Here at Amidon, we like any chance to celebrate with fun, jewelry and beauty. Today, September 30, is the little known National Mud Pack Day. Why would we celebrate this? Because naturally beautiful, glowing skin sets off your earrings and pendants! Did you know that “pelotherapy” is the official name for mud therapy? And it’s not just for the ladies. Guys, your skin will look and feel better, too, with a little mud on it. If you’re new to the idea of a mud pack, it’s simply putting special types of mud on your skin, letting it dry, then washing it off.   Benefits Why would you cover a perfectly good face with mud? For thousands of years, people have used the absorbent properties of mud to their benefit. The holes and channels in certain types of mud and clay absorb contaminants. So basically you slather mud on your skin and it draws the bad stuff out. Even the US Army has experimented with bentonite clay on livestock and found that it helped counter radiation poisoning and exposure to chemical warfare. For those of us lucky enough to live a peaceful life on the home front, mud masks can help restore lymph flow and nerve flow to injured areas, ease stiff joints, improve circulation, and simply clean your skin a lot better than soap and water.     Types of Mud Now we’re not saying go out in your backyard and dig up some mud. Certain types of mud are more beneficial than others. Mud’s mineral constituents depend on the kind of rocks found in a particular region of the world. A region’s fauna and flora also affect mud composition. It’s best to get mud that has been specially prepared for you – dried and powdered with impurities already removed.   Black mud is a mineral-rich, greasy dark soil that retains water well.   Dead Sea Mud was favored by Cleopatra for its therapeutic and beautifying attributes. It contains more than 20 different minerals and salts, including calcium and magnesium, and silicates that soften and clean your skin.   Moor Mud comes from organic grass, herb and flower residue, and takes thousands of years to form. It’s full of plant hormones, amino acids and vitamins. Proponents say it’s especially beneficial for easing arthritis and aiding recovering from sports injuries.   How to Use Mud You can use mud packs for many different parts of the body. A mud pack for the eyes helps relax you after hours of computer use. You’ll want to put a half inch thick layer of mud on a wet muslin cloth, then spread this over your closed eyes. It may also help with conjunctivitis. A mud pack for your head wraps around your forehead. It’s used to help headaches and congestion.       A facial mud pack is applied directly to your skin and left to dry for about 30 minutes. Then you wash your face with cold water. People use face mud packs to improve acne and reduce dark circles under your eyes.   You can put a mud pack on your abdomen to help all types of indigestion   Taking a mud bath is another way to celebrate National Mud Pack Day. But this is messy, so you probably want to go to a special salon to take your mud bath.   After your mud treatment, when your skin is glowing, put on your favorite pair of earrings from Amidon. Don’t they sparkle even more than usual?