Clay was one of the first ingredients I worked with when creating products. After so many initial experimentations to find the ideal clay for each product, I grew to have a great attachment to it. Clay is such a unique additive and great enhancement to certain products, so I try to incorporate it as much as I can. Seriously, just one tablespoon of clay can really make a difference.
While clays in general contain a variety of minerals, kaolin clay consists of a hydrated mineral form called kaolinite. It is one of the oldest clays --it was found in China in the 7th century -- yet it holds some wonderful properties that are so good for the skin! Kaolin clay can be used to make medicine and also be used to help stop wounds from bleeding. In skin-care, it is a versatile ingredient that helps to deep clean the skin and soften it or to use as a natural colorant.
WHY IS IT GOOD FOR YOU?
Kaolin clay has a “slippery” property which is oh-so-good-for-you when you are shaving! This clay (and any other clay, in fact) gives products what we call “slip.” For example: when you are shaving, you know how you want the razor to glide effortlessly over your skin to avoid cutting yourself? Well, clay helps give soap that slippery effect. For similar reasons, a little bit of clay can be added to regular hand and body soap to give it some glide. Having some “slip” in your body soap is one thing, but a shaving soap has to have way more clay than regular soap so you don’t cut yourself!
I also love kaolin clay because it is a natural colorant. Kaolin clay comes in a variety of colors due to different iron percentages within it. There is a beautiful rose kaolin clay that I use to give our soaps a nice blush color, while a purple Brazilian clay gives products a purple tint.
Perhaps most importantly in the good-for-you category, kaolin clay has strong drawing properties. The clay will attract excess oils in the skin and draw them out from the skin along with any impurities in these oils...hence the term “drawing properties.” This is a great property for face masks, so you will see we offer a lot of different types of clay face masks!
WHAT RECIPES INCUDE IT?
Because of Kaolin Clay's versatility and long shelf life, I use clay in all our soap products.
