Bentonite Clay is volcanic material that’s been weathered over hundreds of thousands of years’ exposure to the elements…until it’s reduced to a fine dust.
The Bentonite Clay we use is mined in the Western United States. It’s found in great abundance in lovely and rugged locales of Montana, Idaho and Utah.
Consistency-wise, this clay is very soft, not abrasive.
Our clay is a sodium bentonite, so it is naturally absorbent, which is a benefit when it comes to our Good Clean Mud hand cleanser, Hose Off Body Wash and Bar None Soap Brick because it wicks dirt and grime away from the skin, absorbing grime like a sponge.
But the bentonite clay we use in our products also has characteristics of calcium bentonite, so the clay is also “adsorbent,” which means that when it’s combined with other ingredients, it draws them in and holds them close. In the case of essential oils combined with clay, the oils form a film over the clay molecules. In this way, the clay acts like a progressive time-release delivery system, so the beneficial oils have time to do their good work. That's what makes bentonite clay such a key ingredient in our balms for hands, sore muscles and feet.
Evidence suggests that clay is one of the earliest forms of healing, commonly used in mudpacks and poultices long before recorded human history. Clay minerals have been studied for their natural antibacterial properties. And Bentonite Clay has been studied for its natural wound healing properties for army field dressings.
