My foray into Bentonite Clay Hair treatments!

Bentonite Clay: A new love discovered!

Bentonite Clay consists of:
Silica- 61.4%
Aluminum- 18.1%
Iron- 3.5%
Sodium- 2.3%
Magnesium- 1.7%
Calcium- 0.04%
Titanium- 0.02%
Potassium- 0.01%
Moisture- 7.8%
pH - 8.3 - 9.1

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The Claims:
Bentonite Clay is purported to attract dirt and toxins, thereby being a good cleansing agent. It can be used on hair as an alternative to shampoo and on the face as a purifying facial! Bentonite clay is also believed to be an intestinal detoxifying agent that has been used around the world for centuries.
What it looks like:
Creamy grey in colour with a very fine, velvety texture. Odourless.
Above information found here.

Why did I try this out!
Well, after watching a recent video on youtube by Jazzybee445, I was eager to see if I could find this clay. I raced over to Amazon.co.uk (figuratively-speaking, of course) and did some fast-typing.

I was in luck: I found 100g-sized packs sold for 99p each (bargain!). So, I bought two...lol! I've had my hair out of kinky twists for a week now, so I gave this a go last night (Friday). Before I started any mixing, I did some more research online: Black Hair Media forums, Longhaircareforum and youtube, of course! These convinced me!

Here's the recipe I settled with: (I used MopTopMaven's mix from her video)

1. Put 100g of Bentonite Clay mix into a non-metallic bowl -metal will react with the clay. *I have mid-back length hair, if your hair is longer or shorter, you will need more or less, respectively.*
   
2. Add Apple Cider Vinegar in small amounts and stir to mix. It should form a paste-like consistency. *It will be lumpy - you've been warned!*
3. Stir 30mls of Aloe vera juice into the mix just before adding to hair. *This makes it smoother*
4. Apply to your hair in sections and cover with a plastic cap for 20-30 mins.
5. Rinse well.
   

 Click "Read More" to find out my verdict and my tips for those new to this clay treatment!

My Verdict:
I love it! This was easy to mix and not messy at all...unlike henna, for which I really had to lay down papers everywhere (when I used it a year ago). It weighed down my hair whilst I applied it, allowing me to glimpse it's true length! It was soooooooo easy to rinse out. Finally, I didn't feel I had to follow with a conditioner as my hair was stille moisturized. Note: this was the first time I have washed my hair loose (usually in braids or twisted sections) and I did not experience tangle-city!

What I found it did for my hair:

• My hair was squeaky clean.
  
• My hair did not feel dried out like shampoo makes it feel.
• My hair was soft and bouncy.
• My hair was actually a bit more detangled!
  

My top tips for your experiments with Bentonite clay:

1. Start with hair in sections. I used 7 twisted sections.
   
2. Lightly mist each section with water before applying the clay.
   
3. Apply the clay to the root of the hair first, then down the length.
   
4. Don't let the clay dry on your hair. *Harder to rinse out*
5. Co-wash (or deep condition) your hair after your rinse it out.
   
6. You can also do a pre-poo (pre-shampoo conditioning treatment) beforehand with oils or conditioner to boost the moisture levels in your hair. 

Well, there you have it, ladies, and gents. I can't believe I didn't try it sooner! I will be using this every 1-2 months, by God's grace. I will be uploading a video of how I did this treatment in the next week. I want to try this as a facial mask (adding honey to it, maybe).

I recommend this highly. Try it and let use know how you like (or don't like) it!

Happy Hair Journeys!