Kaolin and river bed clay are common in Suparna Trikha Dewan’s earthy masks

So, you thought that Fuller’s earth was the last word in clay as a beauty-inducing mud? You couldn’t be farther from the truth. Here’s why: exotic clays doing the rounds have been dug up from the bottom of the Dead Sea, the mouth of the Amazon and even brought from the thermal springs in Hungary. Closer home, there’s Bastar mud which comes deep from the forests of Bastar in Chhattisgarh with its unique combination of minerals. Or river bed clay from mountainous streams from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and Kaolin or China Clay, that’s found in tropical forests around the world.

And all you have to do is to dip into a jar and smoothen it on. For, most of these exotic clays are now being packaged by leading cosmetic giants in ready-to-use portions. And with the monsoons bringing on oiliness and dull skin, a clay pack might be just what you need.

The beauty industry is crammed with brands that have clay as the engine fuelling their sales. There’s Seacret with its mineral-rich mud from the Dead Sea. This is no ordinary mud as it’s loaded with high concentrations of salts and minerals, particularly chlorides of magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium and bromine. Says Nitzan Kar, general manager sales & marketing, Talamela Retail LLP, which has brought the brand to India: “The minerals are useful for cleansing and softening the skin.’’

Kar adds that the Dead Sea mud is known to tighten, cleanse and invigorate the skin while it also helps improve and stimulate blood circulation.

Then there’s Kiehl’s Amazonian White Clay which is gathered in summer from Marajo Island in Brazil. This mud is nourished by leaves, fruits and seeds that sweep down the river Amazon from the rainforests.

Blossom Kochhar, chairperson, Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies, loves clays: “Clay has natural minerals and other ingredients that work wonders for the skin. Clay soothes the skin, takes away impurities, detoxifies it and lends it freshness.”

You will be quite spoilt for choice as far as the not-so-humble mud goes. Hungarian brand Eminence Organics has launched its professional range at some leading salons and spas throughout the country. Products like Hungarian Herbal Mud Treatment (Rs 4,095 for 250ml) and Herbal Clay Treatment (Rs 6,102 for 250ml) come with this thermal clay. Nupur Dawar, cosmetologist, Eminence, says: “The Hungarian Herbal Mud Treatment with paprika, cinnamon and sage suits all skin types and helps draw out impurities.” The Herbal Clay Treatment with honey, black elderflower and leaf, she says, reduces wrinkles.

Meanwhile, American brand Kiehl’s has four products on offer in its skin-tightening range which use the Amazonian White Clay. The Kiehl’s range includes its Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser, Pore Refining Tonic, Pore Minimizing Lotion and Pore Cleansing Masque (priced between Rs 1,290 and Rs 2,140). Says Anurag Tyagi, brand manager, Kiehl’s, India: “The Amazonian White Clay is helpful in minimising the pores in not only oily but also ageing skin.”

Seacret’s range, which uses the celebrated Dead Sea mud, is quite extensive. There’s the Mineral-rich Magnetic Mud Mask which is the most expensive at Rs 12,000, Mineral-Rich Clarifying Mud Mask, Mineral-Rich Hydrating Mud Shampoo, Mineral-Rich Body Mud and a Mud Soap, the cheapest at Rs 1,000.

Suparna Trikha Dewan, natural beauty expert, Graphiti columnist and director, Suparna Herbs India, does it a bit differently. She uses China Clay or Kaolin (a skin-tightening clay) and river bed clay that’s culled from natural springs and streams and combines them with her all-time favourite, Fuller’s earth.

A new clay doing the rounds is Bastar mud which along with Fuller’s earth and Kaolin, is a prime ingredient in the Nagpur-based natural cosmetic brand, Iraya. Says Priyanka Padole, product and technical consultant and trainer, Iraya: “Bastar mud — sourced from the forests of Chhattisgarh — tones and cleanses the skin and replenishes minerals which prevent fungal infections.” The other clay that Iraya uses is Kaolin which has proved helpful in sorting out skin infections and which boosts blood circulation. “It also relieves skin irritation and inflammation,” adds Padole.

Iraya’s Neem and Green Tea Pack is a hit with clay mask aficionados

Some of Iraya’s fast-sellers are Cocoa & Milk Mask, Orange & Walnut Purifying Mask and Neem and Green Tea Pack — all of which contain clays and other ingredients. And you can also treat yourself to Wildflower of Mountain, a full-body mud-pack. The Almond Honey and Rose Purifying Mud Mask contains just Kaolin mud while the Papaya Mask has Kaolin and Fuller’s earth.

The clays are also being paired with different powerful ingredients to add to their effectiveness. While Iraya mixes the clays with powdered pulses, fruit and flower extracts, Trikha Dewan blends clay with combinations of mint and clove, almond and sandal as well as honey and sandal. Suparna’s earth pack which uses Fuller’s earth and the river bed clay, nourishes the scalp.

Kiehl’s (SP) blends White Clay with several ingredients including Diatomaceous Earth that’s a natural skin-sloughing ingredient found in fresh and salt water as well as Bentonite, a clay which absorbs surface oil.

Your skin-care regimen just got a bit more exotic and back-to-nature.