How to use powdered clay?

Clay is a natural material appreciated for its many benefits since the dawn of time. Thanks to its rich composition minerals and trace elements,its uses are multiple, both for the face, the body, the hair, but also for the maintenance of the house and the care of the animals. If it is now possible to find it in different forms such as ready-to-use dough or as a component of patented cosmetics, powdered clay is by far the most widely used form in the world. However, in order to fully benefit from its virtues, it is essential to know how to use it and to know the mistakes to avoid.

Clay is a raw material, originating from the Earth, whose shape is very heterogeneous. Once extracted and worked, it is offered under different granulometry depending on its different uses. What is granulometry?   This is the size of the clay grains, which can vary in coarse grains or pieces of 2cm of very (very) small grains (powder) of 20 microns. Here’s a little recap of our different granulometry and their use.

• Face and hair masks

To pamper your skin and regain a soft and silky hair, clay is a treatment of choice that will never cease to surprise you. Whether you’re a fan of zero waste care or just looking for a treatment that’s both natural and effective, we have good   news: making your clay mask has never been   easier!

To do this, we advise you to use our ultra-ventilated clays. In the form of grains of about 20 microns, the ultra-ventilated clay takes a form of velvety and light powder. Thanks to the fineness of its grain, this clay is ideal for the preparation of clay masks (face and hair) or for use in bath water because it melts instantly. With it, exit the lumps and hello to the smooth and homogeneous dough.

Surf clay also has an interesting granulometry. The fineness of its grains – 60 microns, allows it to melt very quickly on contact with water or any other thinner. All you have to do is stir the dough for a few seconds to get a smooth treatment.

• Cataplasms and plasters

If there are different colors of clay, green clay powder is by far the most used (and most   effective!) when used in cataplasm or plaster. In this case, it is important to clearly define the area on which you want to apply a cataplasm and how often you want to apply it. Depending on these elements, and in order to make the care the most economical while remaining as practical as possible to prepare, you can turn to the granulometry   below:

• Fine ground clay (between 0.05 and 0.5 mm):   The clay is in the form of rather coarse raw powder. It melts instantly and allows a smooth paste without difficulty.
• Granulated clay (0.5   mm): in the form of grains of about 8 mm, the granulated clay melts in 30 minutes and therefore requires a preparation time.

• Crushed clay (2   cm): the clay is raw, in the form of irregular pieces. It takes 2 hours for it to melt evenly. We recommend preparing the dough the day before, or in the morning for the evening, so that the dough is as homogeneous as possible. This is the most economical format but requires a longer preparation time.

One of the many advantages of powdered clay is that it can be combined with other ingredients (preferably natural and organic), for complete and targeted care. There are a thousand and one possibilities! These ingredients can include powders, fruits, vegetables, all kinds of food ingredients (honey, cornflour, yoghurt…) and even liquids such as vegetable oils, essential oils or hydrolats.

There are a multitude of homemade recipes allowing you to make a clay-based mask according to the needs of your skin or hair at a T moment.

Add vegetable oil such as sweet almond or rose rose oil and you’ll have a nourishing and moisturizing 100% natural combo. As a bonus, this trick will allow you to keep your mask wet longer.

Some even add essential oils to their clay powder, but beware, the clay has a cloaking power and can therefore keep the essential oil as   “under   bell” on the skin and this can cause burns. Be careful when you embark on a combination of clay and essential oil, and choose a non-dermocaustic essential oil (which do not contain phenols irritating molecules.). Another option to enjoy both your favorite essential oils and your fetish green clay is to proceed in two steps :

• Make your green clay cataplasm (without essential oil in the   mixture); leave it in place for 1 to 2 hours then rinse and dry.
• Apply in a second time the essential oil of your choice diluted in a vegetable oil (see dosage on the bottle) in modeling.

Always take the tether of a health professional before using essential oils.

I mean, good   news! Powdered clay is compatible with all kinds of ingredients that you can easily find in your kitchen (placards and   fridge!), such as   fruits and vegetables   (especially in the form of juice), yoghurt, honey, sugar, cornflour… for even more targeted and comprehensive actions. This   allows you to use products with (very) short expiry dates and thus limit   waste!

Powder clay can be used for various cosmetic and personal hygiene treatments. Instead of mineral water, you can associate it with a hydrolat (pink water for example)   for a synergy action.

There are different clay colors, each of which has its own properties. To appreciate all the benefits, it is therefore essential to choose the color of clay according to your   skin type.

• Green clay is the best known of all, it is applied to all skin types and is appreciated oily skin on which it will have a strong absorption power and will regulate excess sebum.
• Yellow clay,with exfoliating powers, is intended for mixed skins.
• Red clay is ideal for dry skin, which will soften and illuminate.
• White clay – also called kaolin, is the softest of clays. It is intended for dull skins that it will lighten and sublimate.
• Pink clay is a subtle blend of red clay and white clay, perfect for sensitive and reactive skin that needs to be gently soothed and cleaned.
• Less well known, there is also Ghassoul clay, which is used for all skin types and allows a deep cleansing of the skin.

One of the mistakes you shouldn’t make when you want to use powdered clay is a PRIMORDIALE   one: avoid any utensils or metal or plastic containers when handling this land of benefits.

I don’t know   why. Because clay is a land of life, it reacts when it comes into contact with metal or plastic. These two materials can alter the properties of clay and thus limit its action on your skin and/or hair.

If you want to enjoy the virtues of powdered clay and make your own clay paste, we recommend using a wooden spoon as well as a wooden, sandstone or glass bowl.

As you will have understood, powdered clay offers you a multitude of possibilities, it allows you an easy, efficient and economical care, which you can achieve on the go. Lack of   inspiration? Find all our recipes for clay   masks!

When pausing a mask, plaster or clay cataplasm, it is imperative to keep the clay moist for the duration. The active ions of clay wake up on contact with water and this is how they transmit all their benefits to you. When clay dries on your skin, it loses one of its   most important abilities: that of releasing its minerals and trace elements. However, it continues to absorb, and this can lead to a drying of the epidermis after a certain period of time. So to do well, think about regularly rehumidifying or removing the clay as soon as the tug-of-arms is   felt!

Note:   All recipes, applications, mixes and tips are derived from popular recipes, magazines and specialized books. Argiletz will not take responsibility for your use of this information or our products. Argiletz is no substitute for health professionals. We recommend that you always consult a doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional before any use, whether prolonged or for therapeutic use of essential oils and other plant extracts. The same goes for you to have known symptoms or pathologies.