French Green Clay is a natural exfoliant that helps remove dead skin cells and helps remove impurities from skin.
It helps to stimulate cell regeneration and leave skin looking clearer! It is a common ingredient in many skincare products that aim to reduce oil production and help clear skin.
This clay is fairly gentle on skin and can be used to help soothe skin and reduce blemishes.
Keep reading to learn about all of the French Green Clay benefits for your skin!

French Green Clay Quick Facts:
French Green Clay Scientific Name: |
Illite |
French Green Clay is Extracted from: |
French Green Clay is mined in France, China, North America, and Europe. |
French Green Clay INCI: |
Illite |
French Green Clay COSING Number: |
34759 |
Recommended for: |
French Green Clay is very absorbent and is recommended for people with normal to oily skin. |
French Green Clay Absorption: |
French Green Clay can absorb almost its weight in water making it a rather absorbent clay. |
French Green Clay Composition:
French Green Clay is made up of: montmorillonite, as well as dolomite, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc , aluminum, silicon, copper, selenium , and cobalt.

What is French Green Clay?
French Green Clay is a clay that is made up of iron oxides, kelp, and other decomposed plant matter. It is minced, dried, and then crushed into a fine powder for use in many cosmetics and can even be consumed.
It is often used in masks and scrubs that aim to reduce blemishes and clear skin.
French Green Clay can absorb almost its weight in water and is used to help reduce oiliness.
French Green Clay Benefits for Skin
French Green Clay has a myriad of benefits for skin and acts as a gentle exfoliant, helping to remove dead skin cells, dirt, and grime This helps combat breakouts and blemishes by keeping skin and pores cleaner.
French Green Clay benefits include:
- Soothes and helps reduce irritation
- Detoxifies skin without overly drying
- Absorbs excess oils and reduces oil production for clearer skin
- Firms and smoothes skin
French Green Clay is full of minerals that are beneficial to skin, this means that it helps to deliver nutrients to skin to help keep it healthy and happy.
Popular French Green Clay Uses for Skin
Many people use French Green Clay in products such as masks to help pull impurities from skin and tighten pores. You can buy masks already made or mix your clay with a liquid!
French Green Clay can also be used in scrubs to help exfoliate skin. It can also be used in makeup as well to help keep your skin from becoming oily throughout the day!
French Green Clay Substitutes
If you are looking to find a substitute for French Green Clay, you’ll want a clay that is absorbent but not too absorbent.
There are a variety of clays out there with a lot of difference in absorbency. If you use a clay that is overly absorbent then you could end up with dry, irritated skin!
One amazing option would be Kaolin Clay, it is a different class of clay but it can absorb a little over half of its weight in water.
While it isn’t as absorbent as French Green Clay, it still helps reduce oiliness and rids skin of impurities. It also delivers several vitamins and minerals to skin!
Another great option is Rhassoul Clay. Also known as Moroccan Red Clay, this clay can absorb one and a half times its weight in water making it more absorbent than French Green Clay.
If you are using this clay in your own DIY recipes be sure that you account for this extra absorbency!
Warnings/Contraindications for French Green Clay
French Green Clay is generally regarded as safe to use; if you struggle with skin that is dry and flaky then you may want to try a less absorbent clay. It is also important to perform a patch test prior to using any new products!
Where to Buy French Green Clay
MB Herbals French Green Clay | Amazon
Get your French Green Clay fast on Amazon!
French Green Clay | Mountain Rose Herbs (US)
Mountain Rose Herbs is committed to putting people, plants, and planet before profit with everything they do. They are committed to sustainability, and a certified Zero Waste company. They currently only offer shipping to the United States & Canada. (Use Code: SIMPLEPURE15 to save 15% of all regular priced items!)
French Clay | New Directions Aromatics (CA)
New Directions Aromatics is a Canadian based company offering a wide variety of skincare and formulating supplies. They also offer a variety of Organic, Fair Trade & Ecocert Ingredients. They ship mainly to Canada & the US, but do offer International Shipping as well.
French Green Clay | FNWL (US)
From Nature With Love proudly offers an inspiring range of premium quality certified organic, conventional and complementary personal care ingredients for use within skin care, hair care, aromatherapy, massage, spa, herbalism and soap making applications. They also offer a Rewards program that pays you back 10% in rewards on every order. From Nature With Love is a US based company that does offer International Shipping.
French Green Clay | Wholesale Supplies Plus (US)
Wholesale Supplies Plus offers a wide range of soap making & formulating supplies including bases, additives, carrier oils, fragrance & more. They are based in the US & while they do offer International shipping, they currently do not serve EU member states.
French Green Clay Skincare Recipes
Now that you've learned all the amazing benefits of French Green Clay, let's learn some skincare recipes that you can try!

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