The Benefits of Rhassoul Clay
Wellness experts have long hailed Argan oil as Morocco’s “secret” ingredient to beauty. However, there’s another cosmetic that the people of Morocco have used for centuries as a natural wellness product – rhassoul clay.
But what exactly is rhassoul clay?
What is Rhassoul Clay? It’s History & Origins
The name “Rhassoul” is derived from the Arabic word “Rassala”, which means “to wash”. The people of Morocco have used Rhassoul Clay since the eighth century to cleanse their skin and keep it radiant.
Rhassoul clay is mined from the Atlas Mountains, where millions of years of geothermal and volcanic activity have formed ghassoulite, the mineral deposit that makes up Rhassoul. It is a difficult compound to mine hence the reason why it’s not widely available. Nevertheless, ghassoul was used for centuries in Rome and Egypt.
Ghassoulite is a mixture of extremely fine-grained stevensite with minor dolomite and quartz. There are only two active ghassoul deposits on Earth, both of which border the middle Atlas chain in the Moulouya’s valley, 200 km from the city of Fez.
The Nutrient Profile of Rhassoul Clay
Rhassoul Clay is rich in essential nutrients and minerals, many of which contain healing properties for the skin. Cosmetic stores and departments do sell products formulated with these minerals, but the advantage of Rhassoul is that it contains them in an almost raw, unprocessed form.
This is beneficial because, in this state, the minerals are more readily absorbed by the body, providing more far-reaching results. With that said, let’s take a look at what minerals can be found in Rhassoul clay.
The Minerals in Rhassoul Clay
- Magnesium – Undoubtedly one of the most powerful minerals for our health, magnesium is required for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It regulates nerve and muscle function, stabilizes blood sugar levels and blood pressure, and assists in the production of bone, protein and DNA.
- Iron – Iron is a vital component of hemoglobin, the substance in your red blood cells that transport oxygen from your lungs throughout your body’s tissue. Many of us are familiar with iron for the wrong reason – a deficiency that makes one tired due to anemia.
- Lithium – The role of lithium is a little-understood one. Doctors use it to treat psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder.
- Silica – Widely used as a food additive, silica, like iron, carries oxygen (and other nutrients) throughout the body. It is also used as an excipient for prescription tablets and pills.
- Sodium – Sodium, which we mostly refer to as salt, is not all bad for you. It has many essential functions for the body and it’s problematic when you have too little (like it is if you have too much) in your body.
- Potassium – The role of potassium is two-faced – it’s both a mineral and an electrolyte. It helps your muscles function properly, including your heart and those responsible for breathing.
Rhassoul Clay Benefits for Health and Beauty
Magnesium indirectly improves your skin by stabilizing hormonal imbalances, cellular processes and cortisol – all of which directly affect your skin’s appearance. In fact, redness or rosacea can be improved with a dose of magnesium. This master mineral has also been found to improve an uneven skin tone. The beauty of magnesium, too, is that it can be absorbed through the skin relatively freely.
Silica, which has received some negative press for it’s associated cancer risk, actually has positive benefits for the body – including the skin. Silica is required for the body to produce collagen and is a natural anti-inflammatory. Adequate silica production helps to reverse collagen damage caused by free radicals, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Silica also bonds to protein molecules, which helps the skin to maintain its ability to hold water and hydrate itself.
Salt is highly underrated in its abilities to maintain skin health. Salt contains anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe your skin and reduce breakouts as well as irritation. It is also a natural exfoliant that removes dead skin and delivers a powerful antimicrobial punch. And if you want to get rid of puffy eyes, sodium is a natural remedy that will take care of that!
Rhassoul Clay Benefits You Must Experience for Yourself
- Potent detoxifier – The minerals in rhassoul clay makes it highly effective in removing bacteria and toxins from the skin. That’s why the use of a rhassoul clay mask helps to restore the face’s softness and tone.
- Natural cleanser – Rhassoul acts on the skin’s surface and removes excess dirt and sebum, allowing your pores to breathe. That means that you’ll see a reduction in acne, blackheads and pimples.
- Exfoliant and clarifier – The mineral composition of rhassoul clay helps to reduce skin dryness and improve skin clarity. It does this by removing layers of dead skin and unclogging the pores.
- Anti-ageing treatment – Ageing is inevitable. But the silica in rhassoul clay helps to stimulate collagen production, which reverses the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines caused by ageing.
- Shampoo substitute – Rhassoul clay benefits not only the skin but also the hair. Dandruff and dry scalp is a problem for many people, but the hydrating and exfoliating properties of rhassoul clay can keep those annoying flakes away.
As you can see, rhassoul clay is a multi-purpose skin treatment that can very well compete with the products in your bathroom cabinet! Best of all, rhassoul is natural and free of toxic chemicals that often go into mainstream cosmetic products.
Rhassoul Clay at Le Farnatchi Spa
If you’re planning to visit a hammam in Marrakech, you’ll have the opportunity to try a rhassoul clay for yourself. For example, we use rhassoul clay for our ILA treatment, combining it with kessa soap and argan seed scrub.
We then use the application over the whole body to detoxify, hydrate and nourish the skin. An application of the treatment will rejuvenate your skin from head to toe, restoring its natural glow and clarity.
Get in touch with us for more information on our ILA Treatments, Rhassoul Clay and other modalities!