Long before skincare stands existed in department stores and supermarket aisles, the clays found across Australia were already being used to cleanse, heal and care for skin. This is the practice known as pelotherapy — the use of natural clays and muds for skin and body wellness — is the foundation our Clay & Ochre soap range is built on, designed to acknowledge and support those traditional care aims. Get to know our clay soaps in our Clay Soap guide.
Clay forms over thousands of years as rock slowly weathers and breaks down through exposure to water, air and the elements. Australia’s clay and ochre deposits are some of the oldest and most mineral-diverse in the world, shaped by this country’s ancient geology. The colour of a clay is really a window into what it’s made of — yellows and reds typically point to iron oxide content, whites and ivory to high levels of kaolin and aluminium, and greens to trace organic matter and other minerals such as naturally occuring mica and oxides. That’s also why no two clay deposits are quite the same, even within the same colour family: the exact mineral mix shifts depending on where in the country it was sourced.
Kaolin clay, which is widely used in cosmetics and soap is one of the gentlest and most widely used clays in skincare worldwide, and Australia’s kaolin deposits are prized for their fine, soft texture, purity and mild mineral profile — which is why you’ll find it as the base for several of the bars below. It may also be enriched with different minerals such as quartz and feldspar to create each one’s distinct character. Kaolin, which is a non-swelling clay, may come in a range of colours with white and ivory being common, along with pink, red, yellow green also naturally available. Kaolin provides a gentle slip to soap and helps to create a more luxurious bar that holds its natural scent. Other forms of clay can be used such as clays that tend to swell when they come into contact with water like the Smectites including Bentonite and Montmorillonite such as our yellow clay.
Each clay colour can carry a different mineral makeup due to the location of where it is sourced from across Australia, and in our range, each one is paired with a considered blend of pure plant oils, natural essential oils and enhanced natural oxide colour. Here’s a closer look at the Clay & Ochre clay soap collection, clay by clay, including the essential oil blends behind each bar and the properties they’re known for.
Clay Soap Guide – Our Clay & Ochre Soap Collection
If smooth, invigorated, brighter-looking skin is the goal, reach for the Indigenous Ivory Clay Scrub Soap. Ivory clay is one of the gentlest clays used in natural skincare, supporting sensitive or easily irritated skin, while crushed wattleseed provides a medium, natural exfoliation to help buff away dry or dull patches and invigorate. It’s enriched with coconut oil, olive oil and shea butter, and scented with lemon myrtle and lavender essential oils. Lavender is known for its calming, comforting properties, while lemon myrtle offers naturally refreshing with astringent, clarifying qualities — a nice combination for skin that wants a refresh with a bit of polish.
The Indigenous Ochre Yellow Clay Soap is a beautiful choice for anyone chasing a healthy, even-toned glow. Yellow clay is mineral-rich, with trace montmorillonite and quartz, and is traditionally valued for helping support and condition the skin. It’s blended with olive and coconut oils for balanced hydration, and scented with our ‘Lift’ essential oil blend — mandarin, bergamot and lavender. Mandarin is known for being refreshing and soothing, bergamot for its naturally balancing properties, and lavender for helping calm irritation, making this a gentle, uplifting everyday bar. Yellow clay can be found in South Australia and Victoria.
Our popular Indigenous Pink Clay Soap is one of the mildest bars in the range. Pink kaolin clay is among the gentlest of the mineral clays, known for helping support and calm reactive skin. It’s blended with olive oil, rice-bran oil and shea butter for a soft, hydrating lather, making it a suitable option for skin that prefers simple luxury.
The Indigenous Red Ochre Clay Soap brings an iron-rich, earthy mineral content to the range, traditionally valued for helping support and protect the skin’s natural barrier. It’s blended with olive and rice bran oils for nourishment, and scented with our ‘Flow’ essential oil blend with pink grapefruit, lime and lavender. Our red clay naturally provides a mild-exfoliation to the skin, assisting with skin renewal. Pink grapefruit and lime are known for their bright, refreshing properties, while lavender helps round out the blend with a calming finish — a grounding, nourishing wash for normal to dry skin.
Red Clay is found across Australia, but particularly in Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. We source our red clay from the southern part of Western Australia.
Rounding out the range is the Indigenous White Clay Soap, made with naturally mild white kaolin clay (also known as pipe clay). It’s blended with coconut and sunflower oils plus shea butter for a bubbly, gentle lather, and scented with pure lavender essential oil, known for its calming and skin-soothing properties. Gentle enough for daily use on sensitive or dry skin — and mild enough for babies over three months — it’s a gentle everyday bar for sensitive prone skin.
Kaolin clay is primarily found in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. We manufacture our soaps in the heart of Kaolin country, with many existing and historical kaolin sources foun in our region.
For all-round balance, the Indigenous Green Clay Soap is hard to go past. Green Kaolin Quartz clay is one of the more absorbent natural clays, known for helping draw impurities while supporting clearer, calmer-looking skin — making it a good match for oily or combination skin. This bar enriched with shea butter and coconut for hydration, and scented with our ‘Fresh’ essential oil blend of lemon myrtle, lime and peppermint. Lemon myrtle is known for its naturally purifying, astringent properties, lime for its bright, toning character, and peppermint for its cooling effect — together supporting a refreshed, clarified feel.
And while not a clay, if your skin tends to get oily or congested, start with the Activated Charcoal Indigenous Body Bar. Activated charcoal is a natural detoxifier known for binding to excess oil and impurities, helping to support a clearer, more balanced complexion. It’s blended with coconut and shea butter to keep oil levels in check, and scented with our signature ‘Clear’ essential oil blend — peppermint, lavender, Blue Mallee eucalyptus and tea tree. Peppermint is known for its cooling, refreshing properties, while tea tree and eucalyptus are valued for their naturally purifying qualities, and lavender brings a calming note that supports inflamation to balance the blend. A great pick for more oily skin and the back, chest, or anywhere prone to breakouts.
Each bar in the Clay & Ochre Collection is handmade in small batches using cold-process methods, with natural plant oils, clay minerals and essential oils sourced with care. Whichever clay you’re drawn to, you’re washing with something that’s been used to support skin on Country for a very long time.
Now that you have a snapshot of our Clay & Ochre soaps using our Clay Soap Guide. Shop our Clay & Ochre Soap Collection and find the bar that matches your skin.