Glacial Oceanic Clay - 12 Questions Our Customers Ask the Most

Here at NENA Skincare, Glacial Oceanic Clay and Glacial Mineral Water are the main ingredients we use in our skincare products. Even though the Glacial Oceanic Clay we source has been maturing on the Northern coast of British Columbia for thousands of years, it’s still a relatively new ingredient in the mainstream skincare industry and we often get questions about the origins and benefits of Glacial Oceanic Clay from our customers. 

Here are the answers to some of your most frequently asked questions about Canadian Glacial Clay.

What is Glacial Oceanic Clay?

Glacial Oceanic Clay is a mineral-rich cosmetic mud that helps purify and exfoliate your skin, minimizes pores and leaves you feeling soft and clean. It is found only in a few pristine and isolated areas along the northern Pacific Coast of Canada. This clay started forming over 2.5 million years ago through the meeting of glacier and ocean deposits (hence, “glacial oceanic” clay) and has been maturing for thousands of years in pristine ocean waters.

Initially used by the First Nations people of British Columbia as a natural medicinal remedy, glacial clay is now more often used in cosmetic products for it’s highly effective skin-cleansing properties. 

How is Glacial Oceanic Clay different from other types of clay?

Some other types of clay you may have heard of include French Clay, Bentonite and Kaolin. These clays all come naturally in powder forms, whereas the NENA glacial oceanic clay is naturally wet and is sourced from the ocean. 

Other clays are all subpar to the purity and skincare benefits of Glacial Oceanic Clay. For example, Kaolin is used in many industries besides skincare: from paint, to toothpaste, farming, lightbulbs, and (most commonly) in the production of paper, while Bentonite Clay is known to absorb moisture and would not be a good choice for sensitive or dry skin.

What are the benefits of Glacial Clay for my skin?

Glacial Oceanic Clay helps naturally exfoliates the skin, removes contaminants and toxins, and increase collagen production.  Especially if you have concerns with acne, oily skin, blemishes, redness of the skin, or enlarged pores, Glacial Clay is proven to be naturally effective in treating these concerns.

As a company, we’ve invested in unbiased, third-party clinical studies to research and test the natural benefits of Glacial Oceanic Clay.  Here are the main findings:

• Our clay produced a significant average reduction of 95% in skin surface sebum after application of Glacial Oceanic Clay on face.
• Glacial Oceanic Clay has an immediate effect in reducing the appearance of pores, particularly dilated pores.
• Glacial clay can increase collagen production by 70%. It has anti-aging benefits.
• It has a soothing effect on the skin, it has anti-inflammatory properties.
• Glacial clay is dermatologist tested to be hypoallergenic and non-irritating.

Can Glacial Clay help with my acne?

Yes! In fact, acne and blemishes is one of the top concerns our customers use the NENA Clay Mask for.

• See what satisfied NENA users have had to say about treating acne concerns with NENA.

How do you harvest Glacial Oceanic Clay?

There are only certain times in a year when environmental conditions allow for Glacial Oceanic Clay to be sourced for our skincare products. The oceanic tide must be low, but the water deep enough for the mining boats to pass through. Once harvested by machinery, the clay travels on a barge to Vancouver (which takes about two weeks) then unloaded, filtered, sterilized, and preserved in our facility in Richmond, BC.

There are only certain times in a year when environmental conditions allow for Glacial Oceanic Clay to be sourced for our skincare products.

Is the harvesting of Glacial Oceanic Clay an environmentally-friendly practice? 

Because the glacial clay is a unique and rare Canadian natural resource, the Canadian government has strict protection measures. Ironwood Clay is the only organization fully licensed and permitted to harvest this glacial clay while complying to all governmental, social and environmental standards. 

Ironwood Clay is the only organization fully licensed and permitted to harvest this glacial clay while complying to all governmental, social and environmental standards. 

Is there a specific age group that Glacial Clay is most suitable for?

Glacial clay is suitable for all ages and skin types, including sensitive skin, and mature skin. In fact, we recently received a review from a 70-year old customer!

Is a face mask the only way I can use Glacial Clay in skincare?

In our NENA Skincare line, we currently have four products that make up an easy 4-step skincare routine, formulated to be used in this order: Cream Cleanser, Mineral Toner, Clay Mask, Moisturizing Cream.

• Shop our NENA Natural Skincare Kit here.

Will Glacial Clay dry my skin?

Masking should only be one small part of your skincare regime, a clay mask is not a replacement for toner, cleanser, or moisturizer.  Be sure to cleanse your skin prior to applying our clay mask, and tone and moisturize after removal. If you mask too often with a clay product, there may be adverse effects of drying out your skin. 

How often should I use the NENA Glacial Clay Mask?

As a rule of thumb, we recommend masking 2 - 3 times per week for oily skin, 1 - 2 times per week for normal-to-dry skin, and spot treatment as required for best results.

If Glacial Oceanic Clay has been around for so long, why haven’t I heard about this until now? 

Our parent company Ironwood Clay has been sourcing Glacial Oceanic Clay for over 30 years, selling globally to beauty and skincare brands as an ingredient in their own products. Our in-house skincare line NENA Skincare is a fairly new initiative, having only launched ecommerce and on social media in 2018, and in major retail chains (like Choices Market in BC or Whole Foods in Ontario) in 2019.

• You can see some of the many growth initiatives we participated in, in our 2019 Highlight Reel.

NENA Skincare is available at Choices Market in BC

If Glacial Oceanic Clay is so high quality and effective, why are your prices so affordable?

Even though our in-house skincare line NENA Skincare is a boutique business, our parent company controls our entire supply chain, meaning we save on middlemen and manufacturing costs, with the savings passed on to our customers.  By keeping our products at around the $20 price point (with free online shipping on purchases over $35) we want our customers to know that natural skincare products can, and should, be accessible and affordable.