Have you been cheated again? The volcanic mud cleansing mask has nothing to do with "volcanic mud"

I believe many people have seen or used products such as volcanic ash facial cleansers and volcanic mud masks. Are volcanic ash and volcanic mud really taken from natural volcanoes? In the publicity, these products claim to have better adsorption and cleaning effects. Is this really the case?

"Volcanic Mud" Cleansing Products

Source: A shopping website

1

What are the volcanic ash and volcanic mud in skin care products?

When we are troubled by acne and oily skin, the skin care products pushed to us by shopping apps always have keywords such as "volcanic ash", "volcanic mud" and "deep cleansing". In advertisements, we are often told that volcanic mud has a high cleaning power and can absorb deep dirt on the face. However, a careful observation of the ingredient list of skin care products will reveal that the only things related to "volcanic mud" are kaolin and perlite .

Report on the ingredients of a certain brand of volcanic mud facial cleanser

Source: A shopping website

Kaolin is a clay mineral with a wide range of sources. It is mostly formed by weathering of silicate minerals, not real "volcanic mud". Moreover, kaolin is ubiquitous in people's lives. It is not only a ceramic raw material and papermaking material, but also contains kaolin in daily necessities such as plastics, cosmetics, and soaps.

Kaolin

Source｜Kain Chemical

When it is used in washing and skin care products, its function is reflected in its excellent water absorption. By absorbing the water in the skin care products, the products are more like "mud". As a good water-absorbing material, kaolin is often used in the research and development of water-absorbing resins, but when it comes to its effectiveness in beauty, skin care and cleansing, I am afraid it is not ranked first.

Another ingredient, perlite, does come from volcanoes in terms of its origin. Perlite is a glassy rock formed by the rapid cooling of acidic lava after volcanic eruptions. The uses of perlite are actually far more than just skin care products. It has the characteristics of fire resistance, sound absorption, and stable properties, so it can be used to make insulation boards and sound insulation boards, and can also be used in the gardening industry and the chemical industry.

Perlite powder

Source: Zhihu

When perlite is used in skin care products, its fine porous structure gives it good adsorption capacity, which can absorb excess oil in the skin and purify pores. In addition, perlite powder is also an abrasive that can be used to remove excess keratin.

In addition to the above two ingredients, "volcanic mud" in skin care products also includes montmorillonite, calcite, etc. But in terms of their effects, they are actually similar. Moreover, the main reason why the "volcanic mud" series of skin care products has a significant cleaning effect is the addition of soap bases and other ingredients . As for the role of "volcanic mud", it is still unclear.

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The real effect of natural volcanic mud

Although the core cleansing effect of "volcanic mud" skin care products does not lie in the "mud" inside, it cannot be denied that volcanic mud does have a certain effect on skin care.

Natural volcanic mud refers to a mixture of volcanic ash, clay minerals and water deposited in hot springs or volcanic lakes in volcanic areas. Hainan, Heilongjiang and other places in my country have a lot of natural volcanic mud.

Volcanic Mud

Source: Sohu

The pH value of natural volcanic mud is suitable for human skin. It is rich in various trace elements and organic acids and has very high medical and health value. These trace elements include: zinc - enhances the regeneration ability of skin tissue, copper - balances pigmentation disorders, selenium - improves skin sensitivity...

Composition of volcanic mud

Source: "Chinese Mud Therapy: Beauty"

Moreover, the proportion of trace elements in natural volcanic mud is very similar to that in the human body, which is very beneficial for human body absorption and is also very effective in treating skin diseases and allergic diseases such as alopecia areata, hair loss, chronic rheumatic arthritis, psoriasis, etc. In addition, volcanic mud particles have a large specific surface area and the viscosity of clay, which makes it easier for them to penetrate deep into the skin for deep cleaning and absorb dirt deep in the skin.

Source: pexels

Nowadays, pure natural volcanic mineral mud is made into skin care products and is now available on the market, such as mineral mud cleansing mud mask, mineral mud lotion and other products. However, the various "volcanic mud" skin care products on the market may not really contain volcanic mineral mud. Be sure to keep your eyes open when purchasing and using them!