Soul Sunday is a group activity that we practice in my private & free Facebook community This week, my Soul Sunday plan involves a homemade face mask.
Soul Sunday is a reminder to all of us busy people, to take the time to nourish our soul as much as we focus on nourishing our body.
Mind and Body Connection
Our soul is the chief commander of our mind which drives the production of thoughts that will then direct our choices. One could say that we must care for our soul with even more passion than we do for our physical body.
Our ability to connect our mind and body is the path for us to live our dream life. Our mind is what directs our unconscious choices and our habits. If you want to change your relationship to food permanently, work on your mind as much as you do to change your nutrition.
Quieting our mind begins with making the time to be alone and quiet. Soul Sunday is just that… a time each week to be with yourself, be quiet, rest and breath.
My Soul Sunday last week included a facial which I hadn’t done in months. I had a jar of bentonite clay left over from a candida cleanse. Knowing that it is beneficial for cleansing skin as well, I used it as a homemade face mask. It was an amazing treat for my soul and skin!
What is Bentonite Clay?
According to Mountain Rose Herbs:
“Bentonite, also referred to as Montmorillonite, is one of the most effective and powerful healing clays. Bentonite can be used externally as a clay poultice, mud pack or in the bath and in skin care recipes. A good quality Bentonite should be a grey/cream color and anything bordering “pure white” is suspect. It has a very fine, velveteen feel and is odorless and non-staining. The type of bentonite offered by Mountain Rose Herbs is a Sodium Bentonite.”
Bentonite Clay is a unique clay due to its ability to produce an “electrical charge” when hydrated. Upon contact with fluid, its electrical components change, giving it the ability to absorb and remove toxins, heavy metals, impurities, and chemicals.
As Mountain Rose Herbs explains:
“Bentonite is a swelling clay. When it becomes mixed with water, it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge. From here the toxins are drawn into the sponge through electrical attraction and once there, they are bound.”
Bentonite clay carries a strong negative charge which bonds to the positive charge in many toxins. When it comes in contact with a toxin, chemical, or heavy metal, the clay will absorb the toxin and release its minerals for the body to use. Bentonite also helps get oxygen to cells as it pulls excess hydrogen and allows the cells to replace it with oxygen instead.
For this reason, do not let bentonite clay come in contact with any metal object. Use a glass jar or wooden bowl and use plastic utensils for mixing.
Different Uses of Bentonite Clay
Aside from being the chief ingredient of a homemade face mask, bentonite can be used for treating conditions such as yeast overgrowth. I have personally used bentonite clay in private practice for clients dealing with yeast overgrowth as a detox tool. Combined with medicinal herbs that reduce the overgrowth of yeast, the clay can pull out the “dead” yeast from the body. You can simply mix 1 tbsp of clay with filtered water and drink before bed. Do not take within an hour of food for best results and do not take within 2 hours of medications or supplements as it might reduce the effectiveness. Check with your health care practitioner before using it if you have any medical conditions.
I also recommend bentonite clay for a detox bath especially during any kind of gut healing protocol. You can add about 1/4 cup of Bentonite Clay to your bath water for a relaxing detox bath that also softens your skin.
Benefits of a Bentonite Facial Mask
There are a lot of benefits to applying a homemade bentonite clay mask. Here are a few:
•Heals and regenerates skin tissue
•Draws out toxins
•Treats acne (prevents breakouts and helps clear up acne)
•Unclogs and shrinks pores
•Prevents blackheads
•Reduces the appearance of scars
•Excellent natural exfoliator
•Evens out skin tone
•Leaves skin feeling softer
•Leaves your face glowing!
Homemade Face Mask Recipe
I recommend using a bentonite clay mask once a week at first. See how your skin reacts and if it works for you. Some people chose to use it daily as well. It is quite a powerful natural mask so you may need to work your way up to using it.
•1 teaspoon Bentonite Clay
•1 teaspoon water or Apple Cider Vinegar
•Optional: a cup or bowl and a spoon to mix them
*If you use a spoon to mix them, make sure it isn’t metal because this causes metals to leach from the spoon into the clay, making the clay less effective.
Instructions:
- Take 1 teaspoon of the bentonite clay powder and 1 teaspoon of water or apple cider vinegar (ACV) and put it the palm of your hand. Mix with your fingers. Note: You can use water or ACV as a liquid for the mask. The ACV tends to make the mask a little more powerful/harsh on your skin so if you have sensitive skin, you may want to use water (which is what I use).
- Mix the two ingredients well until it forms a paste. You can add a little more water or a little more powder if the consistency doesn’t seem like it will easily spread on your face.
- Apply the bentonite clay mask to your face using your fingers.
- Leave the mask on for about 20 to 30 minutes. As the mask dries, your face will start to feel tight.
- Rinse off the mask using just water.
After you rinse the mask off, your skin may look a little pink for a few minutes. This usually happens to everyone after using the homemade face mask because the clay increases blood flow to your face as it pulls out toxins.
Question: Have you used bentonite clay before? Share your results and your recipe.