What benefits does clay have for the face? This question is asked by girls who saw a jar of the substance on sale, but never used it on themselves.
There are useful properties, there are many of them, because clay is a natural substance enriched with various minerals. But here's the dilemma: which clay to choose? We'll tell you about it.
Cosmetic clay: useful properties
Clay is a rock of volcanic origin, so it contains a huge amount of mineral components - what human skin needs so much.
If you decompose the substance into its constituent elements, you get almost the whole periodic system of Mendeleev:
- phosphorus;
- potassium;
- sulfur;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- calcium;
- iodine;
- manganese;
- cob alt;
- copper;
- nickel;
- zinc;
- vanadium;
- silicon.
Clay is a natural adsorbent that cleanses the skin without harm, even from deep impurities. So the beneficial properties of clay arenot a myth.
When using the product for cosmetic purposes, you can achieve the following results:
- Cleanse the skin from external impurities and toxins located in the depths of the pores of the epidermis.
- Remove excess sebum.
- Reduce sweating, which is especially important during the hot season;
- Irritation, skin itching, peeling - cosmetic clay eliminates all this;
- Nutrition of the skin with trace elements and s alts, giving the skin a he althy look, color and normalizing the functioning of the skin glands.
However, before using clay, it is recommended to choose according to your skin type. There are many types of cosmetics on sale:
- white;
- blue:
- green;
- pink;
- red;
- yellow;
- black.
Each of the listed types performs a specific action and is suitable for a specific type of epidermis.
White clay for facial skin
White clay is also called kaolin. This species can be distinguished from others by its white color, sometimes with a gray tint, and by palpation: despite the fact that the substance is powdery, it leaves a slightly greasy coating on the hands.
Useful properties of white clay have been proven for a long time. This cosmetic was in the arsenal of many famous women who lived more than one century ago.
Even despite the variety of clay in terms of colors and properties, it is white that is the most popular andin demand. Its benefits are undeniable and multifaceted:
- natural composition relieves the skin from inflammation, redness, peeling;
- carefully removes dirt from the cover and draws out from the inner layers of pollution;
- this is one of the most effective scrubbing agents that gently removes dead skin particles from the skin;
- one of the beneficial properties of white clay for the face is rejuvenation, the effect of which becomes visible after 3-4 applications;
- this type of product is used in salons as a restorative component of complex care.
And one more thing: for what skin types is white clay suitable? This cosmetic substance will optimally show beneficial properties on oily and combination dermis, and will also become an indispensable tool for skin prone to frequent inflammation. For girls whose face is prone to constant oily shine, kaolin will serve as a great helper: it will narrow the pores and limit the release of fat.
Blue Clay
Bentonite is the second name for blue clay. It is used for oily and problematic skin, for which acne, redness and peeling are frequent phenomena.
The composition of bentonite is a full complex of minerals and s alts, the action of which is aimed at getting rid of many skin imperfections. Of course, blue clay will not get rid of acne, but a remedy that suddenly pops up will eliminate it. In addition, bentonite will remove small wounds in a matter of time.
It is worth paying more attention to the composition of blue clay, useful propertieswho depend entirely on him:
- silicon - a substance that enhances collagen production and also helps the absorption of nutrients;
- zinc is an antimicrobial element;
- iron: he is assigned the role of a supplier of oxygen to skin cells;
- copper: its content affects the proper production of melanin pigment;
- potassium - an element whose action is the regulation of metabolic processes of the epidermis. In case of its shortage, the skin of the eyelids swells, peeling occurs on the face and a slight swelling is observed;
- selenium helps the received vitamins to be properly absorbed in the skin cells and perform their direct functions. In addition, a sufficient amount of selenium prevents skin cancer;
- Titanium dioxide is an important element with many functions - UV protection, whitening and smoothing skin tone, mattifying effect, cleansing of dead skin particles, and also involved in cell regeneration.
Useful properties of blue clay are also aimed at combating fine mimic wrinkles, smoothing the overall skin tone of the face and lightening age spots.
The remedy is actively used in traditional medicine. Its effectiveness has been proven in hair loss and rapid baldness. Apply the substance as follows: blue clay is mixed in equal proportions with warm, but not hot water and rubbed into the hair roots. You can not wrap it with a towel, but leave it right for about 15 minutes. The effectiveness of the hair mask is manifested with regular (3 times a week formonth) application.
Pink
Pink clay is not a natural substance. It can be obtained by mixing white and red species. Thanks to this method of preparation, the product is ideal for any type of skin.
Red clay forming pink makes it suitable for sensitive skin prone to allergic rashes. Pink clay is able to fight this disease. It was the healing properties that the red variety of the cosmetic endowed with pink clay: relieving irritation, inflammation, rashes, a calming effect and regeneration of damaged skin cells.
Kaolin inherited the ability to restore elasticity, narrow enlarged pores, reduce the amount of sebum secreted, rejuvenating effect.
Useful properties of pink clay are as follows:
- Getting rid of shallow mimic wrinkles.
- Tightens and evens out the contour of the face.
- Eliminates dryness, flaking and irritation.
- Returns the tone of the face, relieves fatigue, evens out skin tone.
- After applying pink clay, the skin of the face becomes elastic.
Black
Black clay differs from other varieties not only in shade, but also in a denser and greasy texture to the touch. This type of cosmetic product also includes dark gray and just gray clay.
Useful properties of black clay have long been provenin the process of making and applying homemade face masks. From regular use, the following changes are observed:
- inflammatory formations on the face disappear after the first application;
- skin becomes visibly clearer and fresher;
- rejuvenating effect is carried out, which smoothes shallow wrinkles.
- black clay is very effective for a common problem - acne, with which it can "get even" with regular use;
- normalization of the skin glands and a decrease in the amount of sebum secreted is another function of this type of clay.
Very dense consistency of the substance, with a characteristic greasy coating, makes the product most suitable for oily skin types. But it is not used in its pure form: black clay shows its beneficial properties only as part of cosmetic masks, which are easy to prepare at home. Their use is accompanied by a number of rules, ignoring which may adversely affect the condition of the person:
- If the skin has a pronounced vascular network, then using masks based on black clay is contraindicated.
- In its original crumbly state, clay is not applied to the face, it must first be mixed with water or another type of liquid at room temperature. The final consistency should be creamy.
- As soon as the clay-based mask is ready, it must be tested on the wrist: the skin area there is delicate and will allow you to immediately determine the tendency to allergieson the mask components.
- It is highly recommended to avoid the skin around the eyes: the dense texture of the clay-based mask will create puffiness in this area.
- The optimal time for holding black clay on the face is 15 minutes. Overexposure can hurt.
- Apply the mask no more than twice a week, and the best time to use it is when you take a bath: the skin will steam out, the pores will expand and the action of the clay will be more effective.
Green
The beneficial properties of green clay are made possible by the composition of the product.
- calcium;
- phosphorus;
- silver;
- zinc;
- magnesium;
- manganese;
- iron, the oxide of which is the reason for the green color of the clay.
Like most other types of clay, green is more suitable for oily skin types. It is impossible to say that the results of its action are somehow different from other types of related means. Benefits are identical:
- increases skin tone;
- the surface of the face is cleared of dead cells;
- rejuvenation effect;
- blood circulation activation;
- reducing sebum secretion.
Green clay is used as a component for making masks. Its advantage over black and white species is the complete absence of allergic rashes.
Using the composition as a cosmetic product has a couple of nuances:
- prepare masks based ongreen clay is necessary in plastic, wooden, glass and any other dishes, but not in metal (iron is one of the main components, it activates the oxidative process with the surface of the container);
- when applying the product, avoid the area around the eyes and lips.
Red
Red or pelagic clay is a substance extracted from the bottom of the oceans, from a depth of up to 5 km. You can distinguish this kind of powdered product by color: brown, brown, chocolate or brick.
The composition of such clay is very valuable:
- high dolomite content;
- silica;
- iron oxide.
The most useful powder is red and soft, pleasant to the touch texture - Moroccan. But it is also one of the most expensive types of cosmetics.
In percentage terms, the composition of Moroccan red clay is as follows:
- magnesium - 25.0%;
- calcium - 2.34%;
- aluminum – 2.47%;
- silicon – 58.0%;
- iron - 0.64%.
Iron oxide is one of the causes of the clay's characteristic red tint.
One of the features of the Moroccan powder is its effectiveness in combating toxins contained in the inner layers of the dermis. The mechanism for "pumping out" these skin contaminants is as follows:
- Clay has a high content of minerals, which, in contact with water and interacting with its molecules, give the powder a negative charge.
- Toxins formed frommetal elements, on the contrary, are positively charged.
- Once the red clay product is applied to the face, its negative molecules attract positive toxin particles, capture them and bring them to the surface.
Besides detoxification, clay benefits for skin include:
- decontamination;
- removal of excess fat;
- rejuvenation;
- exfoliation.
Yellow
Yellow clay is universal: it is suitable for absolutely all skin types. But her features don't end there.
It has been repeatedly observed that the use of cosmetics based on it is accompanied by relaxation not only of the facial muscles, but of the whole body as a whole. The effect is comparable to spa treatments that relax and soothe.
Useful properties of clay for the face are not much different from other varieties: white, blue, black, green, pink and red. But yellow clay activates the flow of oxygen-enriched blood to the cells of the skin of the face more than others, so it is from its use that the color of the dermis changes after the first use.
Features of facial clay
In cosmetology, various means are used to solve almost the same problems. But as for clay, it occupies a leading position in several indicators.
So why add clay to your home beauty arsenal?
- She is naturaland excludes chemical additives.
- It is available - you can buy it at a very attractive price.
- Effective: perhaps not many cosmetic products can boast of their versatility, and most importantly, their effectiveness.
Conclusion
Clay powder is not used in its pure form, the consistency does not allow. But, being part of various masks, it not only does not lose its properties, but, on the contrary, multiplies them.
This article looked at the effect of all types of clay on the skin of the face, but this substance is unique in that it can be applied to the whole body and hair.
