The Romans discovered the healing properties of mud baths as early as 120 B.C. Today mud is still used medicinally in European spa clinics as an effective treatment for arthritis and pulled muscles. The heat together with the chemical composition of a specific mud or clay can be remarkably powerful. Vitamins, minerals, and plant substances found in some muds are absorbed into the body and can clear metabolic pathways, improve waste elimination, boost cell oxygenation. A good mud or clay treatment for face and body is a must in your weekly regimen for clean, refreshed, radiant and refined skin!

If you are applying a mud or clay to your face and body, apply it with the tips of your fingers in a thin, even layer using gently, short strokes and avoiding your eyes and mouth. Leave it on for 15 minutes before refreshing the mud or clay with a scented body mist until the mud is damp again. Shower or rinse off completely after another 15 minutes and follow with a rich body butter.

Anyone who has discovered the delights of a mud bath also knows its rejuvenating, nourishing powers. The warm mud spread over your body is both sensuous and relaxing. As the mud dries, you’ll feel the invigorating tingle of your skin tightening. Many impurities and toxins are being drawn out of your skin, temporarily toning and refreshing it. Even after the mud is rinsed off in a warm, pleasurable shower, many beneficial trace minerals remain which help to restore your skin.

There are also a number of clays which are just as enjoyable and beneficial as the various types of muds. A good clay mask deeply cleans your skin, leaving it looking radiant and more refined. French Green clay is a fine pale green clay from southern France. Containing magnesium, dolomite, and silica, it is highly absorbent and makes a fantastic cleanser for oily skin. Kaolin is a fine white powder clay which comes from southeast China. Rich in aluminum silicate, it is often used as a thickening agent for facial and body masks and for facial creams. Rhassoul, another good body cleanser, is a natural-colored clay found in the Atlas mountains.

So, if you are not already a convert to the wonderful healing and transforming properties of muds and clays, I urge you to give them a try at your next at-home spa treatment.

About the author:  Dr. Jacknin is a board-certified dermatologist, and author of the definitive holistic skin care book Smart Medicine for Your Skin. She is on the board of the Physician`s Skin Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona and is a frequent contributor to magazine articles on cosmetic skin care. Her expertise and interest is cosmetic and holistic dermatology and cosmeceuticals.

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