Kaolin vs Bentonite Clay: Which is Better?

Kaolin clay is often referred to as China clay or white clay. The natural clay is extracted from the earth and contains mainly mineral kaolinite. The purest form of kaolin clay comes in white color, but the environmental and geographical conditions, as well as other minerals, contained inside cause the clay to have some hues. For example, red kaolin clay gets its color from the high iron oxide in the clay. In comparison, green kaolin clay gets the color from decomposable plants.

In terms of appearance, bentonite clay is already different from kaolin clay. Bentonite clay has a grayish color and frequently appears in cosmetic products as face masks. The United States is the top producer of bentonite clay around the world, with Wyoming as the leading production site. This article will compare kaolin vs bentonite clay from their uses and which is the better option.

Use of Kaolin Clay

Kaolin clay comes in various colors, which all have beauty benefits. But the most common is white kaolin clay. As it comes in very fine powder and smooth texture, kaolin clay can be easily incorporated in a wide range of products, including clay masks, soap, face wash, bath bombs, and many more. Kaolin clay is gentler than bentonite clay, which makes it more suitable for dry and sensitive skin. Even though it has an excellent absorbing capability, it will not drain most of the skin’s oil and liquid, thus keeping the skin smooth and moisturized.

Use of Bentonite Clay

Bentonite clay is also widely used in beauty products, thanks to the nice “slip” feature. It means bentonite clay smoothens your skin effectively. That is why bentonite clay gets chosen as the main ingredient for products such as shaving soap, as it can make the razor glide smoothly over your skin. Also, bentonite clay is known for its excellent absorbing properties and can absorb more than just water in the skin. Thus, bentonite clay is a good choice for oily skin.

Which is Better: Kaolin vs Bentonite Clay

With the many clays that can be found in the market, it will be hard to choose which one is better, especially between the two of the most famous clay, kaolin vs bentonite. You might ask, which is better?

The answer is, it depends on your skin conditions and needs. But there are two important characteristics to look at so that you can find the perfect clay for your skin.

The first one is absorption levels. Kaolinite or kaolin clay has a 65% absorption level, compared to bentonite clay with a staggering 300 to 700% absorption level. The absorption level defines the moisture the clay will take out from the skin.

Bentonite clay, with its extremely high absorption level, will absorb not only excess oils from the skin, but also any fluids that are actually necessary to maintain your skin’s moisture and health. Surely, bentonite clay is not recommended for dry skin. And even when you have dry skin, the use of bentonite clay masks must be kept in moderation since the skin still needs oil to prevent it from drying out. For kaolin clay with 65% of absorption level, it is very useful to fight acne by reducing the oil in the skin without drying all the fluids excessively.

The second one to look for in kaolin and bentonite clay is the pH level. A bentonite clay mask has 8 to 9.7 pH, while kaolin clay in all colors has 6 pH level. pH level is very crucial for skin health. The pH skin should be maintained in ideal numbers to prevent any unwanted trouble.

If the pH level is too high, the skin will not be able to fight free radicals and harmful microbes that make the skin age faster. Shortly, too high pH level will damage the skin. In this regard, kaolin clay with a lower pH level is less damaging to the skin’s natural pH level.

Kaolin vs bentonite clay have their respective benefits and uses. To decide which one is better, you need to consider your skin conditions. While bentonite clay is more suitable for oily skin, excessive use on a daily basis is not recommended since it will drain all the oils and fluids from the skin. The same goes for kaolin clay with its benefit to remove impurities from the skin and get rid of acne, but not to use daily.