I only use natural additives in our bars. And while adding for aesthetics is a good enough reason to include them, I’m more concerned with how these things can help your skin. 

I like to include various clays, pigments, and exfoliants in our soap when it makes sense for the type of bar I want to create. I’ve experimented with adding a lot of different things to my soap -- from Assam tea to grapefruit peel -- and while I’m not always successful, I have a ton of fun and always learn a lot. Sometimes though, all of the magic comes together and I land on the perfect combination. 

Here are some of the natural clays, pigments, and exfoliants I use in Pipit & Finch soap:

• I love how coffee grounds feel on your skin. I’ve found that ground Peets has just the right texture for our Peppermint soap. The cocoa powder “pencil line” in our peppermint bar gives the bar a faint chocolate smell and also makes the bar really pretty.   

• French Green Clay, used in our Lavender bar, removes excess oil from the skin and provides gentle exfoliation. According to Bulk Apothecary, where we source our FGC from, this “healing clay widely used for its skin healing properties. When applied to the skin, it essentially absorbs toxins and poisons that get trapped in the skin. The clay originates from France and mined directly from the earth. French Green Clay is a 100% natural bio-organic material and contains a cornucopia of valuable elements.”

• Natural Indigo powder comes from the leaves of Indigofera tinctoria and is known not only for its beautiful blue hue but also for its anti-inflammatory properties. 

• Rose Kaolin Clay found in our Rose bar is known for being gentle enough for sensitive skin. It absorbs dirt and oils and provides super mild exfoliation. 

• Himalayan Pink Sea Salt is not only really pretty in a bar of grapefruit soap, but it also has great benefits for your skin. Check out Hemp 360 for “6 reasons we love Himalayan salt for the skin.” 

• Pine rosin has a long history of being used for medicinal purposes for “cuts, wounds, sores, skin eruptions, bruises, scabs, and slivers; a poultice of the resin applied to inflammations and abscesses to draw out the poison from boils.” I love the color and scent pine rosin adds to our Fir bar. If you want to learn more, including how to make a pine resin salve, visit The Herbal Academy. 

• In developing our Cedarwood + Vetiver bar, I experimented with rosemary leaves from our spice drawer but found the leaves were too big and were a too rough on the skin. I then decided to try rosemary powder, which I love in the soap. Rosemary powder is soothing to the skin and includes anti-inflammatory properties that may relieve puffiness and swelling. 

You’ll notice that the colors in our bars are more muted than those made with artificial dyes used in a lot of commercial and handcrafted soaps. The colors of the bars might also change over time and with use. 

I hope you enjoy these natural clays, pigments, and exfoliants as much as I do.