Kaolin clay forming white specks

[Anstarx]

I don't use kaolin clay often but I have a big tub of it so I wanted to use it more often. I made a batch of aloe vera soap lately and thought it would be a nice combo.
I've made soap with kaolin clay before where I just mixed the clay with a little water using a stick into a slurry and then mix with the soap batter. It soaped just fine.
This time, however, I kept find white specks when mixing with the batter. I didn't dare to mix too much as my FO accelerate quite a bit so I mixed as much as I can and poured. The result, as you can se in the photo below, there were trace of the white clay on the surface and specks within the bars.

Do kaolin clay requires extra blending? Or there could be any outer reasons as my prior experience turned out just fine?

 

[Obsidian]

Looks like the clay clumped a little. Make sure any clumps are smashed with the back of a spoon and add the clay mix to the oils before the lye so you can mix it really well.

 

[Karina Heartart]

Hi I have the same problem when using zinc oxide in my green tea that I strain myself. Its only in the light part of the soap that I use the zinc oxide in. It also makes it a scrub. Does yours feel like a scrub? are you using any natural tea or other type of additive? I am interested if the clay and zinc are reacting or attaching them selves in clumps on the larger additive particles. It has not happened to my other soap just the tea one.

 

[lsg]

Next time, you might save out a little oil from your recipe and mix the clay with that before adding to the rest of the oils.

 

[Anstarx]

Hi I have the same problem when using zinc oxide in my green tea that I strain myself. Its only in the light part of the soap that I use the zinc oxide in. It also makes it a scrub. Does yours feel like a scrub? are you using any natural tea or other type of additive? I am interested if the clay and zinc are reacting or attaching them selves in clumps on the larger additive particles. It has not happened to my other soap just the tea one.

The soap is still very new so I didn't wash with it yet. When I touch the surface I don't feel any bumps or particles. I will wait until 4 weeks mark and try a piece. I didn't use any tea, My special additive for this batch is homemade aloe vera juice- I took fresh aloe vera leaves, cleaned them and scoop out the gel part then blend them and use as lye water. I strained it before adding to the oils. I used some mica to make the green part greener but other than that it's the usual sugar and sodium lactate.

Next time, you might save out a little oil from your recipe and mix the clay with that before adding to the rest of the oils.

Oh I read you should mix clay with water so it doesn't absorbs extra water and I always mix clay with water. Maybe that's why?

 

[cerelife]

I use kaolin clay in all of my batches and I add it dry to my soft oils. I also add my fragrance to my soft oils. When I add my melted hard oils to the soft oils, I stick blend well before adding my lye solution. This method works well for me.

 

[Karina Heartart]

The soap is still very new so I didn't wash with it yet. When I touch the surface I don't feel any bumps or particles. I will wait until 4 weeks mark and try a piece. I didn't use any tea, My special additive for this batch is homemade aloe vera juice- I took fresh aloe vera leaves, cleaned them and scoop out the gel part then blend them and use as lye water. I strained it before adding to the oils. I used some mica to make the green part greener but other than that it's the usual sugar and sodium lactate.

Oh I read you should mix clay with water so it doesn't absorbs extra water and I always mix clay with water. Maybe that's why?

Hi thanks for all the detail
Please could you let me know if the specks are smooth after the 4 weeks or have gone hard like a scrub.
Yours is the closest I have seen to what has happened to mine. If it happens to you again with clay or oxides with other additives like tea and aloe gel let me know
It may be how much solid oils are in the receipt that harden quicker combined with temperature and or attaching to particles.
I would like to make the scrub again not by accident this time

 

[atiz]

I do as cerelife, if I only have 1 kind of clay (and not as colorants) -- stick blend with the oils. It works quite well.
When using for color, the water method has worked well for me, but it does require quite a bit of stirring. I usually use a hand whisk.
But they will be fine -- the soaps look very nice.

 

[Karina Heartart]

I do as cerelife, if I only have 1 kind of clay (and not as colorants) -- stick blend with the oils. It works quite well.
When using for color, the water method has worked well for me, but it does require quite a bit of stirring. I usually use a hand whisk.
But they will be fine -- the soaps look very nice.

I make Hot Process I think the oil in future may work better for clay and oxide.

 

[Catscankim]

I don't use kaolin clay often but I have a big tub of it so I wanted to use it more often. I made a batch of aloe vera soap lately and thought it would be a nice combo.
I've made soap with kaolin clay before where I just mixed the clay with a little water using a stick into a slurry and then mix with the soap batter. It soaped just fine.
This time, however, I kept find white specks when mixing with the batter. I didn't dare to mix too much as my FO accelerate quite a bit so I mixed as much as I can and poured. The result, as you can se in the photo below, there were trace of the white clay on the surface and specks within the bars.

Do kaolin clay requires extra blending? Or there could be any outer reasons as my prior experience turned out just fine?

I have been using kaolin clay in all my soaps lately and they all have some of these specks to some degree, and i usually mix with all my oils.

im in the middle of a batch right now (waiting for the lye to cool), but i tried a few different things...i added the clay to the soft oils only, and i sifted it in. Blended with a stick blender as usual. Then i added my melted hard oils and stick blended again. I dont see any granules so far. I keep stirring so nothing settles.

we shall see. I will keep you updated...

 

[TheGecko]

I use Kaolin Clay...1 tea PPO and was adding it dry and had no issues. But since I have started Master Batching my Oils/Butters, I need to mix it with water and blend well before adding it...elsewise I was getting specks too. The small amount of water I use isn't enough to cause problems.