Wonder Wednesday 119: Making Mud Day Masks!
International Mud Day!
That's right! This year it's Wonder Wednesday and Mud Day all wrapped up into one fun summer day! Mud Day is a real thing, I promise it's not just me trying to trick you into getting dirty!
The original Mud Day began in 2009 with a collaboration between 2 members of children's advocacy organization Nature Action Collaborative for Children, one from Nepal and one from Australia. From mud pies to mud slides, since that day, the joy of children playing in nature via mud has been celebrated around the globe every June 29. That sounds like a good holiday to me!
It's been a couple years since we've celebrated Mud Day here on the blog, and I'm happy to be back at it!
I was an avid mud pie maker as a young child and my sleep away summer camp's super special activity was a real natural Virginia clay mud mudslide - built into the side of a hill and next to a safe swimmable lake. I realize now how lucky I was to be gifted so much free play in (safe clean) mud as a child.
A mud mask may not be a head to toe mud experience, but it does offer sensorial mud play experiences to those not near clean mud and to those with just a few minutes to spare for mud on Mud Day - or any day!
So let's get muddy!
Wonder Wednesday 119:
Mud Day Mud Masks!
This mud mask mix can be made to be used right away, or if you want to make up a batch to have on hand, just only add the dry ingredients and keep the mix in a tightly sealed jar. Then, just add the liquids when you want a little mud break.
This recipe is more by ratio than exact measurement - it's just mud after all, not baking! So just make sure you use the same spoon to measure out your ingredients. The spoon I used is about the equivalent of a teaspoon.
This recipe makes enough mud for about 4 faces, give or take.
Herbal Additions
The herbs you choose for your mask could be from your own garden, your spice rack, tea cabinet, or the grocery store. Just make sure they are organically grown and that you aren't allergic to them.
I like to use dry or fresh culinary herbs because they are so aromatic. Rosemary, lavender, or chamomile are gentle herbs to start with, or try peppermint if you aren't sensitive to it's minty freshness!
Oil or No Oil?
If you tend to have dry skin, or it is winter time when you make a mud mask, add a spoonful of an organic oil to moisturize, such as coconut, olive, (untoasted) sesame, or even vitamin E oil.
Be sure to always use organically grown oil because toxins and pesticides are often stored in fat and we don't want to add toxins to our face while we are detoxing!
Materials
- Mud! Find high quality dried powder clays and muds at your local natural foods store. I used Aztec Mud, but there are many other healthy exfoliating muds such as bentonite.
- Himalayan pink salt
- Organic chamomile tea
- Organically grown herbs of your choice. I use lavender and chamomile in this mix.
- A spoon
- A dish
Optional:
- Essential oil - These oils can be powerful so be sure you don't have a sensitivity to the oil/s you choose, and only add 1-2 drops to your mix.
- Oils - if you normally have more dry skin or it's winter add organic oil.
- Rose water - This is for a refreshing splash at the end once your mud is washed off. It's the (optional) icing on the cake! Find this at natural food stores and Middle Eastern Markets.
Preparation
- Prepare any herbs by removing flowers or leaves off the stems and/or breaking them into smaller pieces
- Brew a cup of chamomile tea and let it cool to warm or room temperature.
Procedure
Add 3 heaping spoonfuls of dry mud/clay powder to your dish
Add 1 spoonful each of your herbs dry or fresh. (Remember use only dry herbs if you are making this mix to keep dry and store.)
Add 1 flat spoonful of pink salt.
Pour some chamomile tea into the dish. This isn't an exact science, so add a little at a time to achieve a very thick batter consistency.
I always make it too watery at first, even when I try not to, so if you do this too, just add another spoonful or so of clay/mud to thicken it up. It's no biggie.
Optional: at this stage add 1 spoonful of organic oil or 1-2 drops of essential oil.
Mix well.
(I didn't add any oil or essential oil to this actual mix because it was too hot outside.)
Then, slather the mud on your face - and hands and arms and feet and...wherever you like!
It is Mud Day after all!
Hang out in a hammock, drink the rest of the chamomile tea, and relax while letting the mud dry completely.
Or, just wait 20-30 minutes (or less with kids because they tend to prefer playing in the mud of course!), whichever comes first.
Once dry, give a few big smiles!!
Have some laughs at yourself covered in mud!
Smiling cracks the mud which is great fun, and smiling it good for you too!
Then, gently wash the mud off, dry your face, and delight in the fresh glow! (I actually use the garden hose to wash mine mud off so I don't have to clean the sink.)
Optional - give your fresh face a splash of chilled rose water.
Rose water has been used for the skin for thousands of years. It closes up the pores and reduces any redness from washing the mud off. Plus it smells and tastes amazing!
(+If you have organically grown roses of your own you could add some petals to your mix too!)
What botanical delights will you add to your mud day mud mask?
Share in the comments below!
Share your mud day mud face photos on Instagram #wingswormsandwonder !
Seeds to Sprout:
Mud Mania
In this Wonder Wednesday 22 post, we explore how to prep and plan a mud day at a school or summer camp.
Sprout Gardens!
While we're playing with mud, why not break out that bag of potting soil too? Let's make Tiny Sprout Gardens in jars with this Wonder Wednesday 30 project!
Sowing the Seeds of Love
It's second round summer seed sowing time! Start these seeds off right with some successful sowing tips!