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French green clay - anyone use it?

Thomas

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All right, I need some impartial opinions here. I've got a few trouble spots on my face that give me issues now and then , and I've read about using French Green Clay for use as a face mask. Before you guys give me crap about putting cotton balls between my painted toenails, I've heard this works reasonably well for guys who don't mind the Mommie Dearest look for half-an-hour or so.

But everyone who I've heard this from is trying to sell it. So impartiality is out the window with these folks. Is there anyone who's used this and had good results?
 

gnatty8

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Never used it myself, but pics when you do or you never did either..
devil.gif


When you say problem areas, do you mean areas where you break out?
 

Thomas

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Originally Posted by gnatty8
Never used it myself, but pics when you do or you never did either..
devil.gif


When you say problem areas, do you mean areas where you break out?


I'll have to find a wire hanger and curlers, not that I have enough hair to curl.
frown.gif
Pics may or may not be forthcoming although if the common sentiment is NO, then NO it shall be.

They're not so much proper break-outs but a couple of spots that flare up here and there, in addition to spotty oilyness. I'm tempted to find some salicyclic acid and see what that does
 

javyn

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I've used it....it dries me out WAY too much but my gf says its the best mask she's ever used hands down, and she used to model so...

I buy it for her from herbalcom.com, its pretty cheap like 5 bucks a pound.
 

Thomas

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Originally Posted by javyn
I've used it....it dries me out WAY too much but my gf says its the best mask she's ever used hands down, and she used to model so...

I buy it for her from herbalcom.com, its pretty cheap like 5 bucks a pound.


Cool, thanks for the tip - I was originally headed for QED or somethingmountainsomething.com. I'll probably dry out like a jerky then too. Maybe that will be good for me.
 

javyn

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French Green Clay isn't really recommended for people with dry skin. My gf's skin is a bit oily so it does very well for her, but I think if your skin is on the dry side you'd be better off with bentonite clay or none at all.

Before we ran out of it, I'd use the mask once a week. My face would be beet red like it's been sunburned the entire night, but it was pretty cool feeling my face 'shrink' by that hardcore mask.

Also, it works a bit better if you mix the clay with witch hazel rather than water, or even apple cider vinegar if you can stand the smell.
 

turboman808

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Not sure if this is what I use on a regular basis but I use some sort of clay and it is green.

I used it for years because it works. But only like once or twice a month. It does dry out your face pretty well but it gets those filthy oils out of your face and especially your nose.

Just looked at the bottle it says Mint Julep Mask.
 

javyn

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Likely bentonite turbo, check the ingredients.
 

Thomas

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Wait - this is the same Bentonite clay that gives shaving soaps their slip? Hmmm...
 

javyn

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Didn't know shaving soaps used that, but yeah bentonite is bentonite. Just about all drug store mud masks are bentonite. French green clay (not necessarily from France) is like bentonite but far more drying.
 

Thomas

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Well...I'm using the clay mask for the first time and it is tightening my face like a big dog. I can't move my face at all right now. Feels like being vacuum-packed.

Incidentally I got mine at mountainroseherbs, along with a pound of Kaolin and a pound of Bentonite. Pretty reasonable once you consider the shipping.
 

loiclac

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it is good to regulate sudation. I used it on my feet when a teenager and I stopped having smelly teenager feets.
 

youdee

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I would use something with both sulfur and kaolin for your face, it works better than french green clay. I have a skin care blog with loads of recs for blemish-prone skin at www.scform.blogspot.com...
 

TGPlastic

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I have used a bentonite clay mask that is available in many health food stores. The product is called Aztec Healing Clay or similar. Instructions are to mix with red apple cider vinegar. It's a heavy, stinky, powerful mask. You really feel your face pulsate as this stuff dries and hardens.

I have oily skin. It does really good things for me. Evens things out. I don't get redness or irritation.

Tips: get the dried mask off as gently as possible. Do not scrub this junk off of your face. It's just too abrasive. If you are concerned about irritation from too much acid, consider doing a half/half water/vinegar instead of vinegar only. After the mask your face will be a bit tender. Refrain from going right at it with soap or other products.

I've also had good results using this stuff on bee stings and other skin problems.
 

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