Clay masks have been on the beauty care scene for decades now. You can walk into any supermarket or cosmetics store and find multiple brands and products.
Many people, men and women, use clay masks on a regular basis to help keep their skin clean and toxin free. If you are having a problem with blackheads on your face, a clay mask is great to use to help remove that ground in dirt and oil from your pores.
What Is Bentonite Clay?
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There are many different brands of clay masks and ingredients that go into making clay masks. One ingredient that is becoming very popular for its all natural clay is Bentonite Clay.
This clay is made with the ash from volcanoes and comes at a lower cost than other clay masks because the company does not use a “middle man” to process the clay.
The Bentonite Clay does not require extra processing and thus eliminates the need for extra costs being passed on to customers.
While Bentonite clay was first discovered in France, it is mainly sourced and processed in the US. The majority of the Bentonite clay used today is found in volcanoes in Wyoming and processed on sight.
Now you may be asking yourself, how can wearing a clay mask help me? What is it really doing for my skin? Bentonite clay masks and others like it, are used to remove toxins in your skin.
And while you will mainly see clay masks being used on the face, they can actually be used on other parts of the body as well.
During the day, we come in contact with many different toxins in the air and whether you work from home or out of an office, you are going to come into contact with toxins.
They can seep into your pores and cause dirt and grime to build up and that is what causes you to have acne and blackheads.
You can also come into contact with toxins by air and while most people are unaware that you can use clay to get rid of those toxins inside your body, there are products made from clay that will help you to eliminate those toxins on the inside.
Bentonite Clay can be made into most any form, as can other clay materials. The most common and the most used is as a wet clay, but it can also come in a dry powder like form.
With the powder form, you can actually use it to make your own clay masks with the amount of water you choose added to it.
It can be used similar to a baby powder to help soak up unwanted moisture or you can use it in pill form. In pill form, you will have to get it from a pharmacy or a vitamin store.
Most of the time, you will not find it at the supermarket, unless you have one with a large pharmacy or medicine area.
Bentonite clay has a variety of vitamins and minerals in it that can be beneficial to your overall health when you take it ask a drink or even in pill form. So you can get many different uses out of the clay in addition to what it can do for your skin.
Top 3 Skincare Benefits For Bentonite Clay Mask
Skin Healing
A clay mask is the most popular way to use Bentonite Clay, but did you know that you can use it on more than just your face?
While using it on your face is the most common way, as it can help to remove blackheads, acne, and redness in your skin, you can also use it on other parts of your body.
Research studies have indicated that when used in mask form, Bentonite clay can actually help relieve redness and itching on the skin due to poison ivy or poison oak.
It has also been used by people who suffer from different skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis.
Clay masks have even been used to help clear up reactions to scented lotions and creams by removing the leftover cream that soap and water might leave behind.
Whether you are using it on your face or on another part of your body, make sure you follow the directions and let the mask dry completely before you clean it off.
By allowing it to dry, you are letting the clay work its way into your skin and begin removing those toxins.
Oxygen
Another great benefit of using the clay mask is that as it dries it will tighten on your face and begin to pull oxygen through your skin and into your cells.
By allowing more oxygen into your cells, your skin is going to feel better, but YOU are also going to feel better.
The added oxygen to your skin will give your natural energy, which will allow your body to fight off infections better.
It can even help to improve the quality of your muscles which will help your muscles to heal faster in the event that you have any muscle damage.
Clay masks are also used as a form of physical therapy when people have nerve damage on their face or skin as it can help to bring back that oxygen and help them to heal faster.
Baby Powder
Are you out of baby powder and need something for baby’s sensitive bottom? You can actually use a clay mask to help with diaper rash or a reaction to baby lotions.
You will want to use a product that has all natural ingredients in it, due to the sensitive nature of a baby’s skin.Prepare the clay the same way you would a normal clay mask and apply it similarly to a diaper cream.
You will want to let it sit for a few minutes, but not until it is completely dry, before wiping it off with a wet wipe or wet rag.
You may want to contact your child’s doctor before applying the clay mask to be sure that your child will not have an allergic reaction to it.
Other Benefits Of Using Bentonite Clay
There are other benefits to using Bentonite clay that does not involve putting it on your face or skin as a mask, but actually using it orally as a drink powder or supplement.
Purifies Water:
Bentonite clay can be used in regular tap water to weed out any contaminates such as fluoride. Research studies are being completed on the benefits of adding Bentonite clay to magnesium to make a better purification system for water.
In these research studies, when the clay is added to the magnesium, it can help to purify the tap water and not only make it safer, but give it a better taste as well.
Oral Health:
Bentonite clay has been used in all natural toothpaste and mouth products to help with oral hygiene. The clay will seek out the unhealthy toxins and bacteria and help remove them from your mouth, teeth, and gums.
Because you spit out the excess toothpaste in your mouth, the clay will bind to those toxins and be expelled once you spit out the excess toothpaste.
You can even water down the toothpaste and use it as an oral rinse to help make sure your mouth is completely rid of those nasty toxins!
Improved Immunity:
More research studies need to be completed on this particular topic, but studies show promise in the field of using clay to help improve overall immunity.
The clay is believed to help add an extra layer of protection to the inner lining of the gut and stomach to help protect against germs and diseases.
The clay will attach itself to the toxins and bacteria and expel them instead of the bacteria and toxins hanging around in the stomach and causing you to become sick.
Taking clay in pill form for this is the best way to get it into your bloodstream and stop bacteria from taking over in the bloodstream and having it be carried to other parts of your body.
There are research studies being planned to see how clay supplements can help people who are undergoing chemo.
It is believed that it can help to strengthen their weak immune systems, and keep them from getting contagious diseases while their bodies are in a weakened state.
These are the main benefits of using clay in pill or powder form and while more research is needed, studies have shown a lot of promise when it comes to these fields. You can also use clay to help with digestive issues, such as IBS and constipation.
Digestion Support
It can help boost the effects of probiotics which will help keep your overall health in check. It will help bind to the toxins and keep them from attaching themselves to the good probiotics.
It will also aid with digestion and help to prevent an imbalance in your pH level so you will want to make sure that you use it with the proper diet so that you can benefit from it completely.
Detox Baths
You can also use the clay in powder form in your bath. A lot of people use bath salts and other bath items to help pull out toxins from the body and into the water.
Once the toxins have left your body, the clay attaches to the toxins that have been expelled from your body and keeps them from returning to your body.
It can actually help leave your skin smooth and hydrated without the added use of extra soaps.
As A Supplement
If you are going to use Bentonite clay as a supplement, you need to consult with your medical doctor to make sure that you are using it correctly. When you get the clay in powder form, you can add it to your drink and use it once a day.
You should not use more than 1 teaspoon a day and you need to make sure that it is mixed completely before you drink it.
It is recommended that you mix it in a jar or container that has a lid on it as the clay mixes better when you shake the water instead of stir it.
As A Face Mask
If you are to use the clay as a mask, you should not use it more than twice per week as frequent use can cause the mask to over dry your skin.
Make sure you do your research if you are going to use clay toothpaste as you will want to look for a toothpaste that has all natural ingredients in it.
Bentonite Clay Mask Summary
Bentonite clay is a safe and inexpensive clay product to use when it comes to your clay mask needs. The benefits are many and you can also use it in many different ways as you’ve seen here.
It is a natural detox for your system and your skin and will help to pull out all of your bad bacteria and toxins to help keep your skin healthy.
If you are unsure of how clay supplements will affect you, you should consult with your medical doctor before you begin using it as a supplement.
It is always a good idea to keep your medical doctor in the loop when it comes to using clay face masks. While it is safe to use, you can never be sure how certain things will affect your skin when you use them for the first time.
If you experience any aggravation from the clay mask, you should discontinue use and alert your doctor to any symptoms you are experiencing.
If you are pregnant or nursing, you should consult with your doctor before you use bentonite clay in supplement form.
Research has not been conducted on pregnant or nursing women and it is not clear if it is completely safe for them to use.
So if you are pregnant, nursing, or even trying to become pregnant, you should avoid using the bentonite clay as a supplement just to be on the safe side. Though it is fine for you to use the bentonite clay as the mask on your face.
