Clay is one natural ingredient used in body wraps.
Body wraps can help you relax after a long day at work, can clear your body of impurities and can tighten and tone it. Recipes for body wraps are varied, depending upon whether the wrap is meant to firm the skin, rid it of material or soothe a troubled temperament. Yet some basic ingredients are common in most body wraps: water, clay or salt, as well as herbs and oils.
Essential Oils
Body wraps transport users to a more relaxed state of being as they detox the body. Essential oils used in body wraps help with this by appealing to the sense of smell as well as through pore absorption. One hundred and eleven essential oils are safe for such use, according to Aroma Web, and include basil, German chamomile, cinnamon, eucalyptus, ginger, jasmine, lavender and lemon, to name a few. But do not confuse essential oil with perfume oils, which can contain unnatural ingredients that are not safe to absorb into the bloodstream via body wraps or inhalation.
Essential oils, on the other hand, do more than provide a soothing smell during a body wrap experience. For example, lavender has been used for the following conditions in addition to body wrap relaxation: allergies, anxiety and asthma.
Clay, Salt and Water
Clay is one ingredient option for body wraps available in a variety of clay types, such as green or bentonite clay for those with oily skin, as well as kaolin clay (pink for sensitive, yellow for normal skin). Salt is also added to some body wraps in place of clay--or in addition to it. Epsom salts and sea salt are two popular salts for use in body wraps. Salt can help draw toxins from the body as well as relax tired or sore muscles and reduce swelling of the body. In addition to clay and salt, water is needed as a body wrap ingredient. In fact, you will need at least eight cups of water to boil for use with other wrap ingredients. Drinking water needs to be on hand as well to help the body rid itself of the toxins during the body wrap experience--and before and after.
Herbs
Choose German chamomile as an herb for body wraps if insomnia, anxiety or skin irritations such as eczema are a problem. Avoid it if asthmatic, as this herb can worsen asthmatic conditions. According to the University of Maryland's Medical Center, limited studies support German chamomile's ability to aid in wound healing and reducing inflammation. It also acts as a sedative, making it an excellent choice for an insomniac getting a late evening body wrap. Other herbs offer additional health benefits for use in body wraps, including English chamomile, also known as Roman chamomile, which boasts similar benefits as German chamomile.
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