Bentonite clay’s drawing and cleansing properties, as well as its apparent ability to protect against impurities, make it a necessary ingredient in any facial mud.
After water, the primary ingredient and star of the show in Redmond Clay Charcoal Masks and Facial Mud is (you guessed it!) Redmond Clay. Redmond Clay is a bentonite clay that has a unique quality of being rich in both calcium and sodium.
We mine it ourselves near the small town of Redmond, Utah, and we keep it clean—we crush it into powder without any added chemicals. Redmond Clay has truly amazing properties and does the most work when it comes to drawing impurities from your pores.
We couldn’t find an exact date for when humans began using clay to improve their skin, but the practice is at least as old as recorded history and likely started long before that. Ancient Mesopotamian clay tablets and Egyptian papyrus mention using clay for various complaints; even Queen Cleopatra used it for cosmetic purposes! We’ve heard a lot of amazing stories about the benefits of clay and there is plenty of scientific research to back up the ancient practices.
The science behind how bentonite clay works is fascinating and scientists are continuing to learn more. The current research indicates that clay’s high adsorption (causes other atoms and molecules to stick to it), absorption (pulls atoms and molecules into itself, think an absorbent towel), cation exchange capacity (ability to hold positively charged ions), and surface area allow it to remove oils, pollutants, contaminants, impurities, toxins, and secretions from your skin. Essentially, bentonite clay acts like a giant sponge, drawing impurities from your pores. You can actually feel this cleansing power as it dries.
In addition to the drawing power, there is evidence that clay promotes circulation and improves blood flow. Scientists are also exploring bentonite clay’s amazing antibacterial properties. Research from 2013 found that some of clay’s antibiotic properties could be due to its combination of mineral ions.
Life is busy, so we tried to keep this summary short. But if you love learning about clay, here are a few good places to start:
- Research Review: Clay minerals and their beneficial effects upon human health. A review
- Research Review: Bentonite Clay as a Natural Remedy: A Brief Review
- Research: Evaluation of the medicinal use of clay minerals as antibacterial agents
- Research: Exchangeable Ions Are Responsible for the In Vitro Antibacterial Properties of Natural Clay Mixtures
- Article: How Clay Masks May Benefit the Health of Your Skin and Hair
- Wikipedia: Medicinal Clay (a fun article about historical and modern uses of clay)
- Article: What is Calcium Bentonite Clay? (Redmond Clay is a calcium and sodium bentonite clay.)