Day 7: Making Masques with White Kaolin Clay

12 days of Christmas Crafting: Creating Aromatic Gifts with Essential Oils

Day 7:  Making Masques with White Kaolin Clay

We brought in a small amount of White Kaolin Clay thinking perhaps you would enjoy creating skincare masques with it.  If you haven’t worked with clays before, it comes in powdered form, and you may mix it with hydrosols, teas, apple cider vinegar, or water to dissolve it for use.  Don’t let that frighten you away from experimentation!  This clay is amazing.  I combined it with distilled water and deactivated charcoal to form a drawing salve when I got a deep splinter in my finger a few months ago.  A bit messy but it worked better than anything I tried, the charcoal being the messiest part. 

For centuries individuals have used Kaolin Clay to make poultices and as part of skin care regimes. White Kaolin clay is considered quite mild and suitable for most skin types, including sensitive skin. Rich in minerals, it is said to increase circulation while removing dirt and dead skin cells, calming inflammation as it soothes the skin, and absorbs any excess oil.  Kaolin clay is rich in minerals, nourishing and refreshing. Facial masque is probably the most common use, but you may also use it on your neck, hands, arms, and feet.  It is at the least, temporarily firming. 

Note:  According to Laraine Kyle Pounds of the Institute of Integrative Aromatherapy, it is best to mix clay in glass or ceramic, not metal, as it may react with other metals.  (Applies to spoons and utensils, no metal) Another tip she offers is to never let the clay masque fully dry but to mist or spritz with hydrosols or mineral water throughout the application. 

All skin is not created equal.  If you have sensitive or very dry skin, no more than 5 minutes is recommended in the masque.  For normal skin 10-15 minutes, and oily skin anywhere from 15-20 minutes will suffice.  Basic external uses include:  Facials and masques, body wraps, salves or poultices, and baths or spa treatment. 

For skincare, we’re sharing a variety of recipes collected from various sources over the years.

Rejuvenating Mature Skin Masque

1 tablespoon Kaolin (White) Clay

3 drops Seabuckthorn Co2

½ teaspoon Vegetable Glycerin

2 tablespoons Neroli hydrosol

1 drop Neroli essential oil

1 drop Frankincense oil

Blend well, add more hydrosol if needed.  You want it not to thin and runny or too thick and chunky.  Should be able to spread easily on face.  Mist every 5 minutes or so with hydrosol to keep clay damp/moist.  Wash in warm or tepid water to remove from skin.

This recipe is adaptable to other skin types.  Substitute Manuka or Rose Geranium for Frankincense. 

Deep Cleansing Masque

2 drops each geranium and lavender oil, 1 drop lemon oil in 30ml (1fl oz/6tsp) hot water, mixed with enough kaolin clay to make a smooth paste.

Detox Masque

1 drop Pink Grapefruit, 1 drop Lemon oil, 1 drop Juniper oil, 1 drop Rosemary Verbenon, local honey, Monarda hydrosol, enough again, for a smooth paste with the clay.

 Skin Firming

1 tablespoon Kaolin Clay

½ teaspoon either Hazelnut or Grapeseed Oils

2 tablespoons Grapefruit, Geranium, Rose, Peppermint or Clary Sage Hydrosols (one)

3 drops Helichrysum

2 drops Cedarwood

Water as needed (or increase hydrosols)

Adaptation of Donna Maria’s lip soother masque (for dry chapped lips)

4 teaspoons kaolin clay

1 teaspoon avocado oil

1 teaspoon local honey

1 tablespoon Rose or Neroli hydrosol

We’re offering a 4 oz jar/Net Wt. 1.5 oz of White Kaolin Clay in limited quantities and at a special price through October 12^th.  To go along with the clay, we are also discounting our 1 oz atomizer bottles.  Buy a regular 4 oz sized hydrosol and pour it into 1 oz ready-made spritzers/misters for the clay. Save 20% on our one ounce atomizer bottles and on the 4 ounce hydrosols mentioned in this blog post (Clary Sage, Geranium, Peppermint, Monarda, Neroli and Rose.) Enter the promo code  craft7 at checkout, press apply, and you'll see the discount reflected online.

More tomorrow as we continue our 12 days of Christmas Crafting for Aromatherapy!

Day 6: Hanging Diffusers/Little Clay Pots

12 days of Christmas Crafting: Creating Aromatic Gifts with Essential Oils

Day 6:  Hanging Diffusers/Little Clay Pots

Admittedly our little clay pot hanging diffusers are not for therapeutic use but they do bring joy to my heart in little increments throughout the day in my home.  I stash one in the closet doused in Spike Lavender to keep away moths; another is a staple in my laundry room near the dirty clothes, usually filled with Lemon Myrtle or Lemon Rind; yet another hangs near my trash can in the kitchen with spicy Cinnamon type oils; and how could I stand the doggy potty pad disposal area (think dirty diapers!) without Fresh Aire in a clay pot diffuser? 

I cringe every single time I see commercials in print or on television for those synthetic laden scent plug thingy’s (not mentioning the brands but you KNOW what I am saying!).  I’ve gone into some homes where the fake stuff just overwhelms me.  Ugh.  Clay diffusers are not obnoxious, in fact, they are quite cute, and come in several varieties:  Terra Cotta, Glazed White, and Glazed Colors.  I re-douse mine every couple of weeks but you could go several months without freshening them up. 

Oils can be poured inside and a little cork top caps the top.  Each has a little satin ribbon for hanging purposes.  I also disperse drops of oil on the outside (not on the one in the closet) for a stronger scent.  Clay diffusers are very resilient and long lasting.  I’ve never managed to even break one, although I am assuming it is possible.  

I think a nice gift would be clay pot diffusers with a bottle of Holiday Joy Synergy or favorite oil.  Marge has a really neat trick for the holidays: she fills her clay pot diffusers with her favorite Christmas Conifer, Balsam Fir, and hides it within her artificial Christmas tree to enjoy its aroma, reminiscent of her childhood Christmases in New England!  Other Conifers are also great:  White Fir essential oil for our friends in the Southwest and West; Black Spruce for Northeasterner’s, Scotch Pine in the South or a combination. 

These hardy little clay jug diffusers come in a variety of colors (sorry we pick the colors!) including: blue, pink, light green, peach, yellow, lavender, and speckled, as well as the standard Terra Cotta and the White Glazed. From today until October 12th, save 20% on our clay pots and on our Holiday Joy synergy. Simply enter the promotional code craft6 at checkout and press apply. You'll see the discount reflected on screen.

Tomorrow more aromatic Christmas crafting ideas as I share recipes for clay facial masques and introduce a product we are offering for a limited time.