cleanse

Marching into Wellness: The Clay Chronicles

By Caitlin, CN Body Care Lead

When I think about a product that has changed my life, I think about evanhealy’s Clay Mask Kit. A tasting of masking products and shimmering gold paper, it’s as if you’re getting a glimpse of the glowing skin you’re about to call your own. For me, nothing has beat the blend of Evan’s clays with a hydrosoul and the dedicated time to preparing and painting on a mask. This is truly basking in the art of self-care.

Before I began masking with pure clays, there were the days of mint julep masking. A squeeze tube of unnecessary ingredients that would somehow “refresh” my face. Thinking back, how could I possibly be restoring life to my skin if I was simply smearing on a paste of preservatives? I did not want to preserve the state of my skin, I wanted to purify it!

Flash forward past unconscious consumerism and wrecking my skin with the college lifestyle and to a curious time where I relentlessly researched ingredients and products. That time is now.

With countless options available for facial care, I find it incredibly important to listen to our bodies and find what works best for us. If you’re looking for the right clay to add to your skin regime, consider these clay options for masking:

Pascalite Clay

Pascalite Clay was accidentally discovered in the 1930s by Emile Pascale. After Pascale’s chapped hands became covered in a white substance, he cleaned his hands, realizing the chapped condition improved after a single application.

Pascalite Clay is a bentonite/montmorillonite clay that does not swell when mixed with a liquid, unlike other bentonite clays. Pascalite has yet to be discovered in any other area of the world and is exclusive to the high vortex area of the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. This clay has a strong energy level that is powerful, yet gentle for all skin types. Pascalite Clay is hand-mined in the summer and then solar-dried throughout the winter.

Fuller’s Earth Clay

Fuller’s Earth Clay is best known for its skin-lightening properties and its ability to absorb oils. Commercially, this clay has been most commonly used to clean up oil spills in auto shops, to clean sheep's wool before sale and used in cat litters. Because of its wild success commercially, cosmetically, Fuller’s Earth Clay is the way to go for those with oily skin! Mountain Rose Herbs suggests combining Bentonite Clay and Fuller’s Earth Clay for best results. Fuller’s Earth Clay is quarry-mined from naturally occurring deposits and is untreated.

Rhassoul Clay

Our Rhassoul Clay is composed of deposits from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Rhassoul blends beautifully with water for easy preparation and application. At first, Rhassoul appears to be a soap-like rock before it becomes a powder. To achieve the powdered state, the clay is sundried and untreated. After micronization, Rhassoul becomes extremely soft to the touch. Rhassoul is higher in silica and magnesium than other clays, which makes this clay a great option for any skin type!

French Green Clay

French Green Clay is an extremely absorbent clay composed of small molecules that lovingly absorb oils and impurities from the skin. French Green Clay is a great spot treatment mask for the occasional breakout or the perfect option for a weekly full facial masking experience. French Green Clay has a stunning, earthy green tone that is the result of decomposed plant matter and iron oxides. Mountain Rose Herbs’ French Green Clay is untreated and quarry-mined from naturally occurring deposits in France.

Kaolin Clay

Kaolin Clay is also known as White Cosmetic Clay. Kaolin is an extremely lightweight clay with natural absorbing properties and is the most common clay additive among skincare products. Kaolin Clay is the best clay for those with sensitive skin because of its ability to gently cleanse and exfoliate while stimulating circulation. While some clays absorb oils from the skin, Kaolin does not, which makes this the ideal clay for those with drier skin. Our Kaolin Clay is quarry-mined from naturally occurring deposits, water-washed and unrefined with an off-white appearance while dry, and a brown tone when wet.

Bentonite Clay

Bentonite Clay is also known as Montmorillonite Clay and is a naturally occurring, weathered and aged volcanic ash from the United States. If you’re in need of a serious clay mask that you can really feel, Bentonite is the way to go. As Bentonite dries, you can feel your face tighten and pulsate. Bentonite is great as a full body pack if you’re really looking to heavily detox your skin. Once mined from the earth, Bentonite must be dried of any moisture and is baked in the sun. After drying, the clay is pulverized by hydraulic crushers. Bentonite Clay becomes activated when mixed with liquid, producing an electric charge. When mixing a mask, you’ll notice Bentonite Clay particles clinging to the liquid, swelling spreading across the surface. This powerful, electrically-charged mixture makes for a powerful detoxifying clay mask!

**Clay Mask Kit along with evanhealy’s other products sold in store.
** All clays mentioned can be purchased in the Bulk Section!

It will be cold. It will be gloomy. It will be RESTORATIVE.

By Bex, Supplements Buyer & The Naturalist Contributor

Over the past several weeks, we've heard so many of our customers describe feeling inundated with physical, emotional, or political toxicity. The state of the world can take a deep toll on one's body and mind - immune health, stress response, sleep, you name it. While you're preparing to take meaningful action to clean up our planet and our society, it's also so important to also 'clean house' on a personal level and prepare yourself for dark times ahead.

Now, I’m not being fatalistic here, talking about dark times... rather, we’re shifting into the barren, frigged, overcast months when some lucky animals get to hibernate. It will be cold. It will be gloomy. It will be RESTORATIVE. Remember that, ok? While it's so tempting to linger in our beds, we suggest taking action and choosing to feel better! Healthy bodies, healthy minds = can't lose. So, what are some of our favorite self-care tips for tough times?

SNOWBALL FIGHTS! (Just kidding, sort of… actually, running through snowy woods is one of my favorite winter remedies.)

The real answer though: bid good riddance to toxicity! Purify, detoxify, rejuvenate and usher in the most life affirming foods, supplements, lifestyle and body care products. If the word detox conjures up gnarly images of cold-pressed veggie juices that make you shiver at this time of year, don’t fret. There are plenty of warming ways to fuel the body and release all that toxic gunk (think: nourishing soups and teas.) In the next few blog posts, we’ll share some ideas with you on how to purify your phenomenal vessel from the inside out and the outside in, but for now, here are some quick and simple ways to get started!

A pot of Pu-erh tea - one of our favorite restorative rituals. Photo via Rishi Tea.

A pot of Pu-erh tea - one of our favorite restorative rituals. Photo via Rishi Tea.

FIVE EASY WAYS TO JUMPSTART MENTAL, EMOTIONAL & PHYSICAL DETOX

  1. To start (and this one won’t cost you any money,) we encourage you to take three slow deep breaths every time it is all feeling like too much. Just three mindful inhalations and exhalations. See how good that feels?

  2. Make yourself a pot of tea and DRINK IT slowly. Here are some tea suggestions from a few of our brew-loving staff members: Caleb, Rishi Pu-erh; Brenden, Guayusa tea; Jess, Organic India Tulsi tea; Caitlin, Traditional Medicinals Nettle tea with 1tbsp South River Dandelion, Leek Miso; Vicki, Mugwort tea from the bulk section; Bex (that’s me!) Four Sigmatic Reishi Tea. Stop in and ask us why we love these particular teas and brews!

  3. For a little something more, gift yourself one of the beautiful journals or notebooks from our lifestyle department and write down all the toxic, difficult feelings and actions you want to release this season. Then make a list of the nourishing feelings and actions you want to invite into your life, and the steps you can take to help manifest those dreams.

  4. Next level: Pick up a bottle of Cleanse and Fortify by Maine Medicinals, a surprisingly tasty tonic that “supports the gentle elimination of toxins.” With cleansing and restorative herbs as well as adaptogenic balancing herbs, this is a pleasant way to ease into detox.

  5. Keep reading the blog for ideas on how to filter out the crud and replace it with things that support your well being. We're here for you!