Extraction of Clay from Red Soil and Evaluation of Its UV Protection Properties

Clay has been used for centuries to beautify the skin. Clay are used as a face mask, bleaches, scrubs and also incorporated in natural soaps. It has special use in herbal spas and used as a curative medicine in Ayurveda. Apart from this, Minerals present in clay are administered orally to the patient which acts as mineral supplements, antacids, gastrointestinal protectors, antidiarrhoeaics, oral laxatives, direct emetics, antianemics or homeostatics. Clay has many properties of medicinal and cosmeceutical values. Indian soil and its clay also has so many beneficial capabilities. The Himba community of Namibia applies Red clay from head to toe to protect their skin from harmful UV radiations. But the proper evaluation of Indian red clay for its UV protection property was not yet done. For this purpose, Indian clay from Red soil was evaluated for its UV protection properties. Soil was collected and clay was separated from the soil. It was evaluated to determine its suitability as cosmetic ingredient for UV protection capability. In the present study, clay was extracted from red soil and evaluated for its Sunscreening activity.