Wouldn’t it be amazing to find a single solution for each of your beauty concerns? Is that even possible? What about targeting these concerns with a natural and organic ingredient? Fortunately, nature has provided us with the answer by producing French Green Clay. We are so excited to share with you some ways it can help with your toughest beauty challenges all in the comfort of your own home!

What is French Green Clay?

French Green Clay is found naturally in the Montmorillonite region of France. It is composed of iron oxides and kelp seaweed, along with other decomposed plant matter, that contribute to its green color. The clay is mined from naturally occurring deposits, is then sun dried and crushed down to its finest form. Because of its unique healing properties, it has been widely used for centuries in both cosmetic and medicinal remedies.

Is Green Clay Good for your Skin?

French Green Clay is rich in magnesium, calcium, potassium, silicon, selenium, aluminum, titanium, cobalt, sodium, phosphorus, copper and zinc. This extraordinary blend of minerals makes French Green Clay one of the most absorbent cosmetic clays. With its negative charge and very fine texture, it acts as a magnet, drawing out the negatively charged toxins and poisons from the skin, washing away impurities and leaving your skin clear, smooth and hydrated. Compared to other clays, Green Clay not stripping like Bentonite Clay and it is more absorbent than Kaolin Clay, making it a better and safer choice for all skin types.

Tips Before Trying the DIY Recipes

1. Avoid using a metal bowl or utensils when mixing clay. Metal can react with the minerals and can make the clay inactive, and as a result, you will not get to experience its benefits. Try using a wooden brush or spatula instead.

2. We always recommend testing a small area of skin prior to a full application. As with any new ingredients you are trying on skin, it’s always best to confirm that you will not experience any sensitivities. For accurate test results, 24 hours is suggested.

3. Many ingredients mix well with clay, including water, carrier oils and essential oils. Choose what’s best for you based on your personal preference and your skin type.

Using French Clay for Skin Care

Whether your skin is oily, dry, combination or acne prone, Green Clay can benefit your skin and improve your complexion.

Green Clay Benefits for Acne Prone Skin

Because of its natural detoxifying properties, French Green Clay is the best choice for naturally treating acne by going deep into the pores and removing impurities from our oil glands. It also regenerates healthy skin growth and decreases the reoccurrence of future breakouts.

DIY Recipe for an Acne Treatment Mask

1. Mix equal parts of French Green Clay and water (or try Isabella’s Clearly ROSE rose water for its toning and clarifying benefits), add a few drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil to help reduce any skin inflammation. 

2. Mix into a paste and apply a thin layer on the face, avoiding the eye area. 

3. Leave on for approximately 8-12 minutes, making sure mask does not completely dry. 

4. Rinse with warm water to remove and pat skin dry.

5. Follow up with your favorite moisturizer or serum. We suggest our Isabella’s Clearly MOJO, organic rosehip seed oil.

Green Clay Benefits for Dry Skin

French Green Clay is a natural exfoliant that gently removes dead skin cells from the skin’s outer surface, the epidermis. It helps to naturally exfoliate the dry skin layer and increase circulation, leaving your skin looking and feeling soft and moisturized. For dry skin, we recommend using a carrier oil, such as Jojoba, when mixing your mask. Jojoba will balance out the skin by adding hydration using essential vitamins and natural antioxidants.

DIY Recipe for a Hydrating Mask for Dry Skin

1. Mix equal parts of French Green Clay and Jojoba oil until you have a paste consistency. Feel free to also add in a few drops of Geranium Essential Oil for added hydration and absorption benefits.

2. Mix into a paste and apply a thin layer on the face, avoiding the eye area. 

3. Leave on for approximately 8-12 minutes, making sure mask does not completely dry. 

4. Rinse with warm water to remove and pat skin dry. 

5. Follow up with your favorite moisturizer or serum. We suggest our Isabella’s Clearly SOFT.

Green Clay Benefits for Mature Skin

We are all looking for the fountain of youth! When it comes to mature or aging skin, it is especially important to consider preventative treatments to naturally combat the first signs of aging. By removing the impurities found on the skin’s surface, French Clay helps rejuvenate aging skin by promoting new healthy skin cells to grow, reducing visible fine lines, wrinkles, and improving skin tone and pore size. We recommend adding Rosehip Seed oil to this anti-aging mask as it naturally contains essential vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids that aid in correcting dark spots, reducing wrinkles and keeping the skin hydrated.

DIY Recipe for an Anti-Aging Skin Mask

1. Mix equal parts of French Green Clay with Rosehip seed oil (we used our Clearly MOJO) and mix well until paste consistency is achieved. 

2. Apply mask to face and neck, avoiding the eye area, and let set for 8-12 minutes, making sure mask does not completely dry.

3. Rinse with warm water and pat skin dry. 

4. Follow up with your favorite serum, we love our Clearly LIFT!

Green Clay Benefits for Sensitive Skin

If you want to experience the benefits of French Clay, but are concerned about skin sensitivities, this recipe is for you! French Clay is gentle on the skin and does not cause irritation or redness. When mixed with the right ingredients, it can help your skin become smoother, clearer and more radiant. It’s like mother nature built in her own toner! For sensitive dry skin, we recommend blending clay with Sweet Almond Oil. For sensitive acne prone skin, we recommend skipping the oil and mixing it with Rose Water instead.

DIY Mask for Sensitive Skin

1. Mix equal parts of French Green Clay with Almond oil, mix well into a paste.

2. Apply a thin layer on the face, avoiding the eye area, and leave on for 8-12 minutes, making sure mask does not completely dry. 

3. Rinse with warm water and pat your skin dry. 

4. Follow up with a moisturizer or favorite serum. We recommend our Clearly SOFT Sensitive.

Using Green Clay for Body and Hair Care

Body Detox

While we tend to focus on our face when considering skin care, it’s important to pamper the skin on our entire body. A relaxing bath, with the added benefit for French Green Clay, can help relieve sore muscles and detox our skin of impurities, leaving our skin soft and hydrated.

DIY Recipe for a full Body Detox

1. Simply add 1-2 cups of Green Clay to your warm bath water and let dissolve.

2. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (Lavender is always an excellent choice) or a little rose water - try Clearly ROSE.

3. Soak for at least 20 minutes.

Hair Detox

You may be wondering why we’re suggesting that you detox your hair. If you use any shampoos, conditioners or styling products, it is important to regularly detoxify your scalp in order to remove product build up. The build up that occurs can cause dry scalp, dandruff, and dull life-less hair. By detoxing your hair and removing the build up, good hair days can be in your future! A Green Clay hair wash will leave your scalp healthy, your hair shiny, and best of all, it is safe on color treated hair.

DIY Recipe for a Detoxifying Hair Mask

1. Mix 1-2 teaspoons of French Green Clay with your favorite carrier oil (we recommend Argan oil or Olive oil) and apply directly to clean, damp hair. Adjust the amount of clay depending on your hair length and density.

2. Use a wide tooth comb to distribute the product evenly through the hair from the scalp to the ends. 

3. Leave on for 20 minutes, wrapped in a towel for deeper saturation. Rinse with cool water, closing the hair cuticle, locking in the moisture, and strengthening the hair follicles from root to tip.

If you don’t want have 20 minutes to spare, you can also add 1-2 teaspoons of Green Clay to your hair conditioner and leave on while you bathe, then rinse out.

What to Look for when Buying Clay

If you don’t already have French Green Clay at home and you’d like to try it, make sure to find a clay with no additives or fillers. Pure Green Clay is light to dark green in color, with naturally occurring variations, and should not have a fragrance. Be sure that no artificial colors or scents were added, as they can change the Clay’s properties and make it less effective.

Below are some Isabella’s Clearly products that were mentioned in making the DIY mask recipes above. We hope you try them so you can experience all the amazing benefits that French Green Clay has to offer!