“It’s kind of squishy,” Courtney said as she waded into a bathtub of mud. “And to tell you the truth, it stinks.” By stinks she meant aroma-wise, because, while it may be smelly, sitting in a tub of mud can also be therapeutic. I was apprehensive at first because in all honesty a vat full of steaming brown goo is not especially visually appealing. Then again I was at the Oasis Spa in Calistoga California, where mud baths are one of the specific reasons that many people make the trek to this charming northern California town. The spa attendant was glaring at me, Courtney was flinging mud at my toes and really I was way too clean. I took the plunge.

Mud has long gotten a bad rap. No one wants their children playing it, no one wants the dog dragging it through the house and no one particularly wants to be walking in the rain, only to slip, fall and land in a huge pile of mushy mud. However according to many skin care specialists and mud aficionados throughout the world, mud actually possesses a variety of different components that can ultimately make your skin radiate with a healthy glow and wouldn’t you rather be playing with mud than sitting in your office chair racking up knots in the back of your neck?

According to SpaFinder.com, a Dead Sea mud treatment, for instance is “used to detoxify the skin and body and to ease painful symptoms resulting from conditions such as rheumatism and arthritis.” It is also especially beneficial for people suffering from indigestion or other abdominal problems. Supposedly the application of heated mud helps relax muscles and improves blood circulation, much like a massage. Of course some may still view the concept of sitting in a tub of sludge the antithesis of frequenting a spa, where scents of lavender and sage drift through your nostrils and leave you feeling rejuvenated in a relaxed state of cleanly bliss. But in the long haul, a mud bath treatment might be the best option if you are looking to rid yourself of those pesky neck cramps and headaches.

According to Medindia.com, a healthcare website, “Mud baths draw out the toxins in the skin and impurities from the body, exfoliating and nourishing the skin.” So does this mean that when you are feeling the need to improve your general health and well-being you should gather a large pile of dirt and twigs in yard and just add water? Well, it probably depends on where you live.

Mud baths can be found in day spas and medical spas throughout the world and each treatment is slightly different. Calistoga is perhaps the most well known destination for mud, along with fine wine for that matter. The mud found in this particular Northern California region comes from a mixture of both volcanic elements and mineral water from the local springs. This combination results in the mud being rich in magnesium and calcium and it helps to relieve muscles and joints and leaves your delicate outer epidermis layer feeling soft and renewed.

One of the best known and the most sought after types of mud, if you can believe that mud is indeed “sought after,” comes from The Dead Sea. Dead Sea Mud is especially known for its therapeutic properties and is loaded with such healing minerals as magnesium, calcium and potassium. People seek out a Dead Sea Mud wrap to help increase the supply of oxygen to the skin tissues and to help remove toxins from the body. Other types of the sludgy brown goo include moor mud, Ischia mud and clay baths. So when seeking out a spot to detox whilst getting dirty, it’s essential to find the mud that best suits your specific needs.

Sitting in a tub of mud, I found out is therapeutic. It squished and oozed between my toes and the heavy warm concoction cradled my entire body in such a way that I never really felt the depth of the bathtub. Courtney and I flung a few mud balls at the wall and watched as they dripped down the stark, white paint. I decided, that while I was at one of my most unattractive physical states, amass with droplets of brown mud, some dangling from hair strands gone array, I was in a sort of emotional state of bliss. I felt like I was disobeying my mother, who would scream at my five year old self, “don’t play in the mud, you’ll get all dirty.” To which I would gingerly pick at the wet slop that had mounted up in our yard after a heavy rain. But there was no hesitation at the Oasis Spa, I was fully immersed in the mud and this time no one was yelling a warning of “Oh no you don’t!”

And for anyone who dreams of every sprawling naked on a huge pile of money, I can guarantee that sprawling naked in a huge pile of mud is much more satisfying and while it make be more stinky, I’ll bet that the mud is in fact a lot cleaner.