The Benefits of Kaolin Clay for the Skin
I have been intrigued by the benefits of clay for the skin for a while so I was particularly interested in a clay bar called Le Pain d’Argile I found in an organic boutique in France the other day.
Le Pain d’Argile which literally means The Clay Bread is a soap replacement that is cleansing and exfoliating. It is a micro scrub that is a gentle skin polish or refinisher.
The bar amidst numerous bar soaps caught my eye because it oozed natural and earthy. I grabbed it, turned it over like I do with every product to see what was in it. I was thrilled to see only two ingredients, kaolin clay and silica. When do you see only two ingredients in a cosmetic or personal care product?
So here’s a bit more about the product before I get into the benefits of kaolin clay and my experience with it.
About le Pain d’argils
- 100% natural
- Free of coloring, preservatives, fragrance, glycerin
- A cleansing and exfoliating product in one
- Great for absorbing natural body odors
- Perfect for all skin types
- Great for eczema and acne
The Benefits of Kaolin Clay for the Skin
- Absorbs body odors
- Great for oily skin because it helps reduce the production of sebum, the main contributor to oily skin.
- Great for dry skin because it helps mineralize dry areas of the skin.
- White kaolin clay is the gentlest of all clays so is great for sensitive dry skin
- Gentle exfoliation
So, I bought a bar and took it back with my to my parent’s place in Aix en Provence.
I wondered whether the lack of a fragrance would bother me because I do prefer products with a light fragrance as long as that fragrance is from essential oils and not produced in a lab! It didn’t at all.
I liked the way my skin felt afterwards. It’s smooth! I also liked that to get a good lather, the manufacturer recommends turning off the water so you save water too! Now on to a more personal experience I had this week.
It’s been unusually warm in Europe these past two weeks. I am not a fan of the heat but heck, I’m in one of the most beautiful cities in France so I have to go out and about. So, with the heat and walking around town, I got sweaty, I mean real sweaty.
My clothes were wet and I took a shower as soon as I got “home”. I used the clay bar and was impressed at how well it absorb the slight body odor that my regular soap didn’t get rid of the day before.
I now use the bar every day on my entire body and make sure not to miss the pits. It works really well. That is one of the many reasons I’m excited to bring it back with me and share it with you. It’s a great product at a great price. It’s good for your skin and good for the environment (and for those around you on hot and humid days). 🙂