Clays - do they actually do anything?

[Zenobiah]

Ok, now that I finally found a forum where people know something you are just not getting rid of me.

I have wondered for a while about clays. Do they actually do something other than thicken lotions and add pretty colors to soap? I know that bentonite and fuller's earth remove oils from oily skin and that some clays have health benefits if you actually eat them. But what about the Kaolin-type clays that don't remove oils? Do they perhaps clog up the pores? Or is it just that they do nothing at all?

This inquiring mind wants to know...

 

[Bret]

I'd like to know about the Kaolin too. I ordered like 8 oz of Pink Kaolin and the description only mentioned coloring soaps.

 

[edco76]

It can also supply "slip" and is used in shaving soaps for this reason

 

[Zenobiah]

That is true. Anything else?

 

[leansoapqueen]

Amazing clay results!

I was going to post this elsewhere- I guess I can just copy-
I have acne and we aren't talking a few zits- I mean cystic acne in a few spots- uggggg!
Anyway, I used French Green Clay that I got at whole foods- to try and color my gm soap rebatch that was a tan color..
Ok-so I left some unscented and the some with Yuzu FO- yumm!
Well the color is ugly- I mean ugly- LOL- but the soap is phenomenal.
I let the rebatch only sit for a few days so my soap is soft but I had to try to help my skin.. and oh my did it..
I should have taken before and afters of this- in a few days like 3- my skin is about a million times better- in the smooth areas it is so smooth- my acne areas are greatly inproving to the point the difference is noticeable. I have combo skin not too dry and not too oily and it doesn't tighten my face nor does it make it feel greasy. I'm super amazed! I had a couple of zits on my back and they are gone already-
On my face I'm using it unscented with no additional additives- though I think I put a bit of Jojoba in the rebactch.
I don't know about the other clays, this is the first one I have used and I'm sticking with it-
Once it cures I'm selling it as well- calling it the ugly bar!! LOL
I'd imagine you can use this with a MP base as well- I love the GM though I have never tried a MP GM base but it would probably work well.
This has done wonders for my face and I'm beside myself.
After I wash- I do dab a little tea tree on the zits- but it hasn't really helped alone- maybe using this together is magic as well!

I know that clay just sucks stuff out of your pores and boy does it ever!
You'll be pleased with results from this!

 

[pink-north]

I've got acne too. I will try the green clay. I find that it doesn't make a nice looking bar. (see my pics - in the project forum), but I haven't tried it yet. My family likes it though.

 

[leansoapqueen]

Nope its ugly- LOL! But sometimes especially in this case- the benefits outweigh the ugly~
it may not work for everyone but I have that stubborn acne and I can't stress enough with words how well it worked!
Let's just say- I can even put on less makeup when I wear it!

 

[Zenobiah]

Wow! Now that is something I hadn't heard before. Ok, if it can be beneficial if you have problem skin, that is really good. I was afraid it was only good for color and slippage.

Hey, pink-north, if you don't mind, could you take before and after pic's since you haven't tried it yet? (My geekiness is just pouring out here, anything for a science experiment.... )

 

[leansoapqueen]

LOL!

 

[pink-north]

Tell you what I'll do. I'll ask my son to do before and after pics. He photographs better than I do and I take better pics than he does. I'll try to take some pics of myself, but I'm not promising anything.

 

[Zenobiah]

Hehe, that sounds good to me. I have even tried to read research reports about clays (my Latin is a bit too rusty...) but photos will mean a lot more.

 

[leansoapqueen]

I'd be interested to see as well- I should have done it but didn't expect anything like this to happen-

 

[Kat]

I am in another soap group that said a 100% coconut oil soap would also work for acne prone skin. The person said that the soap needs to age (not cure) AGE for at least 6 weeks before using. I have some young adult males in my family that have "inherited" that acne/oily type skin (from hubbys side). I actually want to make this 100% coconut soap with adding tea tree EO (have never used EO before) but was wondering if it would be too medicinal smelling. Thank you leansoapqueen for "coming out" so to speak hehehe, because you are not the only one dealing with the acne pitting. I am SOOO glad you posted this so maybe you can help others with the same problem. You rock!

 

[Zenobiah]

Kat, may I ask you for before and after pic's too? Pretty please?

I just love researching.

 

[Kat]

Well, I personally do not have acne, so hopefully my son (11yo) will inherit MY skin type instead of hubbys, he had acne as a teenager. But I have another son (26yo) that lives in Canada and a nephew her in GA that would benefit from the 100% coconut soap, plus their respective GF's. I have yet to make it, I'm just so busy lately, its weird. I'm going to assume the soap will be white or even off white. So pics of the soap would be futeless, unless you were talking of pics of me? yeah right..nope on that one. Beside I do not have acne. That clay is quite interesting too, if and when you research, please share. Thanks again, Kat.

 

[leansoapqueen]

Awww- thanks Kat! I had absolutely clear beautiful skin as a kid and teenager- then menopause happened and I'm only 34- I get acne- uggg!
I used goat milk soap with the clay but I have heard that about coconut oil soap as well- I'd imagine it would be a white based soap!

 

[Woodi]

I make and sell an acne bar using olive, pko or coconut, castor, oatmeal and tea tree and lavender eo's. People report that it really helps their acne. No clay. I thought it was the oatmeal and the eo's that help most, but I must try adding clay to it, now that I hear your reports.

Have you ever tried a clay mask alone on your face? You could do an experiment, using the mask every day, or every other day at night-time. But I wonder if it's the soap that is helping too?

I usually tell my customers who swear that my soap is helping their skin: it's not what I put into the soap, it's what I don't put in that may be helping your skin. (i.e. no harsh preservatives, no synthetic scents or perfumes, no EDTA etc.....)

I will be interested in following this thread, cuz I have many young customers with acne.

 

[Kat]

LeanQueen...I started that stupid peri-menopause crap at age 34 TOO! I know what the cause was (if you want to email me and talk off topic), but I never got acne. It has to be genetic. But i've been peri meno for YEARS, and it wont go away!! :shock: and I'm still young anyway, this isnt the place to talk about that yuk. This thread is so interesting. I know that you didn't want to go here....but...it is so helpful for SO many people, and hopefully helpful for you too.
I have been making cookies and gingerbread houses, doing a bunch of stuff with my kids' school the past couple of days. Volunteering is rewarding and tiring. I'm exhusted & going to bed soon, can barely type, w/o backspacing to correct. The smell of sugar is making me want to puke :x Keep in touch/us posted. When I do my 100% coconut soap, this has to age (not cure) for at least 6 weeks. Won't do any good to give to family this xmas, but will let them know what is in the soap pot. Hopefully they will be excited with anticipation. This came from a well, well experienced soapmaker, that I really trust. Email me if ya want to talk about that yuk stuff....Hugs Kat

 

[Zenobiah]

I must say, I really like this forum.

And what Woodi said, about how it is not what you put into the soap but what you don't, I will have to remember that.

On a similar topic, I talked to a friend last night that I gave an emu oil cream to (bought off Etsy, not made myself). This friend has psoriasis and she said the cream really helped her (I was kind of relieved as I have not tried the stuff myself but have heard a lot about it). I wonder how Emu oil would turn out in CP?

 

[Kat]

Apparently Emu oil does work in CP. I have never tried, but some ladies use it to superfat because its a pricy oil. Try & Google a recipe using Emu Oil. You still need to add to the soapcalc. Kat