ud may not be magnificent on the surface, but its

hidden properties have drawn beauty-seekers for

centuries. For example, its been said that Egyptians
used muds and clays more than 2,000 years ago to
keep their skin glowing.
Containing an abundance of minerals, nutrients
and additional benefits, these earthly elements are featured in
a variety of spa treatments ranging from detoxifying masks to
luxurious body wraps. These services can entice potential spa-
goers who are seeking help with skin challengesor those who
simply long for a relaxing escape.
Clients are attracted to muds and clays for their healing
benefits. They continue to be popular because they provide
therapy to the skin and also feel goodtwo important
components to a successful treatment, says Lisa M.
Crary, owner and CEO of Santas Skincare (sanitas-
skincare.com). Clients want products that
produce change in their skin, and muds and clays
accomplish that while also providing essential
minerals from the earth.
Read on to learn more about these
indulgent treatments and what they can
offer to your day spa clients. Whether
theyre drawing out impurities or
soothing skin irritation, muds and
clays provide a relaxing escape
from everyday stress. Well also
Mud and clay show you effective strategies
for introducing these
treatments services to your guests.

soothe and By Diane Donofrio

Angelucci
smooth skin
while offering
clients eco-

Earthly Delights
friendly benefits.

64 DAYSPA April 2010 Royalty Free/Corbis Reproduced with permission from DAYSPA magazine. 2010
by Creative Age Publications. All rights reserved.
[Earthly Delights]

Digging Down Moor mud, which typically comes from Europe

Muds and clays can detoxify, absorb excess oil, tone and northern Africa, nourishes and detoxifies with
and soothe, and seal in other products applied to decomposed plants.
the skin. Clay masks are good for someone who has Clays are also popular options for cleansing the Darphin
Bio Jouvance Purifying Aromatic
toxic skin or poor health habits, such as smoking or skin and promoting circulation. But because some Sea Clay Body Wrap,
eating a lot of fatty fast foods, says Linda Nelson, varieties are gentler than others, they can also be Clay Mask absorbs excess
which can be used at room oil with green clay and leaves
N.D., Ph.D., president of Mlis Company (mlis used for sensitive skin, according to Shelley Bawiec. temperature or warmer, the skin moisturized with
.com). Anyone who has large pores full of pollu- We cant make any specific claims about treating remineralizes, detoxifies, aloe vera and essential oils.
tion, such as blackheads and whiteheads, or any- a medical condition, but a lot of traditional uses tones and soothes the 866.880.4559, DermAware
thing thats the result of something internal such as of clays and muds can ease some skin problems B. Kamins, Chemist skin. 800.272.1716, darphin.com Healing Powers
acnewe use clay to draw out the infection. seborrhea, eczema, psoriasis and acne specifically, Bio-Maple Clear Control biojouvance.com Mask is ideal as a post-
Muds and clays are usually derived from sea, glacial says the director of spa sales and education for Aveda Purifying Masque deep- peel or resurfacing treatment.
or volcanic sources, and they often provide similar (aveda.com). For instance, bentonite clay is used to cleanses the skin to remove Ceramides aid with hydration
benefits. The primary difference between them is attract and draw out impurities from the skin. surface oils and prevent future while peptides calm and

Exploring
that they contain various quantities of trace miner- Clays are harvested all over the globe, Wallace breakouts. 888.BKAMINS, repair damaged tissue.
als due to their environment and their creation, Nelson says. French green clay was originally pro- bkamins.com 888.292.DERM,
dermaware.com
says Wallace Nelson, Ph.D., executive vice duced only in France, but similar types have been
president of Mlis. Therefore, although found in other locations. Other examples include

the
Clays are popular options for cleansing
Possibilities
Prana minence
SpaCeuticals Purifying Organic Skin Care
Day Lotion, with light Hungarian Herbal Mud

the skin and promoting circulation.

montomorillonite clay and Treatment is fortified with
bentonite, corrects oil imbalances. organic spices to stimulate
It also removes surface impurities, the skin. The minerals in
keeps pores clear and minimizes The latest mud and clay the active Hungarian mud
acne breakouts. 866.589.2949, detoxify. 888.747.6342,
pranaspaceuticals.com
products are formulated to eminenceorganics.com
muds and clays produce basically the Indian Fullers Earth, which is sourced only in mines
same effects, the distinction is in the types of in India, and most bentonite used in the United
offer a range of skin benefits.
minerals and nutrients each contains. Clay is mostly States comes from Montana and Wyoming.
composed of finely granulated minerals and made flex- Clays detoxify through their ability to remove PhyTomer
ible when water is added, but it hardens when theres substances suspended in liquid. Many industrial pol- Thermo-Reducing
none present. Its also drying to the skin. However, lutants that can negatively harm your body are held Clay, a self-heating product,
mud is comprised of a combination of clay with soil, in the skin and can be removed through the drying features an oxidoreduction Matis
process used in a contouring MenScience Paris Professional
silt and water. Several varieties contain a large per- action of the clay. The body has a difficult time
treatment series offered by the Androceuticals Remineralizing Face Mask
centage of clay while others have only a little. Some removing those types of toxins on its own, Wallace Facial Cleansing Mask
company. 800.227.8051, uses kaolin and Moroccan lava
muds can dry the skin, and others may hydrate. Nelson says. In addition, he says that minerals in incorporates clay with
Left: jupiterimages corporation; facing page: Hannah Ross

phytomerusa.com clay to balance levels of vital

Benefits do vary depending on the source. Mud clay hold an ionic charge, which can draw particles organic Japanese green minerals in facial skin.
from the Black Seawhich is located just north out of the skin. tea to purify and revitalize 877.MATIS.77,
of Turkey between Europe and Asiais more con- When muds and clays are used to detoxify, they the skin. 800.608.6367, c3spadistribution.com
centrated and darkly pigmented. This means that dry the treatment area as they extract impurities menscience.com
it contains high levels of iodine and salt, according and waste products. Therefore, its important to
to Sonia Boghosian, international educator for and feed and rehydrate the skin after using them,
CEO of Bio Jouvance (biojouvance.com). These are according to Linda Nelson. Being a holistic doc-
used therapeutically to not only detoxify, but also to tor, my whole philosophy is to heal. With the skin,
smooth and hydrate the skin. The Brittany Coast you need to do externally what you do internally,
of France is always foggy and cold. The plankton, she says. You need to detoxify, you need to feed
seaweed and sea minerals that you find in the mud and you need to hydrate.
coming from that area is different from the Black Sea Given the absorbent quality of muds and clays, its
or other locations, Boghosian says. For example, important to know their compositions. Spas should
story continued on page 69
sidebar continued
66 DAYSPA April 2010 Reproduced with permission from DAYSPA magazine. 2010 by Creative Age Publications. All rights reserved. on page 68
[Earthly Delights]
continued from page 67

continued from page 66

RAW Serious
Skin Care for Men Cacti
Mud Mask is a purifying,
hydrating and rejuvenating
treatment with an earthy
essence. It naturally exfoliates,
smoothes and softens the skin.
866.313.7546,
rawmethod.com
Repchage
Hydra Medic Sea Mud
Perfecting Mask deep-
cleanses pores and absorbs
oil with mineral-rich sea mud.
be careful about the sourcing of these products to
ensure that they dont contain impurities that can
seep into the skin. They might also contain some
heavy metals in the form of fine particulates that
could be inhaled, says Vivian Valenty, Ph.D., found-
Robanda
International Pore-
er of VB Cosmetics (vbcosmetics.com). Therefore,
Refining Mask helps she recommends that estheticians spritz water on
absorb impurities and excess muds or clays to keep them from drying completely.
oil, enabling pores to better That way, they can remove any masks or body wraps
hydrate, detoxify and purify. without creating airborne dust.
800.783.9969,
robanda.com New Trends and Ingredients
SAIAN Dead Due to the fact that muds and clays are mined from
Sea Mud provides the earth, they can be subject to the planets misfor-
the skin with nutrients tunes. Most of the time, clay isnt going to be tainted
by pollution or impurities due to its location in deep
lavender, which calms the skin and has soothing aro-
matic properties. Along those same lines, Jean Shea
has recently heard of facilities that add wine to muds
and clays for its antioxidant purposes. Given this
possibility, the CEO of Biotone (biotone.com) says
that spas may want to explore adding other healthy
ingredients, such as pomegranate juice.
Skincare manufacturers do the same thing by
combining their mud- and clay-based products
with ingredients that directly tackle specific prob-
lems. A blend of kaolin clay, a white variety that
heals and detoxifies, with mineral-rich bentonite
and Redmond claywhich is oil-absorbing and
anti-inflammatorymakes an effective treatment
for blemished skin, according to Santas Crary.
Such a mixture can also be fortified with salicylic

Exploring
This reduces oily shine without straight from the shores of
drying and prevents future this mineral-rich body of underground veins. Any contamination will occur acid to absorb sebum, diminish acne, tighten pores
breakouts. 800.248.SKIN, water. 800.291.1130, after mining and during processing, Mlis Wallace and eliminate excess keratin, as well as tea tree oil
repechage.com saian.net Nelson says. Pollution is of much greater concern (which kills bacteria and promotes healing) and a
with muds, as theyre most often harvested on the blend of medicinal herbs (such as rosemary) to

the
Possibilities
surface. Marine varieties, in particular, are easily act as free-radical scavengers.

um Gourmet
Skincare Red Earth
Santas
Skincare Tea Tree
You need to detoxify, you need to
feed and you need to hydrate.
Mineral Masque works on Mask absorbs sebum,
acneic skin by drawing out eliminates blemishes and
impurities from facial pores, and tightens pores. Its ideal as a
enhances tone with pineapple and spot treatment or weekly
papaya enzymes. mask. 888.855.8425,
877.YUMLINE, sanitas-skincare.com
yumskincare.com Skin 2 Skin affected by pollutants washing downstream into lakes Marine algae extracts can also be com-
Care White Tea Anti- and oceans. Therefore, the areas being developed for bined with mud to deliver essential minerals to the
Yon-Ka Aging Clay Mask cleans harvesting muds are remote, such as new sources in skin that clients may not receive on land, according
Masque 103, a triple- and gently exfoliates while South America and Alaska, he says. to VB Cosmetics Valenty. The modern Western
clay mask, cleanses and removing harmful toxins. It He expects to see more manufacturers combining diet is deficient in magnesium, calcium and zinc,
refines the texture of delicate also diminishes the effects of sources of muds and clays rather than simply rely- she says. Clay used for spa treatments may contain
skin, tightens the pores, and acne, eczema and severe ing on one variety. For example, were going to see one or more of these nutrients, while marine algae is
eliminates excessive fluids dryness. 877.754.6790, more blends of volcanic and glacial or marine clays rich in all of themas well as iodine, iron, potassium,
and toxins. 800.533.6276, skin2skincare.com
yonkausa.com to flesh out the profile of all of the nutrients pres- phosphorus, zinc, and the trace minerals copper, man-
ent, Wallace Nelson says. He adds that theres a lot ganese, boron, selenium, strontium and vanadium.
of crossover in the primary action of muds and clays,
so treatments can be specialized by including other Offering Mud and Clay Services
ingredients. By adding in essential oils, we can then While treatments that incorporate muds and clays
increase and tailor the services, he says. So not have been around for centuries, there are still mul-
only is the product actually moisturizing the skin as titudes of new ways in which spas can offer them to
its working, but were able to also calm or invigorate clients. These include options that take the current
istockphoto.com

it as well. push toward greener technologies into greater con-

Those oils that are typically mixed with muds and sideration.
clays for body treatments include rose oil to hydrate; Many spas incorporate clay and mud treatments
orange blossom to detoxify; mint to invigorate; and with steam showers, Vichy showers and soaking tubs.

68 DAYSPA April 2010 Reproduced with permission from DAYSPA magazine. 2010 by Creative Age Publications. All rights reserved. April 2010 dayspamagazine.com 69
[Earthly Delights]
Incorporate ingredients that
make your treatments individual.
Clays are quite conducive to those types
of therapies, Crary says. Our customers
indicate an increased use of clay treatments in tra-
ditional services such as facials and body wraps, and
they report great results.
However, Boghosian believes this equipment
isnt necessary when offering mud and clay treat-
ments. With todays technology, as well as the ways
in which the products are refined and mixed with
essential oils or plant extracts, muds and clays can
come off easily with towels, she says. Therefore, she
explains that these kinds of services, especially those
that use essential oils, can be offered by making a
small investment.
Moreover, Avedas Bawiec says she believes that
more day spas in the United States are removing
their hydrotherapy treatment rooms. These services
70 DAYSPA April 2010
smaller mud and clay services.
These treatments also have the
pampered their skin with muds and
clays, the popularity of these ancient
benefits that these treatments offer.
potential to attract male clients, beauty agents has endured. Entice Diane Donofrio Angelucci is a
tend to account for a small percentage of their busi- mostly due to their no-fuss scents your clients to soothe, heal and freelance writer based in southern
ness and consume large amounts of water. For these and colors. Men love clay masks, smooth their skin by exploring the New Jersey.
facilities, she says that muds and clays can be used Linda Nelson says. Their skin usu-
more successfully for limited, targeted treatments, ally hasnt been cared for as well as
such as facial, foot or back services. womens has, so clay works well for
In a similar way, muds and clays can also be them. In addition, she offers a holis-
utilized as add-on treatments for a variety of other tic facelift program for clients in
menu options. A clay mask is something that you which they receive a series of healing
can add on to almost anything youre doing in the and cleansing masks that use muds
spa, Linda Nelson says. and clays over several weeks.
For example, during a reflexology treatment, Shea also suggests expanding
a paraffin service on the hands or feet, or a head the treatment concept by creating a
massage, a client may enjoy a clay facial mask. Or relaxing atmosphere for application
istockphoto.com
an esthetician can provide a mud treatment to the and setting the scene with essential
hands or feet while the client receives another oils. Think outside the box when
service. Biotones Shea suggests giving away one offering a mud or clay treatment,
of these treatments for free as a way to promote Shea says. Incorporate ingredients
that make your treatments individ-
ual, and expand them to be relaxing
and aromatic as well.
Some spa facilities have truly
personalized the mud-and-clay expe-
rience by making it DIY. Mud bars
and even mud roomsare gaining
popularity across North America.
They allow a guest to sample and
sniff the varieties available, select
a concoction thats customized for
her, and then head for a private area
where she can apply the product on
herself or to a partner as part of a
couples treatment. Its self-service,
but we provide instruction on apply-
ing the muds to the face and body,
says Victoria Baker, spa director of
SkinSpa (skinspa.com) in Encino,
California. Afterward, couples
can shower in their cabana, or our
Niagara water room. Other facili-
ties give clients the option to sit in a
dry sauna or steam room to enhance
the qualities of the treatment. (To
read more about services such as
these, check out Spa Hopping on
page 20.)
Although more than two mil-
lennia have passed since Egyptians
Reproduced with permission from DAYSPA magazine. 2010 by Creative Age Publications. All rights reserved. April 2010 dayspamagazine.com 71