If you've enjoyed exploring the world of natural clays in Clays for Soap & Skincare Making Part 1, there's still plenty more to discover. While kaolin, bentonite, rose clay, French green clay, and Rhassoul are some of the most familiar choices for DIY skincare and handmade soap, there are many specialty clays that offer beautiful colors, interesting mineral profiles, and unique properties.

In this second installment, we're going a little further off the beaten path with seven specialty clays and mineral-rich ingredients. Some are prized for their unusual natural colors, while others are particularly interesting because of where they are sourced.

One thing to keep in mind when shopping for specialty clays is that names such as Brazilian pink clay, black clay, and even Himalayan pink clay aren't always standardized. Mineral composition can vary by geological source and supplier, so it's always a good idea to check the supplier's INCI name, origin, and cosmetic specifications before using an ingredient in your formulations.

Let's take a closer look!

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1. Brazilian Pink Clay

Brazilian pink clay is a beautiful rosy-colored cosmetic clay sourced from mineral deposits in Brazil. Unlike rose clay, which we covered in Part 1, Brazilian pink clay can have a somewhat different mineral profile depending on the supplier. Some commercial Brazilian pink clays contain kaolin, iron oxides, silica, quartz, and mica, with the iron-containing minerals contributing to the characteristic pink color. It has moderate absorbency and is commonly used in masks, soaps, scrubs, and other personal-care formulations.

One of the reasons soapmakers love Brazilian pink clay is that it provides a gorgeous natural blush color without needing synthetic pigments. Its relatively gentle cleansing profile also makes it appealing for facial soaps and skincare products where you want some oil absorption without an overly stripping feel.

Benefits

• Provides a beautiful natural pink color
• Helps absorb excess surface oil
• Adds naturally occurring minerals
• Provides gentle cleansing
• Creates a soft, silky texture

Perfect For

• Facial soap
• Cold process soap
• Clay masks
• Body scrubs
• Natural skincare

Soapmaking tip: Brazilian pink clay can produce lovely blush, peach, and muted rose shades in cold process soap. Always test a small batch because the final color can vary depending on the clay's mineral composition and your soap recipe.

Recommended: Brazilian pink clay

2. Brazilian Yellow Clay

Brazilian yellow clay is a warm, golden-colored cosmetic clay obtained from natural mineral deposits in Brazil. Its characteristic color is associated largely with iron oxides and other trace minerals, while some commercial varieties are described as containing silica and iron. Like other natural clays, the exact mineral composition can vary by deposit and supplier.

This is a particularly fun clay for soapmakers because it can add sunny yellow, golden, cream, and earthy tones to handmade soap without relying on synthetic colorants. In skincare, it is valued for its ability to absorb excess oil while remaining relatively gentle. It can be used in facial masks, body treatments, soaps, and spa-inspired formulations.

Benefits

• Naturally absorbs excess oil
• Provides gentle cleansing
• Rich in naturally occurring minerals
• Adds beautiful golden color
• Creates a smooth skin feel

Perfect For

• Cold process soap
• Facial masks
• Body masks
• Natural scrubs
• Spa-inspired skincare

DIY idea: Pair Brazilian yellow clay with a creamy soap base and a citrus, honey, or warm floral scent for a beautiful golden-toned bar.

Recommended:  mGanna Brazilian Yellow Clay Powder

3. Cambrian Blue Clay

Cambrian blue clay is one of the most unusual clays on our list, largely because of its striking blue-gray color and ancient geological origins. Cosmetic suppliers commonly describe it as coming from ancient deposits in Siberia, with some sources specifically associating it with deposits near Siberian lakes. Its unusual blue coloration is associated with its mineral composition, and reported minerals include calcium, iron, magnesium, silicon, aluminum, titanium, potassium, and sodium.

The exact appearance can vary considerably, with some batches appearing distinctly blue while others are more gray or blue-gray. This makes it particularly interesting for handmade soap because the color can be much softer and earthier than the name "blue clay" might suggest.

Cambrian blue clay is also commonly used in facial masks, body treatments, and other mineral-focused skincare products. However, many of the stronger claims you'll see online about treating specific skin conditions haven't been established for cosmetic use, so it's best to think of this ingredient primarily as a mineral-rich cleansing and colorant ingredient.

Benefits

• Provides a naturally unusual blue-gray color
• Contains a variety of naturally occurring minerals
• Helps absorb excess surface oil
• Provides gentle exfoliation when formulated appropriately
• Adds a luxurious mineral-focused feel

Perfect For

• Facial masks
• Cold process soap
• Body masks
• Body scrubs
• Specialty skincare

Soapmaking tip: Don't be surprised if your beautiful blue powder produces a muted blue, slate, or gray shade in finished soap. Natural mineral colors can behave differently once they're incorporated into a high-pH soap environment.

Recommended: MB Herbals Cambrian Blue Clay

4. Dead Sea Mud

Dead Sea mud is technically a mineral-rich mud rather than a traditional cosmetic clay, but it absolutely deserves a place in a guide to natural mineral ingredients for skincare. It is formed from sedimentary deposits around the Dead Sea that interact with the lake's exceptionally mineral-rich water. The resulting dark mud contains a mixture of fine mineral particles and salts, with reported components including magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, strontium, and silicates.

Dead Sea mud has a long history of use in spa and bathing traditions and is particularly popular in facial masks, body wraps, and mineral treatments. Its mineral composition is what makes it so interesting from a skincare perspective. Research on Dead Sea mineral preparations has found improvements in measures such as skin roughness and hydration, although results depend heavily on the specific formulation and concentration.

Unlike a powdered clay, Dead Sea mud may contain a significant amount of naturally occurring moisture and salts, so it needs to be handled differently when formulating products.

Benefits

• Rich in naturally occurring minerals
• Helps absorb excess surface oils
• Provides a smooth, mineral-rich treatment
• Leaves skin feeling refreshed
• Perfect for spa-inspired skincare

Perfect For

• Facial mud masks
• Body wraps
• Spa treatments
• Mineral skincare
• Specialty soap formulations

Formulating tip: Don't automatically treat Dead Sea mud like powdered clay. Because it contains water and mineral salts, it can affect the water balance, texture, and behavior of a formulation.

Recommended: Aromasong Dead Sea Mud Mask

MB Herbals Dead Sea Mud Powder

5. French Pink Clay

French pink clay is a delicate pink cosmetic clay traditionally associated with French cosmetic ingredients. Unlike some clays that are naturally pink as a single mineral material, French pink clay is commonly sold as a blend of red and white clays, often with an INCI listing of Illite and Kaolin. Its mineral profile can include kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, iron, calcite, and silica depending on the particular source.

Its soft pink color and relatively mild cleansing action make it particularly popular in facial masks, facial soaps, and products designed for normal, mature, or sensitive-feeling skin. Because it is a blend, its exact color and performance can vary from one supplier to another.

French pink clay is also a great example of why it's important not to assume that two products with similar names are identical. Always check the supplier's INCI and origin information when you're comparing different cosmetic clays.

Benefits

• Gentle cleansing
• Mild oil absorption
• Adds a beautiful pink color
• Provides a soft, silky texture
• Contains naturally occurring minerals

Perfect For

• Facial masks
• Facial soap
• Cold process soap
• Gentle cleansers
• Body scrubs

DIY idea: French pink clay pairs beautifully with floral ingredients such as rose, lavender, geranium, and chamomile for a luxurious spa-inspired skincare product.

Recommended: MB Herbals French Pink Clay

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6. Black Clay

Black clay is a dramatic addition to natural skincare and handmade soap, but it's another ingredient where the name can describe several different mineral materials. Some cosmetic black clays are volcanic in origin and can contain substantial amounts of silicon and aluminum, while other commercial black clays may contain varying amounts of iron, magnesium, potassium, carbon, or other minerals.

The dark color makes black clay especially popular with soapmakers who want an earthy, dramatic bar. In skincare, its absorbent qualities make it useful in cleansing masks, body treatments, and formulations designed for oily or combination skin.

Because black clay isn't one standardized mineral, it's especially important to check the supplier's documentation before purchasing. You may find significant differences in color, texture, absorbency, and mineral composition between products sold under the same general name.

Benefits

• Helps absorb excess surface oil
• Provides deep cleansing
• Adds dramatic natural color
• Contains naturally occurring minerals
• Creates an earthy, luxurious appearance

Perfect For

• Facial masks
• Cold process soap
• Body masks
• Cleansing bars
• Body scrubs

Soapmaking tip: Black clay can produce anything from charcoal-gray to deep gray or black depending on the particular clay and concentration. If you want a true jet-black bar, don't assume clay alone will produce the same result as activated charcoal.

Recommended: 

7. Himalayan Pink Clay

Himalayan pink clay is a specialty mineral clay associated with deposits in the Himalayan region. Unlike Himalayan pink salt, which is a crystalline salt, Himalayan pink clay is a clay material and should not be treated as interchangeable with the salt. Some cosmetic products identify Himalayan pink clay as montmorillonite, while formulations may also contain Himalayan pink salt as a separate ingredient.

The clay's pink coloration and mineral-rich composition make it attractive for facial masks and natural skincare products. Its absorbent qualities can help remove excess surface oil while providing gentle cleansing. Because products sold under this name can differ, check the INCI and supplier information to determine exactly what you're purchasing.

Benefits

• Naturally pink mineral color
• Helps absorb excess oil
• Provides gentle cleansing
• Creates a smooth mask texture
• Adds mineral-rich appeal to skincare

Perfect For

• Facial masks
• Facial cleansers
• Cold process soap
• Body treatments
• Natural skincare

Important distinction: Himalayan pink clay and Himalayan pink salt are two completely different ingredients. Salt is crystalline sodium chloride with trace minerals, while clay is a fine mineral earth material. Don't substitute one for the other in a recipe.

Recommend: Majestic Pure Himalayan Clay Mud Mask

Which Specialty Clay Should You Try?

Now that we've explored seven more unusual options, which one should you put in your shopping cart first?

Best for a Soft Pink Color: Brazilian Pink Clay

Brazilian pink clay is a beautiful option when you want a warm, natural blush color for soap, masks, and other skincare products.

Best for Golden Soap: Brazilian Yellow Clay

If you love warm, earthy soap colors, Brazilian yellow clay is a fun natural colorant to experiment with.

Most Unusual: Cambrian Blue Clay

Cambrian blue clay is definitely the conversation starter. Its blue-gray color and unusual mineral profile make it a fun specialty ingredient.

Best for Spa Treatments: Dead Sea Mud

For a luxurious spa-inspired experience, Dead Sea mud is hard to beat. Its naturally occurring mineral content makes it particularly interesting for mud masks and body treatments.

Best Gentle Pink Clay: French Pink Clay

French pink clay is a lovely choice for gentle facial products and delicate-looking handmade soap.

Best Dramatic Clay: Black Clay

Black clay gives you an earthy, sophisticated look and works beautifully in dramatic soap designs and cleansing masks.

Best for Mineral-Focused Skincare: Himalayan Pink Clay

Himalayan pink clay brings another unusual mineral ingredient to your DIY skincare collection and works especially well in masks and natural cleansing products.

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How to Use Specialty Clays in Handmade Soap

Many of these clays can be used in cold process soap, where they can provide both natural color and changes in the finished bar's skin feel.

A common approach is to disperse powdered clay in a small amount of your recipe's liquid or oil before adding it to the soap batter. This helps prevent dry pockets and clumps. You can also add clay to a portion of the batter when creating swirls or other decorative designs.

Remember that every clay behaves differently. Highly absorbent clays can cause soap batter to thicken more quickly, so it's a good idea to work at a manageable temperature and avoid unnecessary stick blending after adding your clay.

For natural color, start conservatively. The color of a dry clay isn't necessarily the color you'll get after saponification.

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How to Use Clays in DIY Skincare

Clay masks are probably the easiest way to experiment with specialty clays.

Start with a small amount of cosmetic-grade clay and mix it with a suitable liquid until you have a smooth paste. Depending on the type of clay and your formulation, you can use water, a hydrosol, aloe-based ingredients, or another appropriate cosmetic ingredient.

You don't need to wait until a clay mask becomes completely dry and cracked before removing it. If your skin feels tight or uncomfortable, rinse it sooner and follow with your normal moisturizer.

More absorbent clays may be better suited to oily skin, while gentler varieties such as French pink or Brazilian pink can be preferable when you want a milder clay experience.

And as always, choose clays specifically sold as cosmetic grade for skincare applications.

A Quick Guide to All 17 Clays From Parts 1 & 2

Now you have a pretty impressive clay collection to choose from!

Final Thoughts

The world of cosmetic clays is much bigger than the familiar white, green, and pink powders you see in most DIY recipes.

From the beautiful pink tones of Brazilian pink clay to the golden color of Brazilian yellow clay and the unusual blue-gray shade of Cambrian blue clay, specialty clays give soapmakers and DIY skincare enthusiasts an incredible range of ingredients to experiment with.

And then there are mineral-rich ingredients like Dead Sea mud, which can turn an ordinary homemade facial treatment into something that feels like a day at the spa.

The most important thing to remember is that "natural clay" doesn't mean every clay is interchangeable. Their mineral composition, absorbency, color, texture, and behavior in formulations can vary considerably. Even clays with similar names may come from different sources or have different INCI listings.

That's part of what makes experimenting with them so interesting.

Whether you're making cold process soap, clay masks, body scrubs, facial cleansers, or spa-inspired skincare, there's a whole world of natural mineral ingredients waiting to be explored.

Shop Clays on This Page: Clays for Soapmaking Amazon List

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between Brazilian pink clay and French pink clay?

They are not necessarily the same ingredient. French pink clay is commonly sold as a blend of red and white clays, often with an INCI of Illite and Kaolin, while Brazilian pink clay can have a different mineral composition and may contain kaolin, iron oxides, silica, quartz, and mica. Always check the supplier's specifications.

Is Dead Sea mud the same as clay?

Not exactly. Dead Sea mud is a mineral-rich sediment containing fine mineral particles and salts, while cosmetic clays are generally mineral materials classified according to their clay minerals. Dead Sea mud is nevertheless widely used in similar skincare applications such as masks and body treatments.

Can I use these clays in cold process soap?

Many cosmetic-grade clays can be used in cold process soap. However, their absorbency and effect on soap batter can vary, so it's best to experiment with small batches and disperse the clay thoroughly.

Which clay is best for a clay mask?

That depends on the formulation and your skin's needs. French pink, Brazilian pink, and Himalayan pink clays are good options when you want a gentler-feeling clay, while more absorbent varieties may be more appropriate for oily skin.

Can I mix different clays together?

Absolutely! Combining clays can create interesting colors and textures. You could experiment with combinations such as kaolin + rose clay, French pink + Brazilian pink, or yellow + red clay to create custom colors and properties.

Are Himalayan pink clay and Himalayan pink salt the same thing?

No. They're completely different ingredients. Himalayan pink salt is a salt, while Himalayan pink clay is a mineral clay. Some commercial products combine the two, so always check the ingredient list before using one in a recipe.

Where should I buy cosmetic clay?

Look for reputable suppliers that provide the INCI name, country or region of origin, cosmetic-grade designation, and safety documentation. This is especially important with specialty clays because common names aren't always standardized.