Kaolin: The Gentle Clay

The gentlest clay there is, and the one in every bar we make.

Where it comes from

Kaolin is named after Gaoling, a hill in Jiangxi province, China, where it was first mined to make porcelain over a thousand years ago. It's the clay behind fine china, glossy magazine paper and, for a very long time, face powder. It's one of the softest, most finely textured clays on earth, which is why it shows up in everything from toothpaste to baby powder. Ours is a cosmetic-grade white kaolin.

What it does in the bar

Kaolin is the base of every Goodlather bar, scented or not. It does three things: it gives the lather a silky, slightly slippery feel; it helps the bar hold its scent longer, because clay anchors essential oils; and it adds a little weight and smoothness that makes the bar glide over skin rather than drag.

What it does for skin

Kaolin is the mildest clay used in skincare. Unlike stronger clays, it draws out excess oil without pulling moisture from the skin, which is why it's the traditional choice for sensitive and dry skin. If you've ever used a gentle face mask, it was probably kaolin.

Good to know

Our Unscented bar is kaolin and nothing else on the mineral side, which makes it the simplest bar we sell. The scented bars build on kaolin with the clays and minerals below.