Abstract
The authors are involved with the development of mineral-based formulations preferentially using local mineral resources, required for complementary topical applications in spas and well-being clinics associated to hotels and other touristic resorts which have been and are still being installed in Porto Santo island, part of the Madeira archipelago. Therefore, they have investigated the relevant chemical and thermal properties of a special clay (bentonite), and of a special sand (biogenic carbonate sand), one and the other occurring in the island of Porto Santo, traditionally used for many years for facial masks and sand-bathing, respectively. Also, the relevant properties, either of a thermal mud produced in a fumarole (solfatara) field, in the island of Sao Miguel, Azores archipelago, or of a biogenic amorphous silica bearing diatomite that occurs in Rio Maior, Central Portugal. Formulations based on blends of the referred to mineral raw-materials after undergoing appropriate preparation, and intended to be used for topical applications complementary to the traditional treatments based on biogenic carbonate sand and clay (bentonite) presently carried out in the well-being clinics are herein described.
