The clay mask:a natural facial treatment

Purifying, nourishing, regenerating:clay is a beauty asset with multiple virtues. To make your homemade clay mask suitable for your skin, discover the different clays and their colors. On your masks, get set, go!

Clay, a naturally beneficial earth

A natural cosmetic, clay is plural:it comes in different shapes and colors. Choosing the right clay means best adapting the treatment to your skin type.

Clay and its virtues

The clay is a land also called “clay”. Rich in silica and many other minerals, it comes from the erosion of certain hard rocks. There are actually different varieties of clays but certain virtues are common to all.

The common virtues of clays

The many properties of clay make it a valuable cosmetic and natural treatment. For the skin, it is:

• detoxifying :clay is able to absorb sebum from the skin and capture impurities and toxins.
• remineralising :clay provides the skin with interesting minerals for its proper functioning, such as magnesium, zinc, calcium and even iron. It rebalances the epidermis.
  Regenerating:it calms skin irritations and promotes skin renewal. The clay mask hydrates the skin as long as it contains enough water. On the contrary, dry clay dehydrates the skin:do not let the clay dry on the face. Very absorbent, clay damages the lipid (fatty) film that protects the skin, which is why it is necessary to restore this barrier after a mask (see below).

In addition to these common virtues, each clay is differentiated by specific virtues.

Specific virtues of clays:which clay for which skin?

Each type of clay has its own specificities and is more suitable for certain skin types. There are clays of different colors:

• The green clay :very mineralized, it absorbs and detoxifies more than other clays. It is an ideal solution for oily and acne-prone skin. Montmorillonite green clay is more versatile than illite type green clay. Richer in minerals, particularly in silica and magnesium, it is more suitable for cosmetic treatments for its superior remineralizing and detoxifying actions. Illite green clay, which is much more absorbent, is more suitable for poultices.
• The white clay :also called kaolin , it is rich in silica and alumina. Very pure, it regenerates the skin and prevents skin aging. White clay can be suitable for all skin types, especially the most sensitive.
• Red Clay :its high iron oxide content stimulates cell regeneration. On the face, it is not used alone but rather in the form of a mixture of clay (see pink clay below).
• Pink Clay :it does not exist in the natural state and results from the mixture between red clay and white clay. Rich in iron oxide, silica, and many other minerals, it is regenerating and accelerates cell renewal. Pink clay gives a healthy glow effect:it is ideal for dry and mature skin, as well as irritated skin.

The different presentations of clays

Commercially, clay can be found in different forms:

• in crushed pieces , in particular for the preparation of poultices;
• in ultra-ventilated powder or overfine;
• in dough ready to use.

Ultra-ventilated powder or paste clays are perfect for cosmetic use because they are easy to use. Ready-to-use clay has a shorter shelf life than dry clay.

The clay mask, a natural facial treatment

To take advantage of the benefits of natural clay, you can perform your treatment yourself at home. The clay mask is ideal for purifying and regenerating the skin of your face.

Make your own clay mask at home

At home, you can enrich your clay mask with natural active ingredients . Vegetable oils and floral waters are the ideal candidates to sublimate your face. It is possible to incorporate both types of active ingredients in the same clay mask. On the advice of a health professional trained in aromatherapy, it is also possible to add a few drops of essential oils.

For convenience, there are masks already ready to use in pharmacies that combine the powers of plant active ingredients with the virtues of clay.

Vegetable oils

Vegetable oils are real treasures for your skin. To take advantage of their virtues, you can incorporate a few drops into your clay mask before applying it. This more nourishing mask will also promote skin hydration by preventing water from the epidermis from evaporating. Masks with vegetable oils are gentler on the skin since they respect the protective hydro-lipid film of the skin more.

Argan oil for dry skin, borage for mature skin, jojoba for oily, acne-prone or apricot kernel skin for all skin types... you will choose the vegetable oil that suits you best! Read our article on vegetable oils to learn more.

Floral waters

Floral waters are your allies to soften, soothe or tone your skin. Mixing them with your clay mask also allows you to improve the radiance of your complexion and illuminate your face.

For oily skin, witch hazel water is ideal:purifying, it tightens the pores. A rose water or blueberry water restores radiance to dull and tired skin. Softening, orange blossom water soothes tight skin.

How to apply a mask on the face

The mask is a care to practice with restraint:twice a week is a maximum. Spread the mask over the areas to be treated in a thick layer, avoiding the eye contour where the skin is too sensitive. After leaving on for 5 to 10 minutes , rinse with clean water before the clay is dry. Residue on the skin can be removed with a damp washcloth.

After a purifying mask with green clay in particular, it is necessary to apply a face cream or a suitable vegetable oil. These restore the protective hydro-lipid film of the skin and promote skin hydration.

Multi-masking with clay, a more targeted treatment

The different areas of the face do not all have the same skin characteristics. The T zone (lower part of the forehead, nose, sides of the nose, chin) tends to be oilier than the rest of the face, for example. The oval of the face or the wrinkles of the forehead will be more marked with age.

The multi-masking responds to this diversity:it is a treatment that consists of applying several types of clay to the same face to best adapt to the problems of the skin.

We could for example target on the same face:

• the T zone, which tends to be oily and has dilated pores, with a purifying mask with montmorillonite green clay;
• the cheeks and the oval of the face with the application of a moisturizing mask with pink clay for a healthy glow and regenerating effect, as well as on the forehead to fight against the signs of aging.