Using Cosmetic Clays in Cold Process Soap: Adding natural clays to soap recipes for color and interest.
Cosmetic Clays come in a gorgeous rainbow of natural color, perfect for customizing cold process soaps. Our resident soap expert, Kelly Owens, tested out our entire selection of Cosmetic Clays in a simple base recipe to illustrate the many variations in natural color that these ingredients can provide. This template of natural color makes it easy to choose the right clay for your soap recipe.
In addition to providing a wide range of colors, Cosmetic Clays also offer great variety of natural benefits. Known for their ability to cleanse and draw out oils and impurities, Using Cosmetic Clays in cold processed soaps is a simple way to make great soap recipes even better. For a gentle clay that is kind to all skin types, go with the Kaolin or Rose Clay varieties. For something stronger and extra absorbent, look to French Green, Bentonite, or Rhassoul.
Kelly’s test recipe used 33% coconut oil, 33% palm oil, and 34% olive oil. She added 1 tablespoon of clay per pound of soap. The resulting colors will look a bit different depending on the oils you use in your own recipes. Since the colors of natural oils and natural soaps can vary, remember to leave a little bit of wiggle room in your expectations.
Pictured from top left: Red Illite, Green Illite, French Green, Rhassoul, Multani Mitti Clay, Rose, Yellow Illite, Bentonite
Pictured from top: Coral Kaolin, Yellow Kaolin, White Kaolin
To add Cosmetic Clays to your batch, blend about 1 tablespoon of clay per pound of soap into the warmed oils (before mixing with lye water). You can add an additional tablespoon for a deeper, more intense color, or a little less to make the color more subtle. Just remember that the added Clay may also affect the soap’s texture. Using Cosmetic Clays in cold process soaps can give them a little extra grit and sometimes even a richer lather.
Have you tried using Cosmetic Clays in cold processed soaps? We’d love to hear your tips and experiences. Share your stories with us in the comments below.
Looking for more cold process soap inspiration? Check out our recipes for Dead Sea Mud & Tea Tree Cold Process Soap, Cold Process Raspberry Geranium Soap Bars, and Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Soap Bars.
Good morning, I’m a soap entrepreneur and I want to learn Process Cold Technique. Could you help me?
Absolutely! We have a great tutorial for beginner soap makers (or those looking for a refresher). Please let us know if you have any questions: https://naturalbeautyworkshop.com/my_weblog/2015/01/how-to-make-cold-processed-soap.html
Good day!,
My name is rogen/filipino/31.
I am starting my soap recipe for more than a year but i have problem with the recipe using coconut, canola/sunflower and palm oil. i cannot scent them well, it fades and easily soften when wet. and it moist during cold or rainy times. Honestly I want to sell them but its not ready yet.
Can you help please?
Hello Rogen, We’d love to try and help you troubleshoot. In order to best assist you we need to know what you are using to scent your soaps and your formulation amounts or percentages. You can send this information privately to our Technical Department at techhelp@fromnaturewithlove.com.
I had the same issue to deal with until I found the “flash point” of the scent/essential oil.
Hi do you find the clays colour the lather. I am using tiny amount of red illite- about 1gram per pound of oils and I am struggling with coloured lather
Hello Grace, It can be typical of clays (and other colorants) to produce colored lather or colored water left behind in soap dish. The concern would be if it stains. It’s been our experience that clays that leave colorant behind are quick to wipe up or wash off with no staining. This includes the test of our Red Illite Clay used at 1 level tbsp per pound of soap.
hi I love this article! It is so informative.
Thanks, Torrey! We’re so glad you found the post helpful.
This is SO helpful. Thanks so much for this detailed blog and all the photos so we can see what the different clays turn out like.
Katherine
It’s our pleasure, Katherine. We’re happy to hear you found the information so helpful!