Bentonite Clay Wash On Natural Hair

Hey folks. I hope I find you well. Who thought of using clay as a cleanser? Is it not supposed to make anything it gets in contact with dirty? This seems not to be the case with bentonite clay.  I finally tried bentonite clay and I am really impressed. Why I waited this long to try it out, I am not sure. Maybe it’s because I had a regimen that seemed to be working so trying out new stuff was not really top priority. But now, I am glad I took time to try it. It is amazing.

What is bentonite clay?

It is also known as Montmorillonite and it is mined from weathered and aged volcanic ash. It gets its name from the place where the largest deposits are said to be and that is in Fort Benton in Wyoming. It is greyish in colour and it forms a very smooth paste when mixed with water. It contains magnesium, potassium and calcium but this depends on where the clay is mined and the tools used to mine it.

How does bentonite clay work?

Bentonite clay produces a strong negative ionic charge when hydrated and it also swells so much. This allows it to become a strong magnet, making it bond  to toxins, heavy metals, impurities and chemicals which all have a positive charge. The bentonite clay then absorbs them into itself and carrys them away from the body, skin, scalp or hair when washed off. This earns bentonite clay the position of world’s most effective cleanser of all time.

Benefits of bentonite clay wash on hair.

Bentonite clay can be used to detox and cleanse the scalp while also cleansing and conditioning the hair, giving you the best of both worlds. Who said you cannot not cleanse and condition hair at the same time? Well with bentonite clay, this is possible. It gives you an increased curl definition, increased shine, less shedding because your scalp is healthy and your follicles are happy. It is an anti-fungal “goodbye dandruff” antibacterial and antimicrobial which makes your scalp really healthy and able to produce healthy hair. Detangling is also a breeze which makes you not to lose much hair. What do you expect? It is a healing clay after all.

Bentonite clay wash recipe

You will need….

• 2 tbs clay
• 1 tbs Extra virgin olive oil. 1 tbs grapeseed oil 1, tbs Jojoba oil, 1 tbs castor oil, 1 tbs coconut oil or any other oils that are good for hair.
• 100ml Apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbs honey
• 2 to 3 drops of rosemary oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil (any essential oils good for hair will do)
• Enough water to make a paste. You can start with 200ml of water.

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or in a blender. Mixing in a bowl may need some patience but you need to keep mixing with a plastic or wooden spoon until you get a smooth paste. In a blender, more water may be needed. It is recommended to leave the mixture over night before using it but I use mine soon after mixing it and when I mix more, I store it in the fridge before using it for another wash. I am sure it is not necessary to store in the fridge but I just do it that way.

Applying bentonite clay

I apply it to my scalp and the whole shaft of my hair. I also massage my scalp and lightly detangle my hair before wearing a plastic cap on my head and leaving the clay on for 20 minutes. I also apply some clay on my face giving myself a facial. When 20 minutes is up, I just hop in the shower and wash it all out. And to think there is no need to condition afterwards, wow. I am impressed really. This clay is surely amazing.

Points To Remember:

• You can do this treatment as often as you like. I do them on every wash day which is once a week.
• You can use any liquid of choice or a combination of  herbal infusions, tea, apple cider vinegar, water  and coconut milk which are all know to produce desirable results
• For best results, don’t let the clay mixture dry on your hair 20-30 minutes should be enough
• Make sure to use a good leave-in conditioner after a bentonite clay wash because it may leave hair feeling dry because it clarifies the hair.
• Do not use metal utensils or bowls to aid in mixing the bentonite mud if possible, as contact could reduce the healing  effects of the clay due to the metal leaching into the clay thereby becoming full of metals before doing any work on your hair and scalp.
• You can use bentonite clay for so many other things like a face mask, taken internally as a body detox and a full body mud wash.
• You can buy bentonite clay from your pharmacy or whole foods store.

I also want to try the rhassoul clay now to see which one of the two clays will become my staple. I have read so many positive remarks of it such that I already bought some and I can’t wait to try it out. I will let you know when that happens. But as of now, I am enjoying my bentonite clay hair wash days and I now look forward to them.

Until then, be blessed and I wish you well this festive season.