Clay + Soap = Nice Cleansing

I temporarily surrendered my personal Lily Flowers Frankincense soap ball in order to give the wash test to a new clay soap variety that I just couldn't resist creating. If you have never used a soap containing clay before, it might seem like a weird contradiction. Isn't clay some form of mud? Mud and suds? How could this be a good thing? Here is what my latest clay soap blend does:

From the variety I call Gerhassoul since I scented it with rose geranium essential oil

I have incorporated Rhassoul into this soap in two different ways.

Nice suds! For this soap, I incorporated Rhassoul clay into a blend of olive, walnut and coconut oils and raw Shea butter. Rhassoul clay comes from Morocco and usually has a reddish color due to iron oxide.  On the left is my bit of soap from the latest batch. It is still very yellow because it is very fresh. It's quite usable, but still somewhat soft. It will harden and the color will change to faint pink with a darker reddish swirl as more moisture leaves. Of course, I'm too impatient to wait for this to happen to my little chunk! Below is a more mature soap made with Rhassoul clay.

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This is Rhassoul clay and activated charcoal soap

The special mineral mixtures that are known as clay have been used since ancient times for cleansing and healing. Some people do not use soap at all, but prefer straight clay. Why not have the best of both? Clay draws away toxins and so does soap. I have developed a liking for cleansing clay and suds mixed together. My latest blend that I have named Gerhassoul is concentrated with clay and  it certainly does not perform like mud. If you like the scent of roses, rose geranium essential oil delivers the pleasure while being more friendly to the budget. A whimsical association with rose geranium is that it has the power to repel gossip. 
Here is some more information about clay that makes me want to go dig a chunk from my yard and turn it into pottery or bricks: _http://uwsslec.libguides.com/content.php?pid=192631&sid=1615244
I do have accessible clay deposits, but I would not put these into soap because I do not know what harmful impurities they might contain. Not all clay deposits are of equal purity and I acquire my soap clay varieties from reputable providers of highest quality clay.