Mineral Soap Ingredients

There are quite a few different mineral soap ingredients that can be incorporated into your homemade soap recipes to give them specific skin care benefits.

Charcoal, clays, pumice and sea salts all have special qualities that can be used to create unique soaps for many different applications.

Sea Salt

Sea Salt when added to soap will produce a harder bar.

Varying amounts can be added at any stage of the soap making process.

A salt soap bar can be made using a high percentage of coconut oil and a large portion of sea salt (almost the same amount as oils). This soap also has a very high super-fat to compensate for the drying effects of the salt and high coconut oil.

The salt cuts down on lather so the large percentage of coconut oil balances out the formula.

Check out the following recipe using this ingredient:

Salt Soap

Himalayan Pink Salt

Himalayan Pink Salt is hand mined salt from ancient sea beds.

Contains over 80 minerals such as potassium, copper, calcium, magnesium,and iron.

Ranging in colour from off white to pink and thought to be the purest form of salt on the market.

As with Sea Salt, you can use varying amounts in your handmade soap recipes and add it to any stage of the soap making process.

Activated Charcoal

Activated Charcoal is a black charcoal powder made from nut shells, coconut shells, coal, peat or wood products.

Can be found at health food stores in capsule form and at soap making supply stores. 

Said to act like a magnet carrying toxins from the body.

May neutralize odours which can make scenting the soap more difficult.

Great for making black soap or for marbling.

Use up to 1 teaspoon per pound of base oils in your soap recipe.  Can produce a coloured lather if too much is used.

Add to your soap base at trace. Be sure to mix well. 

Bentonite Clay

Bentonite Clay is a pale greyish cream colour that is odourless and non-staining.

Draws out oils and toxins so is good for oily skin.

Provides lots of slip and is used in shaving soap.

Helps to fix a scent.

Use up to 1 Tablespoon per pound of oils in your soap recipe. 

Can be added at all stages of soap making. To the lye, oils or at trace. Be sure to mix well.

French Green Clay

French Green Clay is highly absorbent and will draw out toxins and impurities from the skin.

This light green clay powder, when used as a mask will help to tighten and tone the skin.

In soap making, it will lend your soap a nice green hue and provide slip to your lather. Use up to 1 Tablespoon per pound of oils in your soap recipe.

Fullers Earth

Fullers Earth is very good at drawing out oils making it a good choice for acne prone skin.

Referred to as a facial bleach, it is said to lighten the skin by removing impurities.

Use up to 1 Tablespoon per pound of oils in your soap recipe.

Can be added at any stage of the soap making process. To the lye water, oils or at trace. Be sure to mix in very well.

Kaolin Clay

Unlike other clays, Kaolin Clay does not draw out oils which makes it a good choice for dry, sensitive skin. 

Can be used to help fix a scent.

Often used in shaving soap formulations because it produces slip.

Use up to 1 Tablespoon per pound of oils. 

Can be added at all stages of soap making. To lye water, oils or at trace. Be sure to mix well.

The following recipes on this site use Kaolin clay:

Funnel Swirl Soap

Silk Soap

Orange Bloosom

Rhassoul Clay

Rhassoul Clay has excellent absorption qualities and is rich in minerals.

It is said to improve skin texture, reduce dryness, remove surface oil and dead skin.

Use up to 1 Tablespoon per pound of oils in your soap recipe. 

Can be added at all stages of soap making. To lye, oils or at trace. Be sure to mix well.

Pumice Powder

Ground pumice stone is volcanic rock that has been finely ground.

It is often used for ex-foliation in soaps such as gardeners scrubs and mechanic's scrubs.

Add your desired amount when the soap has reached a thin trace.

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