What Does Kaolin Clay Do For Hair and Skin?
Kaolin clay gently removes oil, product buildup, and dead skin from your scalp, skin, and hair without stripping moisture the way stronger clays can. On hair, it leaves strands feeling soft and clean, with more shine and volume.
To better understand how kaolin works let’s take a look at the science, answer your most common questions, and some recipes for different uses:
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What is Kaolin Clay?
Kaolin clay or Kaolinite, is a naturally occurring silicate mineral found primarily in hot moist climates around the world. Kaolinite is one of the most abundant clay minerals on earth. Widely used across many industries from manufacturing uses to medicinal uses. It is generally white, but depending on the other plants or minerals present, it can be several pale colors from yellow to green and red to pink.
Primary Uses of Kaolin Clay:
- One of the primary uses of kaolin is for the making of paper, giving it another name, paper clay.
- For centuries, it has been used to make porcelain, which is why it is also called China Clay.
- Kaolin is used in medicine for wound dressing, reduces oral pain caused by radiation damage, and its oldest medicinal use is to treat toxic ingestion of certain substances.
- It is also being studied for removal of fabric dyes from wastewater and other water filtration
- It can be used in spray form for organic insect control.
- In the beauty industry, cosmetic grade kaolin clay is used in a variety of products to include facial masks, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, hair-paste, toothpaste, deodorant, make-up and more.
What is Cosmetic Grade Kaolin Clay?
Cosmetic kaolin clay is finely ground white powder; produced specifically for skin and hair care.
How is Kaolin Clay Different from Bentonite Clay?
Kaolin and bentonite both adsorb and absorb, but they behave very differently in water. Bentonite is a swelling clay. Water slips between its layers, so it can swell to many times its dry size and grab far more of whatever it touches.
Kaolin barely swells. It absorbs a modest amount of oil and water and binds much less overall, which is exactly what makes it gentler.
So what is the difference between adsorbing and absorbing?
Simply put:
- Adsorb means to stick to other substances. Adsorbing clays usually have a low shrink-swell capacity; meaning they do not soak up a lot of water and swell.
- Absorb means to take in (or soak up) surrounding substances. Absorbing clays absorb impurities like a sponge taking in all the toxins, impurities, and copious amounts of water.
Why do I use Kaolin Clay in QuickSilverHair Clay rather than Bentonite Clay?
Bentonite is amazing for clay skin-mask preparations and detox baths. It does a fine job of drawing out impurities from the skin, especially oily and acne-prone skin. However, it is not so great for hair because it can pull so much moisture that it leaves your hair feeling dry and rough.
Kaolin is much milder (in my opinion) than bentonite. Because kaolin barely swells with water, it doesn’t steal moisture from the hair like bentonite does. Kaolin has a unique quality: instead of your hair feeling dry and stripped after use, it feels soft, looks shiny, and has increased volume. That gentleness is why I built QuickSilverHair Clay around kaolin, so you can clarify silver hair without the dry, stripped feeling.
Kaolin is also a more gentle clay for dry and acne-prone skin.
Is Kaolin Clay Safe?
Absolutely!
Kaolin is one of the most widely used and best studied clays in cosmetics. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, an independent group of scientists that evaluates cosmetic ingredients, has concluded that kaolin is safe in cosmetics as currently used.
Argil-therapy is the cosmetic term for using clay in skin and hair care. Clays have been widely used for skin, hair, and medicinal uses since ancient times.
Each type of clay has its own properties. French green clay is rich in minerals, while white kaolin is a mild clay that absorbs oil and gently cleanses, which is why I chose it for hair.
Kaolin clay, it is safe for topical use.*
*California Proposition 65 Warning: Consuming kaolin clay can expose you to lead, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.
Cosmetic Benefits to Kaolin Clay:
- Kaolin is generally well tolerated and non-comedogenic (doesn’t clog pores); it is considered one of the gentlest and mildest clays for skin and hair care.
- Kaolin absorbs excess oil and sebum, and its fine particles gently lift away surface debris, so skin and hair feel cleaner.
- For hair, it helps cleanse the scalp of excess oil, dead skin, and pore-clogging buildup like hair products and pollution. A clean, balanced scalp is the foundation for healthy-looking hair – one reason I recommend clarifying on a regular schedule.
Warnings: If you have dry skin or hair, make sure to use it with oil, apply gently, and follow with moisturizer or conditioner.
Make the Recipes in This Post With QuickSilverHair Clay and Squalane Oil
Every recipe below starts with QuickSilverHair Clay, and some use QuickSilverHair Squalane Oil. The QuickSilverHair Squalane Kit gives you both pieces, so you can try the recipes without hunting for anything else.
- Use the clay mask once or twice a month for a deeper reset than clarifying shampoo alone.
- The oil is 100% clear and pure, safe for silver hair, no staining.
- Keep a little clay in a root comb bottle for dry shampoo between washes.
- Add it to your routine alongside your favorite clarifying shampoo.
pH of Kaolin Clay:
The pH of kaolin clay in its natural state is around 4.2-6.5.
The pH of the QuickSilverHair Clay mask mixed with the Acure Curiously Clarifying Conditioner and QuickSilverHair Squalane oil as per instructions is 5.5-6.
Making it a simple, effective at-home mask for hair.
Why Use QuickSilverHair Clay versus Just Plain Kaolin Clay:
I found when creating the QuickSilverHair Clay formula that kaolin alone was missing something. First, I added the perfect amount of cornstarch to help with absorbing oils. Then I added a blend of essential oils for a warm scent, with a clean, refreshing feel on the scalp.
So yes, QuickSilverHair Clay is much more than just plain kaolin.
QuickSilverHair Clay Recipes for Face Mask, Hair Mask, Exfoliant, Scalp Shampoo, and more:
Special Note: before you make any homemade recipes, make sure your spoons, brushes, whisks, bowls are all clean; you do not want to add any bacteria to your mask. Clay masks won’t keep for long so best to make as needed.
QuickSilverHair Kaolin Clarifying Face Mask:
- Mix 2 tsp of QuickSilverHair Clay with ½ to 1 tsp of Jojoba oil. You want a thin paste more clay than oil.
- Spread evenly over your wet face and leave for five to ten minutes.
- Gently rub mixture to loosen up dead skin.
- Rinse with warm water.
QuickSilverHair Clay Oat Mask:
- Whisk together 2 tsp of QuickSilverHair Clay, 2 tsp of colloidal oatmeal (or fine ground oats), 2-4 tsp of any type of milk (dairy or non-dairy).
- Optional ½ a tsp of warm Manuka honey.
- Spread evenly over your wet face, rubbing it in softly, and leave for ten minutes.
- Wash off with a wet warm washcloth.
- Follow with your favorite moisturizer.
QuickSilverHair Clay Face Wash:
- Mix 2 tsp of QuickSilverHair Clay, 2 tsp of witch hazel, and a drop or two of your favorite face soap.
- Apply in shower as an exfoliating wash.
QuickSilverHair Clay Exfoliant:
- Mix 2 tsp of QuickSilverHair Clay, 1 tsp of sugar, a pump of a QuickSilverHair Squalane Oil, and mix into a paste with 2 tsp of your favorite shower gel.
- In shower apply in a circular motion to anywhere your skin needs it.
QuickSilverHair Clay Scalp Shampoo:
- Mix 2 tsp of QuickSilverHair Clay, 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar, a few drops of a pure oil of your choice, and 2 tsp of your favorite gentle shampoo.
- Apply to wet scalp, lightly massaging with your fingertips, all over your scalp.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Shampoo and condition as normal.
QuickSilverHair Clay Dry Shampoo:
- Using a funnel add QuickSilverHair Clay to a tipped applicator bottle or root comb bottle.
- Apply at roots and fluff your hair.
- Voila Dry Shampoo
QuickSilverHair Hair Brightening Mask:
Head over to this page for detailed instructions > Mixing Instructions for QuickSilverHair Clay and Oil Mask
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I hope you found this post educational and helpful.
Thank you for reading. Please feel free to share.
As always it is about so much more than the hair.
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