The Magic of Clay

From volcanic ash to soft pink powders — why clay belongs in your soap

Clays are 100% natural, vegan, and biodegradable. Unlike synthetic additives, cosmetic clays deliver a host of real skin benefits thanks to their rich mineral content and adsorptive power. Historically, cultures have used “medicinal earth” (clay) for skin cleansing and healing. Today we leverage that same earth-magic in our soaps. Clay minerals like kaolin, bentonite, and colored clays are finely powdered earth—packed with magnesium, calcium, silica, iron, and more—that adsorb oil and impurities, exfoliate gently, and soothe skin. For example, kaolin clay has been clinically shown to improve mild acne by up to ~34% over four weeks of regular use (without causing dryness). Similarly, bentonite and green clays absorb excess sebum and toxins, helping to clear pores. These cleansing properties make clays ideal in topical treatments: studies note that clays help treat oily or acne-prone skin by “adsorbing/absorbing greases, toxins, and excess oil”.

No synthetic additives, no plastic microbeads — just pure earth magic. Clays are more than just pretty colours — they’re naturally rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium, silica, and iron. These help to:

Draw out toxins and impurities
Absorb excess oil and sebum
Gently exfoliate dead skin cells
Soothe inflammation and irritation
Deliver trace nutrients directly to the skin

We also never use lye in our process (our soap base is pre-saponified). That means our soaps retain all their natural glycerin, a humectant dermatologists praise for hydrating and strengthening the skin’s moisture barrier. In short, our clay-infused soaps cleanse deeply without stripping. They draw out pollutants while still being gentle, just as 2024 dermocosmetics research shows, clays can cleanse, control oil, and even protect from irritants in skin formulas.

🧼 2. The Clays We Use

We use a rainbow of cosmetic clays, each chosen for its unique mineral profile and skin benefits:

White Kaolin Clay (Gentle): A very fine, soft white clay rich in silica. It is extremely mild and soothing, making it great for sensitive or dry skin. It gently exfoliates while delivering moisture. In our soaps (like Loofah Soap (White)), kaolin exfoliates delicately and is paired with calming botanicals (e.g., Lily-of-the-Valley oil).
French Pink Clay (Calming): A blend of red and white clays, pink clay is soothing and reduces redness. It’s excellent for normal, dry, or sensitive skin. In many of our bars (e.g. Bunch of Lavender Soap (Pink & Green)), pink clay provides a gentle polish while the Lavender Essential Oil scent soothes the mind.
Green Clays (Oil-Balancing): French green and Australian sea clays are detoxifying and rich in iron. They excel at absorbing excess oil and impurities. For example, Herbal Bliss Soap (Green) uses French green clay to control shine, and Birch Essential Oil for an invigorating cleanse.
Red Clays (Revitalizing): Moroccan red and Australian red clays have high iron content that can improve circulation and glow. Our Green Man Soap (Moroccan Red) is colored with Moroccan red clay and scented with warm Rosewood Essential Oil, providing both exfoliation and a rich earthy tone to the skin.
Purple & Hazel Clays (Antioxidant & Brightening): Purple clay (from Brazil) is touted as antioxidant-rich and great for rejuvenation, while hazel clay can brighten uneven skin. Fairy Soap (Purple) with Lavender Essential Oil and Trohanny Gottage Soap (Hazel) with calming Mandarin and Rose Geranium Essential Oils, contain Brazilian Purple and Hazel Clays to target mature skin.
Bentonite & Volcanic Clays (Detox): Bentonite and volcanic clays (like Kamtchatkan black clay) are very absorbent. They draw out toxins and debris from clogged pores. We use these heavy-duty clays in bars intended for oily or blemish-prone skin. For instance, our Massage Soap (Grey) contains both activated charcoal and Kamtchatkan volcanic clay for deep pore cleansing.

In summary, each clay in our lineup is 100% natural and chosen for its skincare role. Modern cosmetics research agrees that clays can be active ingredients: they “cleanse, control oil, adsorb toxins, and even provide UV protection” depending on their composition. And they leave nothing behind — we use no plastic microbeads or harsh chemicals, just earth-derived minerals to treat and beautify skin.

Here’s a closer look at the clays featured in our soaps and what each one brings to the bar.

Clay	Used In (# Soaps)	Skin Benefits
Activated Charcoal	33	Detoxifying, anti-acne, deep pore cleanser
White Kaolin Cosmetic Clay	31	Gentle, softening, perfect for sensitive/dry skin
Kamtchatkan Black Volcanic Clay	26	Rich in minerals, exfoliates and restores
Moroccan Red Cosmetic Clay	13	High iron content, improves elasticity and glow
Brazilian Purple Cosmetic Clay	11	Antioxidant-rich, youthful glow booster
French Green Cosmetic Clay	10	Sebum control, ideal for oily/combination skin
Beige Cosmetic Clay	10	Mild exfoliation, all-skin types
French Pink Cosmetic Clay	9	Calming, reduces redness, softens
Hazel Cosmetic Clay	8	Brightens skin, good for uneven tone
Multani Mitti (Fuller’s Earth) Cosmetic Clay	5	Classic for oily skin, deep cleanse
Australian Reef Red Cosmetic Clay	4	Stimulates skin circulation, regenerating
Bentonite Cosmetic Clay	3	Very absorbent, calms blemishes
Cedrus Cosmetic Clay	2	Soothes rough patches, lightly astringent

🔬 Study Spotlight: A 2023 clinical trial involving 75 adults with oily or combination skin assessed a kaolin- and bentonite-rich clay mask applied twice weekly for four weeks. Results showed significant reductions in acne lesions, sebum levels, and improved skin hydration and texture, with no increased dryness or irritation. Combined with botanical oils, the result is a formula that clears and calms skin naturally.

🌈 3. What Clay Can Do for Your Skin

Whether you’re battling oily patches, dullness, or just love the feel of fresh, balanced skin — there’s a clay for that. Here’s how they help different skin types:

Oily Skin → French Green, Multani Mitti, Charcoal, Bentonite
Dry/Sensitive Skin → White Kaolin, Pink, Beige Clay
Combination Skin → Brazilian Purple, Moroccan Red, Hazel Clay
Acne-Prone Skin → Charcoal, Green, Bentonite, Volcanic Clay
Mature Skin → Purple, Red, Hazel, Rose Clay variants

📌 Soap Tip: You can alternate between different clay-based bars depending on the season or your skin’s needs — like a mini spa menu in your bathroom!

Different clays suit different skin types and concerns. Empirical formulas and dermatology studies guide these pairings. For example, heavy oils and acne often respond best to green, charcoal, or bentonite clays (which detoxify and pull out sebum). In practice, we might advise acne-prone clients to alternate between our detoxifying soaps (like Little Pig Soap (Grey) with bentonite charcoal) and soothing white-clay soaps.

Conversely, dry or sensitive skin enjoys the gentler clays: soft white kaolin or pink clay. These exfoliate very mildly and tend to leave the skin supple. Mixed skin often benefits from moderate clays like Brazilian purple or Moroccan red (boosting circulation), or hazel clay (for brightening). For mature skin, antioxidants in purple and gentle resveratrol in red clays are great; they exfoliate fine flakes and promote renewal.

Regardless of type, clays are treasured because they leave the skin feeling fresh and balanced rather than stripped. They can also deliver trace minerals directly. Physiologically, clays’ large surface area and ion-exchange properties mean they latch onto dirt, allergens, and excess oils on the skin. This is why spa treatments (mud packs) have long been used to soothe inflammatory conditions: the mask “adsorbs and absorbs moisture and impurities” to clean and refresh the skin surface. Modern cosmetic science backs this up, noting that the adsorption/absorption of clays helps calm irritated or oily skin.

For those reasons, we encourage alternating clay bars by season or condition, almost like a mini at-home spa. For example, in summer use a green or charcoal bar on oily zones, and in winter a pink or white bar on drier areas. Over time this can help “improve skin tone and clarity without chemical exfoliants”. In fact, guidelines even note that the glycerin and natural oils in well-made soap (like ours) hydrate the skin, countering dryness.

🔗 4. Pairing Earth & Aroma: Our Signature Clay-Infused Soaps

We love combining therapeutic clays with carefully chosen essential oils to create soaps that are as effective as they are indulgent.

Here are some of our popular pairings:

Charcoal + Tea Tree + Peppermint → Detoxifying & invigorating
Kaolin + Lavender + Rose Geranium → Gentle and calming
Red Clay + Jasmine + Mandarin → Brightening and sensual
Volcanic Clay + Cedarwood + Clove → Deep cleanse with warmth
Pink Clay + Fig + Ylang Ylang → Softening & uplifting

🧪 Want to know what goes into our soap base itself? We never use lye in our process. Discover our Lye-Free Soap Base Explained post to learn more.

💬 Final Thoughts

Each Leitrim Soap bar is a fusion of nature’s best — mineral-rich clays, nourishing oils, and carefully selected botanicals. Whether you’re gifting your skin a reset or just love the feel of natural textures, clay soaps are a perfect way to honour your body with earth-born skincare.

➡️ Curious about our scent combinations? Read our The Power of Essential Oils blog next!

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Sources:

Evaluation of the medicinal use of clay minerals as antibacterial agents: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The Scenario of Clays and Clay Minerals Use in Cosmetics/Dermocosmetics: mdpi.com
Lye-Free Soapmaking: leitrimsoaps.com
Comprehensive assessment of the efficacy and safety of a clay mask in oily and acne skin: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov