One of the most overlooked steps to pet skin care is the clay mask. Economical and easy to find, the clay mask is an important step in helping to balance the skin of an affected pet. There are so many different clays to choose from, there is bound to be one or two that play well with your water.
Clay is formed from volcanic rock, which are mineral in nature, and a source of water over time. It is not necessary to add any minerals to the clay as they are already mineralized. Oils such as argan, avocado and olive can be used to help the clay stick to the skin and coat, as the powdered clay can be silty in nature and without the oil, may fall off quite easily.
- French green or sea clay is the staple in my toolbox, along with Kaolin and Rhassoul. French green is easily obtained from cosmetic ingredient websites and is easily mixed at tub side when you need it. It is a medium to strong pulling clay that is used to detoxify the skin and hair on skin that is compromised. It comes in powder form that is mixed with water when ready to use.
- Kaolin clay is a very light and fluffy clay that pulls toxins very softly and is used when the skin is “open”, meaning scratches, rashes, lesions, or crust. Since it comes in a powder form, it takes a lot more kaolin clay than water to make a claylike mixture.
- Rhassoul is a Moroccan red clay that pulls toxins as well as leaving the hair very shiny and renewed. I use this for detoxification and for an add on beauty treatment on depleted coat.
There are many commercial clay preparations that are available, and you might even have a favorite. I do not recommend that clays be used for de-shedding, which can be addressed with conditioners instead.
It must be noted that any clay treatment belongs at the beginning of the bath regimen before the shampoo step. This way, any toxins and dirt that is pulled to the surface of the skin can then be washed away during the shampooing.
Remembering the “order of operations”, Detoxify, Cleanse, Hydrate, will help when making your product selections.
