle exfoliator, and skin balancer for sensitive and dry skin types.

Dead Sea Clay

- normal to oily skin types -

A dark green clay, sea clay originates from mud laid under the sea millions of years ago. It has a dark green, greyish colour. It is commonly used in facial masks to cleanse the skin. Revered for its restorative and therapeutic benefits, Dead Sea Mud has high concentrations of salts and minerals (magnesium, sodium, potassium and calcium). Ideal for both face and body, it cleanses, exfoliates, improves texture, clarity and tone, balances pH and improves overall skin health.

French Pink (Rose) Clay

- normal to dry skin types -

Rose clay is considered a type of kaolin (kaolinite) clay. It has a fine texture like kaolin, and is suitable for dry skin. The clay is a light to medium pink shade, which comes from a naturally occurring iron oxide. In some projects, it can take on a deep red colour or an orange hue. Rose clay makes a fantastic soap additive for both colour and gentle oil absorbing properties. Pink Clay is rich in Silica, which may help to improve skin elasticity and cell renewal, resulting in supple, younger-looking skin. Gently exfoliating and light on the skin, Pink Clay leaves skin feeling silky-soft and smooth. Plus, it can help to minimise blackheads and promote a radiant and balanced complexion.

Rhassoul Clay

- mature and dry skin types with acne or excess oil -

Rhassoul clay is a beautiful red-brown clay generally sourced from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, also known as Moroccan Clay. Although it's a gentle clay, its ability to absorb is far greater than kaolin or french green clay. Blackheads, oil, and other impurities don't stand a chance with this clay making it ideal for normal to mature skin-types that with problems like oil and acne. Rich in magnesium, silica, potassium, and calcium, this clay will nourish your skin and give it that soft and supple feel.

Bentonite Clay

- acneic and overly-active skin types -

One of the most popular, abundant and powerful healing clays, bentonite is composed of naturally occurring weathered and aged volcanic ash sediments. This highly absorbent swelling clay has a high percentage of montmorillonite (at least 30%), which gives it its extraordinary powers. It has a strong ability to draw oils, bacteria, and impurities from the skin making it a superb choice for acneic and overly-active skin types. Cystic acne, bacteria-filled acne, and skin with large oily pores will find it's tightening effects and oil-drawing capabilities desirable. This clay should generally be used in spot treatments than an overall mask or body-wrap as its powerful charge and drawing properties can be very irritating and drying on the skin if improperly used.

So now you know your clay types... its time to get dirty to get clean!

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