Getting Dirty!

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I have found the best and cheapest skin care product EVER!  Seriously, ever. Are you ready for this?  Really ready?

It's Dirt!

Well, clay actually, but dirt's dirt, right?

I read about clay's incredibly complex characteristics and uses over at A Real Food Lover and figured, "what the clay"!  [my mom thinks I'm funny. I swear.]  I've had skin issues since Little Bear was born, so I figured I'd add it to the list of supposed magical remedies and get to trying it eventually.

I found it in a grocery store for just 7 bucks, so I thought Mom and I could try it out. Oh Em Gee!  (ordinarily I hate that phrase, but it seems very fitting here...)

Not only did it extract all the ickies from my pores, both clogged and not, but it also closed my gaping pores up without a trace of Little Bear left on my face! My mom likened it to a microdermabrasion, but I never cared for them and I LOVED this.

I'd definitely say that this is something to move to the top of your "to try" list, especially with a price tag of around 7 bucks or less (usually less than $6 on Amazon)!

Where to find it?  You should be able to pick a jar of clay up at a health food store, a natural health store, or even online. I've been using this brand, but any clay powder should work relatively similarly.  I wouldn't get hung up on the "type" of clay or the brand (e.g., bentonite v. kaolin). Dirt's dirt, right?

The How's and the To's  The process is a little messy, but the procedure is super easy.

1. Mix equal parts of clay powder with equal parts water (or for really deep cleaning, use raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar). Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes.
2. Once most of the lumps can be stirred out of the mixture, apply liberally to your face. You will want to really cake it on - a minimum  of 1/4-inch thick. You'll probably feel like the swamp thing, but this can be used to your advantage [think about how many veggies your little ones will eat while the swamp thing is watching them, or how much more willing your loud neighbor will be to turn their d**n music down when the crazy swamp thing lady next door asks them].
3. Cover your face with a damp cloth (or plastic wrap, if you're desperate - don't suffocate!).
4. Let the mask set for 20 minutes to an hour.  
5. Use a wash cloth to remove the mask, and wash your face well.
6. Dry, tone and moisturize your skin. DONE!

Notable Notes  A few things to keep in mind:

You're not supposed to let the mixture come in contact with anything metal, including the mixing spoon and bowl, but if you're having trouble mixing the paste, the mini food processor is really helpful! Otherwise, make sure to use glass, ceramic, or plastic for mixing and applying.

If you don't have time to sit still long enough to cover your face with a damp cloth, you can let the mask dry without a cover. From what I've read, the cloth helps the mask be more effective, but I've had good results without a cloth, too.

You will most likely feel your face pulsate a few minutes after application. This is normal (and really cool). I think it has something to do with drawing your blood to the surface and helping to detox.


Once you've removed the mask, your black heads will be all loosened up and a pore strip will be super effective.  I read a review on Amazon to this effect, so I tried it. SUPER CLEAN SKIN!

In addition to your face, try using the mask on your feet (especially the bottoms of your feet). Your feet are a major "port of detox" for your body, so a good foot detox really helps to detox your whole body.

You can make the clay mixture thicker and use it to pull out infection or other skin maladies just about anywhere on your body. I used it to cure a little hangnail infection (darn those suckers are annoying) in just two one-hour applications. The clay actually drew out all of the nasty infection stuff (let's just say it was really gross when I removed the clay...) and made the infection go away all together. It's also wonderful for pulling the poison out of insect bites (fire ants!). I saved Little Bear from a nasty slew of itchy ant bites by caking on the clay and wrapping his ant-bite-ridden feet in plastic bags for 45 minutes. They never even made him itch!

There are a ton of other uses for clay, but I haven't had a chance to try them out. If you're interested, I highly recommend checking out my inspiration for this post over at A Real Food Lover!