Bentonite clay is a naturally sourced product that can provide many benefits for hair. It’s a clay that’s directly mined from the earth. It’s formed from volcanic ash that has aged over time, weathering in the presence of water. The bentonite clay that is sold in the stores is a soft white powdery substance. It’s safe and simple to make into a clay hair mask, with most ingredients being simple to find.
Benefits of Bentonite Clay for Hair
There are many benefits to using bentonite clay on your hair. It’s especially useful for people who have course thick, curly black hair that needs some extra care to look good.
Bentonite clay works as a magnet, which draws metals and toxins out of the hair. It has these properties because it contains a strong negative electromagnetic charge. It acts to draw out metals and toxins, which are then held within the bentonite clay hair mask. The hair mask is then washed off the scalp, where the toxins and metals flow down the drain. It will balance the body’s pH level too. It will also provide some essential minerals needed for your body’s optimum health.
A bentonite clay hair mask will not only remove toxins from the hair, but will also leave your hair feeling smooth, thick, and shiny. Toxins can build up over time from the environment, from using shelf brand shampoos and conditioners, and even from using hair spray, gels, and other hair care products. After a bentonite clay hair mask, your hair will feel extra clean and look shiny. It can also be beneficial for people who like to straighten their hair after a clay mask treatment.
Types of Bentonite Clay
There are different varieties of bentonite clay. Each manufacturer may sell its own special blend of minerals. To figure out which one is right for you, consider its properties first. Bentonite clay may contain a mix of potassium, sodium, calcium, and aluminum, in varying percentages. You’ll need to read the product label, or the online sales listing, to see which one is right for you.
Sodium bentonite clay may be better for drawing toxins and impurities from the body, while calcium may be better at providing these nutrients to your body. Some types are also better for consumption, while others are better for scalp and hair treatments.
How to Make a Bentonite Clay Hair Mask
You can make a bentonite clay hair mask for application in your bathroom. Basically, you’re putting mud in your hair. This is a fun and safe way to make your hair more manageable. People visit the spa for a mud mask on their bodies, and it’s just as beneficial for the hair too.
When you consider all the chemicals in store-brand hair care products that are questionably safe, you shouldn’t have any issues with placing natural bentonite clay on your hair. In fact, that’s one reason why people choose a natural product over an on-the-shelf supermarket hair care product. When you make your own hair care mask, you know exactly what ingredients it contains.
Ingredients
You’ll need to purchase the following ingredients to make your bentonite clay hair mask. In addition to the bentonite clay, the other ingredients will each provide their own special properties for helping to detox hair and scalp, and to leave your hair feeling soft and smooth.
- 3/4 cup sodium bentonite clay
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup of brewed herbal tea—or—water
- 10 drops of an essential oil—lavender or rosemary are both great choices that can encourage extra hair growth
- plastic bowl to hold the ingredients
- plastic spoon to mix up the ingredients
- a towel
- a plastic storage container with lid.
Method
To make up your bentonite clay hair mask, follow these steps.
- Brew the herbal tea if you’ve chosen to use it.
- Strain out the herbs, just leaving the liquid.
- Pour your tea and apple cider vinegar into a blender, food processor, or plastic bowl.
- Add the bentonite clay to the bowl a tablespoon at a time.
- Blend or whisk after each addition of clay to the bowl.
- Mix up the clay until it is a smooth consistency, much like yogurt.
- The consistency should be easy to smooth on the scalp, but not be runny.
- If you’re using essential oils, mix them in.
How to Apply Bentonite Clay to Hair
Follow these steps to receive the best benefits of your bentonite clay hair mask.
- In shower, wet hair with warm water.
- Begin at the roots.
- Massage a handful of the clay mixture into your hair.
- Work your way from roots to the hair tips.
- Ensure all the strands are coated.
- Time it for five minutes.
- You can leave the clay on your hair for up to twenty minutes, however, do not allow the clay to dry! It will be too difficult to remove.
- When the time is up, rinse out your hair with warm water.
- Ensure all the clay has been washed from your hair and skin.
- Place towel on head.
- Style hair as usual.
Optional Hair Rinse
- Rinse out all bentonite clay from your hair first.
- Rinse your hair with one cup of herbal tea and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
Precautions
Bentonite clay is at its most effective if it doesn’t come into contact with metal, before touching your hair. That’s because the metal can activate the clay before it’s even had a chance to touch your hair. This defeats the purpose of it being able to draw out impurities.
To stop this from happening, use plastic, wood, or glass utensils and a bowl, for mixing up your bentonite clay hair mask recipe. You can purchase these tools from a thrift shop for minimal expense.
It’s also possible that bentonite clay may wreck havoc with your plumbing system if you pour too much of it down the drain at one time. After mixing up your hair mask, ensure you get as much of the mask out of the bowl and into the plastic storage container. Wash all utensils and spoons in hot water. Let the tap run for a minute or so until it is fully flushed down the drain.
Don’t rush when you’re rinsing the bentonite clay out of your hair. You don’t want big clumps of it plugging up the drain. After rinsing your hair, and doing your second rinse with the apple cider vinegar, ensure that all the clay has been washed from the base of the bathtub. Let the water run for a bit longer if it hasn’t. You may wish to turn up the hot water to ensure it fully drains out.
Storage of Bentonite Clay Hair Mask
You can mix up your bentonite clay hair mask recipe and store it for one week. Keep it in a plastic container with a lid, and tuck it into the corner of the shower. After one week it will dry up and be unusable.
Where to Buy Bentonite Clay
Most people may wonder where they can purchase bentonite clay, as they haven’t seen it in their supermarket. But once you start looking, you will find that there are many sources.
Bentonite clay can be purchased from supermarkets in your city that sell organic or natural foods and cosmetics. It may also be found at vitamin and supplement stores.
If you can’t source your bentonite clay locally, you can always shop online. Here you’ll be presented with hundreds of options, so you should be able to find an online store located in your country, and shop around for the best price.
Bentonite Clay Side Effects
There are some concerns for people who regularly use bentonite clay. Many are concerned that the clay contains aluminum. Many brands contain 18.1% of aluminum, as a percentage of the minerals. This percentage may vary, depending on the brand that you are purchasing.
Most concerns with aluminum are with consuming it or using it to cook or store food. Using bentonite clay as a hair mask, or on your skin is going to be with minimal risk. In fact, our bodies naturally contain aluminum, and they also need a minor amount of this mineral for optimum health.
According to experts, the high negative charge of aluminum makes it impossible for it to leach into the body through hair or skin. So you can be confident that it’s not only safe for hair and skin but that none will leach into your body in these minor doses.
Once you learn more about bentonite clay and how it can be beneficial for hair and scalp, you’ll be ready to create your own bentonite clay hair mask recipe. Ingredients are easy to source, and making up your own hair mask is a simple process. It’s also safe to use bentonite clay every day for your hair, though you may wish to save it for the weekend when you have more time for personal care in the bathroom. If your hair is unruly, coarse, and wavy, a bentonite clay hair mask can make your hair look smooth and shiny again.