Blog — The Home Craft

Everyone knows that mud masks and mud baths are fantastic for keeping your skin looking clear and youthful, but most of you I'm guessing, don't mix up the left over mask from your bowl and drink it. Am I right?

Clay has been used medicinally for as long as medicine has been around. In Ancient Egypt it was used by Cleopatra to preserve her complexion, by their physicians to treat intestinal problems as well as being used to preserve mummies. Geophagia (eating earth or soil like substances) has been found in almost all tribal communities.

In her book Nourishing Traditions*, Sally Fallon discusses using clay internally as a way to supplement trace minerals (in addition to mineral water, nutrient dense foods and beverages like bone broth) and as a detox:

"Analysis of clays from Africa, Sardinia and California reveals that clay can provide a variety of macro-and trace minerals including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc.138 Clay also contains aluminum, but silicon, present in large amounts in all clays, prevents absorption of this toxic metal and actually helps the body eliminate aluminum that is bound in the tissues.139...

Clay particles, defined as having a size less than 1-2 microns, have a very large surface area relative to their size. They carry a negative electric charge and can attract positively charged pathogenic organisms along with their toxins and carry them out of the body,140 Thus, clay compounds not only provide minerals but also can be used as detoxifying agents. As such, they facilitate assimilation and can help prevent intestinal complaints, such as food poisoning and diarrhea. They also will bind with antinutrients found in plant foods, such as bitter tannins, and prevent their absorption."

Fallon, Sally (1999-10-01). Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (p. 41). National Book Network - A. Kindle Edition.

I personally have had times when I ate something that was questionable and ended up with an upset stomach, at which point I drank a bit of clay in water and very quickly felt relief. I have also used clay for myself and both of my children to help with constipation. While I haven't done any reading this particular area, I have found when I ingest something that doesn't typically do well with my guts (gluten for example) I find the effects to be very mild if I drink a bit of clay, less bloating, etc. I also use the clay as a way to prevent illness if we come in contact with a stomach bug or sick kids at a park. I ask the boys to "Drink your dirt!" and they actually like it!

There is clay in our toothpaste* (as well as my toothpowder recipe), in my shampoo* and it is always in my first aid kit. Strange rashes, bee stings, bug bites...clay is always my first line of defense. I recently had a friend over and her son got a bee sting while standing in my son's bedroom (we think it stowed away on his sweater) I grabbed the clay, mixed it in to a paste with water and as we put it on his finger, we could actually see the sting site start to bubble as the venom was drawn out of the wound. My son had some mysterious night time bug bites a few weeks ago and to relieve the itching I grabbed our toothpaste* (since it was the middle of the night) rubbed it all over the bites and he was able to stop itching and get some sleep.

As a beauty treatment I use a clay mask once ever week or two. My skin always feels fresh and clean and I notice less dark circles and puffiness under my eyes when I wake up. I occasionally will get dry patches on my forehead (usually after drinking too much coffee...) and find that the morning after using a mud mask the dry patches and redness have gone, my skin feels smooth and looks clear. Then I mix the remnants of the clay with water and drink it up!

There are a few options out there for clay to use internally and externally. The one I use Aztec Secret* Bentonite Clay (I'm sure you've seen it at Whole Foods). Our toothpaste is made by Redmond Clay, and while I haven't tried their clay personally (they also sell capsules of clay to take internally), I have read great things about it and never mind if my children swallow their toothpaste!

How do you use your clay?

*The links included in this posts are affiliate links, which means that I may get a commissions if you decide to purchase anything from this company. I only recommend products that I use or have personal experience with. TheHomeCraft.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.*

Would you eat your face wash? Over the past few years I have been trying to follow the rule: if I wouldn't put it in my mouth, I won't put it on my body. Have you ever tried the trick where you rub garlic on your foot, or tape it to your wrist and you get garlic breath? Our skin absorbs everything that we put on it and can affect our bodies internally as well.

Chris Kresser recently wrote a series on Toxic Skincare Products where he discusses the dangers of many common ingredients we find in skincare products available today. While so many people today are trying to eat organic, non-GMO and eliminating processed foods, they are still using Oil of Olay and Ponds on their face. In his article Chris talks about our skin having a microbiome, similar to our digestive system. When this microbiome is compromised by antibacterial soaps, or hand sanitizer, we loose the natural resistance our skin provides us against bad bacteria.

I had horrible skin all through junior high and high school (I also had a horrible vegetarian diet, that directly contributed to that skin, but that is another story). I remember my mom taking me to get facials, do skin peels, all sorts of fancy masks, different types of cleanser and nothing made a difference until I stopped washing my face. When I was about 20 I stopped using moisturizer or face wash all together, but continued to just use water and do a mask or scrub every week or two. I had the best skin I had had in years (a better diet too, but not by much).

When I heard about the OCM it made a lot of sense to me since I had gone a few years with no face wash. The concept is: like dissolves like. So if your skin has oil on it, using oil on yours skin will help to remove that oil as well as the dirt that is caked in to your pores. By not stripping your face of it's natural oils you are also preventing wrinkles and sun damage! I love how my face feels when it is freshly cleaned with the OCM. The whole process is very spa like. Another bonus is that I find I can actually go a day or two without washing my face, as long as I haven't used any of my home-made face powder on those days. Being a busy mom of two young boys getting to skip a personal care step and still feel clean and fresh is lovely!

How to wash your face with the Oil Cleansing Method:

Ingredients

Oil or oil blend that works well with your skin type (the wellnessmama has a good outline of different blends for different skin types). I use an avocado/almond blend
Soft wash cloth
Hot water (hot enough to steam and soften the oil, but careful not to burn yourself!)

Steps

Place a small amount of oil on your fingertips (about a dime, a little goes a long way).
Rub oil on to your face. The more you rub, the more dirt you break up, spend extra time on problem areas.
Soak your washcloth in your extra hot water. Wring out the excess water
Place the washcloth over your face and let it steam open your pores until it cools down, then wipe off the oil.
Rinse out your wash cloth with very hot water
Repeat step 4 at least once, twice of you still feel oily.
Your skin should feel clean and lovely!

Let me know how it works if you try it!