Green clay is not as fine as other clays

[Maythorn]

I got lots of flecks and I had strained the clay through a fine steel strainer like I do with clay. I don't think the soap is scratchy but I just don't like the look of it. Have others of you had this happen? It's green clay from different sources I've tried, too, so I can't say it just one vendor's or anything.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

My french green clay is very fine.

 

[Soapy Gurl]

Mine is very fine too. Did you hand blend it in or use your stick blender? I have found clay can clump if I hand blend it in.

 

[carebear]

My french green clay is very fine.

I've had it speck but usually it's fine.

 

[Lynnz]

Oh I love Green French Clay, I often mix it a little with the melted oils from my pot then stickblend

 

[Maythorn]

I mixed it with some olive oil a couple of hours before I soaped it; about 2 teaspoons in an oz and a half of oil. I stickblend alot so I don't know if there's anything more I can do to stop these specks.

 

[Fragola]

I've had sometimes clay that wasn't that fine and I would put it through a coffee grinder, then a hairthin strainer.

But not with french clay.

I also guess it's because the way it was mixed and believe it's a good idea to mix with oils first and blend in.

 

[FreeRabbit]

I put water first- then add some clay and mix as best as I can, I like it thin that's the easiest way

 

[judymoody]

I think Southern Soapers had a tutorial in which she added the clay to the lye water - the color leached out, then she used the colored water and left the clay behind. I don't remember the details and you had to factor in the fact that the clay absorbs a lot of water. It might still be available on line.

I also have never used this technique so I'm not vouching for it. I blend clay into a little bit of my soaping oils and let it sit for a while. I then incorporate after mixing my lye and oils.

 

[debbism]

I have some green illite clay but have never used it....the supplier advised me to use a preservative BUT I think he may have been referring to products other than soap.

To get a nice dispersion, I use a stick blender and mix the clay into the warm oils - works nicely for bentonite, kaolin takes more effort. For swirly soap, I mix the clay with a touch of water to make a slurry then mix THAT into a smaller portion of the raw, thinly traced soap to be swirled into the rest. So far it seems to be working just fine with the pink, yellow, red and white. But I would like to play with that green clay really soon.

 

[soapbuddy]

I put water first- then add some clay and mix as best as I can, I like it thin that's the easiest way

That's what I do since clay needs to hydrate first.

 

[Maythorn]

I have some green illite clay but have never used it....the supplier advised me to use a preservative BUT I think he may have been referring to products other than soap.

To get a nice dispersion, I use a stick blender and mix the clay into the warm oils - works nicely for bentonite, kaolin takes more effort. For swirly soap, I mix the clay with a touch of water to make a slurry then mix THAT into a smaller portion of the raw, thinly traced soap to be swirled into the rest. So far it seems to be working just fine with the pink, yellow, red and white. But I would like to play with that green clay really soon.

My method pretty much. It works great with the other clays I've tried.