What are the beneficial properties of clay for the face? This question is asked by the girls who saw a jar of substance on sale, but never used it on themselves.
There are useful properties, there are many of them, since clay is a natural substance enriched with various minerals. But here's the dilemma: which clay to choose? We will talk about this.
Cosmetic clay: useful properties
Clay is a rock of volcanic origin, therefore its composition has a huge amount of mineral components - this is what human skin needs so much.
If we decompose the substance into its constituent elements, then we get an almost entire periodic system of Mendeleev:
- phosphorus;
- potassium;
- sulfur;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- calcium;
- iodine;
- manganese;
- cobalt;
- copper;
- nickel;
- zinc;
- vanadium;
- silicon.
Clay is a natural absorbent substance that cleanses the skin without harm, even from deep pollution. So the beneficial properties of clay is not a myth.
When using the product for cosmetic purposes, you can achieve the following results:
- Cleanse the skin from external contaminants and from 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 - all this is eliminated by cosmetic clay;
- Skin nutrition with microelements and salts that give the skin a healthy appearance, color and normalize the work of the skin glands.
However, clay is recommended to be selected according to your skin type before use. There are many types of cosmetics on sale:
- white
- blue:
- green
- pink
- red;
- yellow;
- black.
Each of the listed species performs a specific action and is suitable for a specific type of epidermis.
White clay for facial skin
White clay is also called kaolin. You can distinguish this species from others by white color, sometimes with a gray tint, and when feeling: despite the fact that the substance is powdery, a little oily coating remains on his hands.
Useful properties of white clay have been proven for a long time. This cosmetic product was available in the arsenal of many famous women who lived more than a century ago.
Even despite the variety of clay in color and properties, it is white that is the most popular and in demand. Its advantages are undeniable and multifaceted:
- the natural composition relieves the skin of inflammation, redness, peeling;
- gently removes from the cover and draws from the inner layers of pollution;
- this is one of the most effective scrubbing agents, which gently removes dead skin particles from the skin;
- one of the useful 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 restoring 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 a constant greasy shine, kaolin will serve as a wonderful assistant: narrow pores and limit the release of fat.
Blue clay
Bentonite is the second name for clay of blue color. It is used for oily and problematic skin, for which acne, redness and peeling are common phenomena.
The composition of bentonite is a complete complex of minerals and salts, the action of which is aimed at getting rid of many skin imperfections. Blue clay, of course, will not save you from acne, but the remedy suddenly eliminates a pimple. In addition, bentonite will remove small wounds in a matter of time.
It is worth paying more attention to the composition of blue clay, the useful properties of which completely depend on it:
- silicon - a substance that enhances the production of collagen, 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 the pigment melanin;
- potassium is an element whose action is the regulation of the metabolic processes of the epidermis. In case of lack of it, the skin of the eyelids swells, peeling occurs on the face and a slight swelling is observed;
- Selenium helps the resulting vitamins to be properly absorbed in the skin cells and perform its direct functions. In addition, a sufficient amount of selenium prevents cancer of the skin;
- titanium dioxide is an important element with many functions - UV protection, whitening and smoothing of the skin tone, matting effect, cleansing of keratinized particles, as well as participation in cell regeneration.
Useful properties of blue clay are also aimed at combating fine facial wrinkles, smoothing the overall tone of the skin and lightening age spots.
The tool is actively used in traditional medicine. Its effectiveness has been proven for hair loss and rapid baldness. The substance is used 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 for a month) use.
Pink
Pink clay is not a natural substance. Its preparation is possible by mixing white and red species. Thanks to this method of obtaining the product is ideal for any type of skin.
The red clay that forms pink makes it suitable for sensitive skin with a tendency to allergic rashes. Pink clay is able to fight this ailment. It was precisely the healing properties that the red variety of the cosmetic product endowed with pink clay: the removal of irritation, inflammation, rashes, the sedative effect and the regeneration of damaged skin cells.
From kaolin inherited the ability to restore elasticity, narrowing of enlarged pores, reducing the amount of secreted sebum, anti-aging effect.
The beneficial properties of pink clay are as follows:
- Getting rid of shallow facial wrinkles.
- Tightens and aligns the contour of the face.
- Eliminates dryness, peeling and irritation.
- Returns to the face its former tone, relieves fatigue, evens out skin tone.
- After applying pink clay, the skin of the face becomes elastic.
Black
Clay of black color differs from other varieties not only in shade, but also in a more dense and greasy to the touch texture. Dark gray and simply gray clay also belong to this type of cosmetic product.
The beneficial properties of black clay have long been proven in the manufacturing and use of homemade face masks. From regular use, the following changes are observed:
- the inflammatory formations present on the face disappear after the first application;
- the skin becomes more noticeable cleaner and fresher;
- a rejuvenating effect is carried out, which smoothes shallow wrinkles.
- black clay is very effective for a common problem - acne, with which it is able to "get even" with regular use;
- normalization of the skin glands and a decrease in the amount of sebum secreted is another function of this variety of clay.
A very dense consistency of the substance, with a characteristic oily coating, makes the product the most suitable for oily skin type. But in its pure form it is not used: black clay shows its useful properties only in the composition of cosmetic masks, which are easy to prepare at home. Their application is accompanied by a number of rules, ignoring which can adversely affect the condition of the person:
- If the skin has a pronounced vascular network, then use masks based on black clay are contraindicated.
- In its initial friable 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 area of the skin there is delicate and will allow you to determine the tendency to allergies to mask components at the time.
- It is highly recommended to avoid applying to the skin around the eyes: the dense texture of the clay mask will create puffiness in this area.
- The optimal time for holding black clay on the face is 15 minutes. Overexposure can do much harm.
- It is worth applying the mask no more than twice a week, and the best time to use it is the time for taking a bath: the skin will steam up, the pores will expand and the effect of 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, whose oskid is the cause of the green color of clay.
Like most other types of clay, green is more suitable for oily skin. It is impossible to say that the results of its action are somewhat different from other types of related means. The benefits are identical:
- skin tone increases;
- the face surface is cleaned of dead cells;
- rejuvenation effect;
- blood circulation activation;
- decrease in 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:
- It is necessary to prepare masks based on green clay in plastic, wooden, glass and any other utensils, but not metal (iron is one of the main components that activates the oxidation process with the surface of the container);
- when applying the product, it is necessary to 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 5 km. You can distinguish this type of powdery 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 is the red powder and soft, pleasant to the touch texture - Moroccan. But this is 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 reasons for the characteristic red hue of clay.
One of the features of Moroccan powder is its effectiveness in combating toxins contained in the inner layers of the dermis. The "pumping" mechanism of these skin contaminants is as follows:
- The 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 from metal elements, on the contrary, are positively charged.
- As soon as a red clay product is applied to the face, its negative molecules attract positive particles of toxins, capture them and bring them to the surface.
In addition to detoxification, the beneficial properties of clay for the skin are the following:
- disinfection;
- removal of excess fat secretions;
- rejuvenation;
- exfoliation.
Yellow
Yellow clay is universal: it is suitable for absolutely all skin types. But her features do not end there.
It has been repeatedly noted that the use of cosmetics based on it is accompanied by relaxation not only of the facial muscles, but also of the whole body. The effect is comparable to spa treatments that relax and soothe.
The beneficial properties of clay for the face are not much different from the other varieties: white, blue, black, green, pink and red. But yellow clay more intensely than others activates the flow of blood, enriched with oxygen, to the cells of the skin of the face, therefore it is from its use that the color of the dermis changes after the first use.
Features of clay for face
In cosmetology, various means are used to solve almost the same problems. But as for clay, it occupies a leading position in several respects.
So, why should you replenish your home cosmetics arsenal with clay?
- It is natural and excludes the content of chemical additives.
- It is available - you can buy it at a very attractive price.
- Effective: perhaps not many cosmetics can boast of their versatility, and most importantly - effectiveness.
Conclusion
Clay powder is not used in its pure form, the consistency does not allow. But, being part of various masks, he not only does not lose his properties, but, on the contrary, increases them.
In this article, the effect of all types of clay on the skin of the face was considered, but this substance is unique in that it can be used both for the whole body and for hair.