Illite

Other names: Green clay, Yellow clay

Illite, also known as green or yellow clay, is a mineral that takes its name from the American geologist John Randolph Illinois, who first identified it. It is a layered mineral that consists of an abundance of potassium ions and aluminium, which are grouped in thin, extraordinarily flat layers. Its colour can range from light olive green to brown or yellow, depending on the specific compounds present in its structure.

Illite has significant applications in the cosmetics industry. Green clay is particularly popular in skin care. Due to its unique structure and composition, it is able to absorb impurities and toxins from the skin, thereby deeply cleansing it. It is therefore used, for example, in the form of face masks, but also in other products such as shampoos, hair treatments and deodorants. Thanks to its neutrality, it is also suitable for sensitive skin. Yellow clay is used mainly in the ceramics industry and in art workshops as a material for the production of ceramic roof tiles, stoves, tiles and also, for example, modelling materials for children.