Best Natural Additives for Soap
Updated How we research
Yogi's Gift Pack of 5 Clays for Mask & Soap Making - Rose Clay, French Green Clay, Kaolin, Moroccan Red and Bentonite Clay, 8oz Each
Yogi's Gift pack of 5 clays, 8oz each: rose, French green, kaolin, Moroccan red and bentonite for soap and masks.
Premium Loofah Slices for Soap Making - Natural Luffa Cuts for DIY Soaping (36pk)
Premium natural luffa cuts for DIY soaping, a 36pk of loofah slices for making exfoliating bars.
Additives are judged by two things the label rarely states: how much you can use per pound of oils, and how that amount feels on skin. Exfoliants are where beginners overshoot. Ground oat, milled fine enough to disperse rather than sink, is gentle at a teaspoon or two per pound and turns scratchy well before it turns more effective, while coarse grits belong in a hand scrub bar rather than anything for a face. Loofah is the extreme version, since a slice set into a bar gives real abrasion and also holds water, so it has to dry fully between uses or it sours. Clays behave differently again, because their job is absorbency and slip rather than scratch: roughly a teaspoon per pound gives color and a silkier lather, and the darker earth tones also help anchor scent. Charcoal is the one to test before scaling up, as a heavy hand turns lather gray and marks a light washcloth. Dried botanicals are mostly cosmetic and mostly disappointing in cold process, where high pH browns petals within days, so they hold their color far better pressed onto the top of a bar or embedded in a melt and pour base. Buy powders in the smallest useful pack until you know your own rate.
The short version
We compared 10 picks. Our scores range from 7.2 to 9.2 out of 10.
- Best overall:Yogi's Gift Pack of 5 Clays for Mask & Soap Making - Rose Clay, French Green Clay, Kaolin, Moroccan Red and Bentonite Clay, 8oz Each. Highest overall score in this guide at 9.2/10.
- Also great value:Premium Loofah Slices for Soap Making - Natural Luffa Cuts for DIY Soaping (36pk). Value score of 9/10, overall 8.9/10.
- Solid build:Natural Loofah Slices for Soap Making (20 Pack) - Organic Loufa Cuts, Bulk Luffa Soap Making Supplies. Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 8.7/10.
- Feature-rich:21 Pack Dried Flowers for Candle & Soap Making, 100% Natural Dried Herbs Kit - Lavender, Rose Petals, Rosebuds, Leaves, Lemon. Features score of 9/10, overall 8.6/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.Yogi's Gift Pack of 5 Clays for Mask & Soap Making - Rose Clay, French Green Clay, Kaolin, Moroccan Red and Bentonite Clay, 8oz Each9.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Premium Loofah Slices for Soap Making - Natural Luffa Cuts for DIY Soaping (36pk)8.9/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Natural Loofah Slices for Soap Making (20 Pack) - Organic Loufa Cuts, Bulk Luffa Soap Making Supplies8.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.21 Pack Dried Flowers for Candle & Soap Making, 100% Natural Dried Herbs Kit - Lavender, Rose Petals, Rosebuds, Leaves, Lemon8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.Bare Essentials Living Bentonite Clay Powder (5lbs) Cosmetic Sodium Bentonite Clay, Made in USA8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.Sukh Dried Calendula Petals - Natural 3oz Bulk Calendula Flowers for Soap Making & Candle Making8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Charcoal House Activated Bamboo Charcoal Powder Food Grade - Skin Care, Body Scrub, Facial Cleanser, Soap Making - 6 oz8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.Activated Charcoal Powder 1 lb. Hardwood - Food Grade Kosher Non-GMO - Teeth Whitening, Facial Mask and Soap Making8.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 9.Yareli Colloidal Oatmeal, 2lb (32oz), Bath Powder for Dry Skin for All Ages7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 10.Palm and Plenty 100% Pure Colloidal Oatmeal Powder Unscented, 32 oz7.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1Yogi's Gift pack of 5 clays, 8oz each: rose, French green, kaolin, Moroccan red and bentonite for soap and masks.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 5 clays at 8oz each give plenty for many soap batches
- + Mix of colors lets you tint soap pink, green and red naturally
- + Kaolin and bentonite add slip and a silky lather
- - Bentonite absorbs lots of water, so recipes may need adjusting
- - Five full bags take more storage than a small sampler
#2Premium natural luffa cuts for DIY soaping, a 36pk of loofah slices for making exfoliating bars.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 36pk gives more slices than the smaller loofah bundles in this guide
- + Premium luffa cuts are sold for DIY soaping
- + Great for markets where loofah soaps sell well
- - Check the slice diameter against your mold size before ordering
- - Natural luffa may shed small fibers when first cut
#3Natural loofah slices for soap making, 20 Pack of organic cuts for embedding in melt and pour soap.
Fit for the job 10/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 20 Pack of pre-cut slices saves cutting whole loofahs
- + Organic loofah cuts give a natural scrubby soap bar
- + Sold specifically as a soap making supply
- - Check the loofah slice thickness against your mold depth before ordering
- - Loofah absorbs soap, so it uses more base per bar
#4A 21 Pack dried flowers and herbs kit for candle and soap making with lavender, rose petals, rosebuds and lemon.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 21 Pack variety gives many options for decorating soap tops
- + Lavender, rose petals and rosebuds are classic soap toppings
- + 100% natural dried herbs suit handmade natural soap looks
- - Many botanicals turn brown when mixed inside lye soap
- - Small portions of each type limit larger decorating runs
#5Bare Essentials Living 5lbs cosmetic sodium bentonite clay powder, made in USA, a bulk single-clay supply.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 5lbs bulk bag is great value for heavy bentonite users
- + Sodium bentonite adds slip and helps anchor fragrance in soap
- + Made in USA sourcing appeals to local-ingredient buyers
- - Single clay only, so it will not add color variety
- - Too much bentonite can make bars feel drying or draggy
#6Sukh dried calendula petals, natural 3oz bulk, for soap making and candle making.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Calendula petals keep their golden color inside lye soap
- + 3oz bulk bag decorates many soap tops and loaves
- + Single-botanical bag is great for infusing oils too
- - Only one botanical, so variety requires other purchases
- - Petals can shed if soap tops are handled roughly
#7Charcoal House 6 oz food grade activated bamboo charcoal powder for skin care, scrubs and soap making.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Bamboo charcoal gives deep black or grey soap without dyes
- + Food grade powder suits facial bars and detox-style soaps
- + 6 oz amount covers many batches since little is needed
- - Very light powder floats and stains counters if spilled
- - Too much charcoal can make lather look grey
#8A 1 lb. bag of hardwood activated charcoal powder, food grade, kosher and non-GMO, for masks and soap making.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 1 lb. supply is excellent value for frequent charcoal soap makers
- + Food grade kosher non-GMO labeling supports natural product claims
- + Hardwood charcoal colors soap a deep, even black
- - Large bag of light powder is messy to scoop from
- - Teeth whitening focus means soap usage guidance is limited
#9Yareli colloidal oatmeal in a 2 lb (32 oz) bag, milled to particles under 50 microns with no additives or fragrance. It is sold as a bath powder, and the fine grind is the type soap makers add to batter or melted base.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Particles under 50 microns per the listing, so it disperses in water instead of leaving coarse oat flecks
- + Free of additives, fragrances and artificial preservatives, leaving scent and color choices to your recipe
- + 2 lb bag covers many batches, since oatmeal is used in small amounts per batch of soap
- - Marketed as a bath powder: the listing gives no soap making directions or usage rates
- - No organic certification is mentioned, and 2 lb is more than an occasional maker will use quickly
#10Palm and Plenty pure colloidal oatmeal, unscented, sold as a 32 oz pack and made in the USA. The listing names soap making, bath bombs and DIY cosmetics among its uses, and it costs more than the 16 oz bags in this guide.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 6/10
- + 100 percent colloidal oatmeal with no fragrance or dyes, so it will not alter the scent of a recipe
- + Described as highly refined with no specks, which suits smooth bars rather than a visibly flecked look
- + The listing explicitly covers soap making, bath bombs and DIY cosmetics, not only bath soaks
- - Size details conflict: the title says 32 oz while one bullet calls it a 32oz (1 lb) package, so confirm the weight before ordering
- - Among the higher-priced oatmeal picks here, and the listing gives no particle size or usage rate for soap
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Bentonite absorbs lots of water, so recipes may need adjusting (Yogi's Gift Pack of 5 Clays for Mask & Soap...)
- Check the slice diameter against your mold size before ordering (Premium Loofah Slices for Soap Making -...)
- Check the loofah slice thickness against your mold depth before ordering (Natural Loofah Slices for Soap Making (20...)
- Many botanicals turn brown when mixed inside lye soap (21 Pack Dried Flowers for Candle & Soap...)
- Single clay only, so it will not add color variety (Bare Essentials Living Bentonite Clay Powder...)
- Only one botanical, so variety requires other purchases (Sukh Dried Calendula Petals - Natural 3oz...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among natural additives for soap?
Yogi's Gift Pack of 5 Clays for Mask & Soap Making - Rose Clay, French Green Clay, Kaolin, Moroccan Red and Bentonite Clay, 8oz Each is our top overall pick. Yogi's Gift pack of 5 clays, 8oz each: rose, French green, kaolin, Moroccan red and bentonite for soap and masks. It earns our score of 9.2/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Premium Loofah Slices for Soap Making - Natural Luffa Cuts for DIY Soaping (36pk) is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Premium natural luffa cuts for DIY soaping, a 36pk of loofah slices for making exfoliating bars.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Soap Making Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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