CLAY MASKS - how do they work ?

Clay is not dirt or mud, as is popularly believed. The use of clay has a long history. It has been used for millenia by many cultures to take care of problems, both internally and externally.

Internally different types of clay have been used to take care of:
    - diarrhea
    - food poisoning
    - food allergies

Externally different types of clay have been used to take care of:
    - skin conditions and ailments
    - burns
    - eczema
    - acne
    - bruising

Clays have both adsorption and absorption properties. This makes clay one of the few categories of detoxifiers to offer true and complete detoxification abilities. These two properties must be present for the two step detoxification process to work properly.

• adsorption: is the first part of the detoxifaction process where substances (toxins and impurities) are mobilized and drawn to (i.e. stick to) the outside of clay particles
  • this is because the outside surface of clay particles carry a negative charge (-), attracting the typically positively charged (+) toxin or impurity particles
  • once attracted - the clay and toxin / impurity particles combine chemically
  • one use of the adsorption property is in the beer, wine and cider industry - where a small amount of clay is mixed into the liquid to remove (adsorb) impurities, after settling to the bottom, the clay and the impurities adsorbed to it are removed by simple filtration.
• absorption: is the second part of the detoxification process where substances (toxins and impurities) are then absorbed into the clay particles and become attached to the internal structure of the clay (think of a sponge).
• another important characteristic of clay is its large molecular surface area - which adds to its enormous binding capacity to remove toxins and impurities.

Clay has the ability to both mobilize and absorb toxins/impurities to effectively remove them from the skin and body.

For external use clay can be used in compresses, packs or masks:

• compresses - how to make and use:
  • use anywhere on the body 
  • select clay you desire
  • saturate clay with water or aloe liquid or mist toner till it has a gel-like consistency (neither solid nor that it seperates from the water)
  • spread gel-like clay onto gauze (it should not leak through the gauze)
  • place directly onto skin - for 20 minutes to a few hours
  • remove when clay is dry enough to peel off (if it has dried too much or sticks to skin - soften by wetting with luke-warm water and pull-off gently, remove any residue with luke-warm water and sponge cloth)
• packs / masks - how to make and use:
  • use anywhere on the body 
  • select clay you desire
  • wet clay with water or aloe liquid or mist toner till it has a consistency of wet paste (less damp than a compress)
  • place directly onto area to be treated, cover with cloth or gauze
  • remove when clay is dry (if it has dried too much or sticks to skin - soften by wetting with luke-warm water, let absorb slightly, then remove gently with luke-warm water and sponge cloth)
  • use for facial, neck, back and chest treatments or for help with joint pain, bruising, sprains, strains and musle discomfort.

Some of the beneficial clays you will find in Nancy K. Brown products are Bentonite and Kaolin. Please see the Nancy K. Brown lineup of highly effective masks for your skin health.