I use bentonite clay in a lot of ways at home and in my beauty routine. It’s great for face masks, detoxing my armpits, and it’s even in my homemade tooth powder. I’ve also tried it in my DIY shampoo and foot soaks.
You might have noticed new warnings about lead on bentonite clay labels, specifically for those in California under Prop 65, which requires labels for potentially harmful chemicals. I’ve been getting questions about whether there’s lead in bentonite clay and if it’s safe to use. Since my family uses bentonite clay often, this is a valid concern because lead is quite harmful.
After digging into the research, I can confirm that bentonite clay does have lead, but I still feel it’s safe for my family and me. As always, I suggest you do your own research. Here’s why I’m comfortable using it, despite the lead warning.
First, it helps to understand why there’s lead in bentonite clay. Bentonite Clay, or Montmorillonite clay, comes from volcanic ash. It’s mainly found in Wyoming, but also in places like France and other regions around the world. Being a natural substance, it includes tiny amounts of various elements, including lead.
How much lead? In my view, not enough to stress over. Here’s why:
Lead naturally occurs in our environment and is in many things we encounter every day. Historically, it’s been in cosmetics, paints, and more. Lots of lipstick brands have way more lead than bentonite clay, but that’s a conversation for another time.
Did you know that many of the foods we eat contain lead too? Plants like fruits, veggies, and nuts absorb a bit of lead from the soil. Even animal products have small lead amounts because the animals eat these plants. On average, unprocessed foods might have up to 0.4 parts per million (PPM) of lead or more.
For example, an FDA study in 2007 found spinach has twice the lead found in the amount of bentonite clay you’d typically use. Soil in your garden probably has four times as much lead as bentonite clay.
Here’s a crucial detail: The lead in foods and clays like bentonite is bound to other elements, making it unavailable to our bodies. Lead is dangerous when it accumulates in our bodies, but this doesn’t happen with trace amounts found in clays because they bond with other elements like silver, copper, or zinc.
Think back to your high school chemistry class. Elements can become safe when they combine with other elements, like how sodium and chloride form harmless table salt. The lead in natural sources stays bonded and doesn’t break down during digestion, so it doesn’t stick around in the body.
This is why natural foods like Brussels sprouts and nuts, which also contain lead, are still considered safe. Bentonite Clay has less lead than many foods and even clean soil, and the lead is already bonded to make it harmless.
In fact, collard greens have five times more lead than bentonite clay and are still safe. I haven’t found any studies showing that the small amount of lead in clays like bentonite is harmful, but I’ve found plenty highlighting its benefits.
Considering these benefits is essential in deciding whether bentonite clay is safe. I’ve written extensively about its advantages and feel confident using quality clays for beauty and wellness.
I’ve made several recipes using bentonite clay. How about you? Do you use healing clays like Bentonite? What are your thoughts on them?
