Ever since the trend for natural beauty treatments is on, the cosmetic clay hype seems to be growing in power. Many started analyzing the almost limitless capabilities that these single-ingredient cosmetics promise to have. It appeared that clays offer a whole bunch of interesting applications, especially in the context of hair care. It’s time to learn them!
Clays. What are they?
Clays are sedimentary rocks that are formed by weathering of minerals. We mainly associate clays with powder that can be added to a homemade beauty product or mixed with water – this is the result of mining, drying out under the sun and grinding down. Still, this is a rock, rich in minerals and 100% natural.
What are the benefits of clay?
Almost all types of clay offer an array of properties that seem to be made to improve your appearance. Applied to face, hair, scalp and body, clay:
- delivers precious minerals, e.g. magnesium, calcium, silicon, zinc and phosphorus.
- nourishes not only the outermost layers, but also it penetrates deeper.
- attracts all possible toxins, providing a deep clean.
- has a cleansing, detoxifying and antiseptic effect.
- balances skin’s pH levels and sebum.
- brings relief, soothes irritation and conditions the scalp.
Clays in skin ritual
Clays are mostly used as constituents of home facial masks. They have an incredibly strong cleansing effect on skin and are natural so they are alternatives to costly detoxifying products that are often unsuitable for sensitive skin. The thing that makes clays superior over regular skincare products is the fact that they not only provide a deep clean but also nourish and condition in a really gentle way, causing neither stinging nor irritation. They are definitely worth testing!
Clays in hair ritual
Rarely do we incorporate clays in hair treatments, which should be changed because their ability to attract all types of dirt makes them a perfect agent to condition and cleanse the scalp. Clay hair mask is an ideal solution for those with oily hair and dandruff, as well as for those who sugar from hair loss and have volume-deprived strands. This all-natural product lifts hair roots, cleanses the strands and brings relief to irritated scalp.
Types of clay. Which one should you pick?
It has to be realized that each type of clay delivers a different set of benefits. The most common clays are:
- green clay – the most popular clay, perfect for making skin and scalp clean; it leaves skin a little bit tighter, balances sebum and skin’s pH, as well as soothes all types of irritation.
- white clay – (also known as kaolin) is the mildest of all clays, and therefore it’s ideal for hyper-reactive skin, it provides a deep clean, brings relief and speeds up tissue repair.
- red clay – as for the effects, red clay is something between green and white clay; it balances sebum and skin’s pH, cleanses, soothes irritations, but also strengthens the walls of capillaries.
- blue clay – originates from the Crimea and contains a huge concentration of cobalt which makes it one of the costliest clays that you can apply to hair and skin; it absorbs excess sebum, shrinks tissue and cleanses skin.
- black clay – it’s taken from the Dead Sea which means that this is a really luxurious raw material; it’s antiseptic, provides a deep clean, nourishes hair and delivers precious minerals; it also provides protection from external aggressors.
- yellow clay – appreciated by those who deal with the nasty signs of ageing; apart from being a potent anti-ageing agent, it provided a deep clean and takes good care of skin by soothing irritations and effecting repair.
