Clays are naturally-occurring, earthy, mineral-rich elements derived from various sources including volcanic ash, rocks, soil, or sediment. Due to their fine grains and fine particles, Clays are soft in texture and are pliable when moist. Depending on its source, chemical configuration, and therapeutic properties, each clay has a unique combination of minerals – such as Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Silica – that gives it an inimitable composition. The valuable individual characteristics make each clay advantageous for particular uses. This also makes it a challenge to discover two clays that are exactly alike.
Used cosmetically or topically in general, Clays attach themselves to oil, bacteria, and impurities from the skin to eliminate them and leave skin feeling cleansed, clarified, and balanced. Used in hair, Clays remove product build-up from the scalp and strands, while eliminating dead cells, flakiness, and excess oil, thereby stimulating the growth of healthier hair.
Clays are often differentiated by their ability to absorb, adsorb, or do both. A clay’s absorption refers to its ability to attract elements into itself. A clay’s adsorption refers to its ability to attract elements onto its surface.
French pink clay
French Pink Clay is considered to be the mildest of all the clays and works well for normal, sensitive and mature skin types. Its unique composition includes Kaolinite, Iron, Illite, Montmorillonite and Calcite.
Appearance: Fine rose/pink colored powder.
Benefits: French Pink Clay can be used to cleanse the skin, slough off dead skin cells and to create an overall refreshed appearance. It can be used on oily or acne-prone skin. It is most widely used in cosmetic manufacturing.
Application: French Pink Clay can be used in body wraps, soap making, face masks, mineral based or cream based cleansers, face or body scrubs, cosmetics and facial powders.
Directions for Use: 5-100% in skin-care products, 1 T. / 15 gr per 500g of soap before curing.
Caution: Caution should be exercised as clays may stain fabric.
Recipe: Soothing Face Mask
Combine 1 oz of clay to 3 tbsp of water, add 1 tsp of jojoba oil and 2 drops of chamomile essential oil to form a paste. Apply to the skin and leave for about 10 minutes and wash off with warm water. Floral water or aloe vera gel juice can be substituted for water.
Kaolin Clay white Mined from a hill in China, from where this group gets its name. Also known by the names White Clay, French Green Clay and China Clay. Usually white in color, but may also be green, pink, red, yellow, or orange depending on the presence of other minerals such as Iron Oxide Soft and odorless powders. Fine and light in texture, absorbent and thus able to neutralize unpleasant odors while drawing out bodily toxins, have detoxifying effects that purge the skin and pores of impurities, including excess oils, old sebum, dirt, grime, germs, and pollution, thereby reducing the chances of breakouts, soothe skin afflicted with irritation associated with rashes and insect bites.
Use of Kaolin Clay: Reputed to be a group of clays that are considered to be the mildest and thus best suited to sensitive skin types. It is an ideal clay for soothing acne-prone skin, especially skin afflicted with inflammation and painful breakouts. Use as exfoliants that remove dead and flaky skin cells for a complexion with a softer and smoother look and feel, stimulating, tone and tighten the skin;
French Green Clay
French Green Clay comes from the sedimentation of Silico-aluminum, its coloring the result of the oxides contained in these rocks. Its unique composition includes Iron, Silica, Aluminum, Magnesium, Calcium, Titanium, Sodium and Potassium. French Green Clay is prepared for the commercial market by a process of sun-drying and crushing. After the clay has been mined, it is spread in the sun to remove excess water. It is then ground by large hydraulic crushers and micronized, or finely pulverized. The last stage in the process is a final period of sun-drying to remove the last traces of water.
Appearance: Light green colored powder.
Benefits: French Green Clay absorbs and removes impurities from the skin, revealing the fresh surface of the skin to provide a healthy looking glow. When prepared as a mask, the clay dries on the skin causing pores to tighten and the skin starts to feel firm, toned and refreshed. French Green Clay can be used in mineral baths to promote relaxation of the body and a sense of well-being. It is suitable for all skin types.
Application: French Green Clay can be used in body wraps, soap making, face masks, mineral based or cream based cleansers, face or body scrubs, cosmetics and facial powders.
Directions for Use: 5-100% in skin-care products, 1 T. / 15 ml per lb. / 500g of soap
Bentonite Clay
Bentonite clay is an absorbent kind of clay that typically forms after volcanic ash ages. It’s named after Fort Benton, Wyoming, where the largest source of the clay can be found, but calcium bentonite clay is found all over the world.
Description: This clay has a unique composition and can absorb “negatively charged” toxins. People have been using calcium bentonite clay for centuries as a way to detoxify the body, improve digestion, improve skin tone, and more.
Bentonite clay is also a popular ingredient in skincare products. Applying a lotion or cream with bentonite clay in it creates a barrier between your skin and possible irritants.
Use: bentonite clay to cleanse impurities for your skin, consider a calcium bentonite clay mask. You can make a face and body mask like this at home by using bentonite clay dissolved in purified water or hydrosol.
Multani Mitti clay (Fuller's Earth) is the result of decomposed volcanic ash. The name, Fuller's earth, comes from this clay's use in the early English wool industry. It was used by fullers to clean and degrease woolen cloth during the 'fulling' process, because of its ability to absorb oil.
Multani Mitti is also one of the earliest substances to be used as a beauty mask. Multani mitti is said to make your skin radiant and appealing by reducing the appearance of blemishes and scars. On the other hand, it deep cleans the pores, reducing the look of black heads and whiteheads. Deep cleansing with Multani Mitti helps to remove impurities and sloughs off dead skin cells, leaving your skin feeling refreshing with a glowing complexion! This allows the skin to breathe and absorb moisturizing cream more easily into the skin. The colour of Multani Mitti Clay may be from cream to more of a yellow colour.
Use: Mixed with water, it can be used in place of soap to wash oily complexions. Make a paste with rosewater or floral water of ylang-ylang, lavender or helichrysum italicum. Leave it to dry for a couple of minutes. Then apply as a facial mask. It is an oil-absorbing and purifying mask suitable for oily and normal complexions. It has been used as a home remedy for centuries to take care of many skin problems like acne. It can also be used in the cold process soaps, adding to the shampoo or preparing a bath with a couple of spoons of this powerful clay.
Package: 100 gr / 3.5 oz or 226 gr/8 oz