Which Clay is Right for Your Skin Type?

Now that Autumn is upon us & the days are growing cooler & shorter, we find ourselves staying indoors & naturally making more time for self-care rituals that support us in feeling whole, grounded & nourished. A great example of a weekly ritual which you may want to incorporate into your self-care routine is the use of a Clay Mask. Facial Masks almost always have a type of earth-based clay in them to help detoxify & cleanse the skin; however, sometimes it is difficult to determine which clay will best benefit your particular skin type. Below we will share with you our insight of 3 popular clays that you may find in the ingredients list of many Facial Masks: Bentonite Clay, French Green Clay & Rhassoul Clay.

BENTONITE CLAY
For Pitta Skin (Sensitive Skin) and/or Tridoshic Skin (Balanced Skin)
Known as a “swelling clay” because when combined with water, it has the ability to absorb & remove toxins, heavy metals, impurities & chemicals from the skin & body. Bentonite clay also brings oxygen to the cells & has an alkalinizing effect. When it is used topically, it helps calm & smooth irritated inflamed skin. Some conditions that benefit from topical use include acne/blemishes, eczema & psoriasis.

FRENCH GREEN CLAY
For Kapha Skin (Oily Skin) and/or Acne Prone Skin
French Green Clay is uniquely detoxifying to the skin because it has an ionic charge. This charge acts like a magnet to extract toxins & remove them from the skin & body. When used topically, French Green Clay has numerous benefits. It removes excess oil, unclogs pores, while simultaneously softening skin & tightening pores. It aids in the optimal function of oil glands & also boosts blood circulation while removing dead skin cells. French Green Clay has also been known to be effective on allergic reactions which have manifested on the skin.

RHASSOUL CLAY
For Vata Skin (Dry Skin)
Also known as Red Moroccan clay, this clay is best for dry skin. Some of the many benefits of this clay include improvement to skin texture, elasticity & skin clarity as well as reducing dryness & flakiness. This clay has proven to extract impurities from the skin & unblock pores, even stubborn blackheads.

This Fall, as the weather transitions & the days & nights become colder, the brisk, dry, rough, & windy qualities of the environment may begin to affect your skin. Due to the vata-type conditions in our atmosphere, people usually tend to experience more vata-type skin conditions during this time of the year. Therefore, during vata season, it is important to hydrate & protect our skin from becoming overly dry.

When choosing a Clay Mask to use during this particular season, we recommend choosing one which contains Rhassoul Clay. We recommend using our PAAVANI Vata Cleanser & Mask to prevent & remedy dry skin. Made of 100% earth-based ingredients including: Rhassoul Clay, Organic Gluten Free Oats, Organic Almonds, Organic Lavender, Organic Rose, Organic Licorice, Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Ghee & Essential Oil of Geranium; & formulated to keep your skin soft, moisturized & healthy.