So, what was one of my main “secrets” to growing my once weak, tangle-prone, dry hair to now tailbone length after a chin length hair cut? Clay washing. That’s right - using clay instead of shampoo to wash hair was pivotal for me in transforming my hair health. But is this kind of hair care only for those with curly hair, like me? Absolutely not! I’ll be showing you that clay washing can be used with amazing results on straight, oil-prone hair as well.
In this video and article, you will be learning:
How clay can transform hair
What to do before clay washing hair
Why to wash hair in braids
How Ayurvedic herbs can play a part
All the steps for getting hair clean, strong, and looking great with this method!
Clay washing is ideally part of an overall hair care routine that also includes hair oil treatments like this one, gentle forms of detangling used on non-wet hair, and a ph balancer such as an apple cider vinegar hair rinse. I also have a tutorial for how to clay wash curly hair.
Below are the basic recipes for both the clay wash and apple cider vinegar rinse. These are not set in stone by any means, just a starting point.
Rhassoul Clay Wash:
1/4-1/3 cup Rhassoul clay
1 cup Water
1 cup Aloe vera juice (optional - if skipping, replace with an extra cup of water)
Several drops essential oils of your choice
ACV Rinse:
2 cups filtered water
2-4 tbs Apple cider vinegar
several drops essential oils of your choice
Rhassoul clay: https://amzn.to/47idVJf
Applicator bottle: https://amzn.to/4dYoGlT
Washing in Braids
Why should you wash my hair in braids?
Hair is about 30% weaker when wet, so breakage is more likely to happen during washing than any other time. Braiding minimizes manipulation of the hair strands and therefore the chance of breakage. It also helps to minimize tangles.
If your hair is much shorter than Edyta’s, washing in braids will not make sense, and that is perfectly okay! Also, you may want to use a gentle hair tie to hold these braids in place. I like these ones.
Rhassoul Clay
Rhassoul clay is mineral rich and nourishing for the hair, while it’s alkalinity and porous molecular structure attracts oil and dirt to it, cleansing the hair. It moisturizes and strengthens hair, making your hair strands less likely to break off at the ends, even as it grows longer.
I use a liquidy mixture because it is much easier to rinse out, while still achieving the same results. Apply it to the scalp and hair length using this hair applicator bottle. Massage it in to your scalp, and squeeze it gently through the length of the braids.
Let all the clay sit on the hair and scalp for 1-2 min, then rinse with lightly warm water. I repeat this one more time.
The elephant in the room: yes, this takes a LOT of time compared to conventional shampoos. It’s also messy. However, the results are worth it! Also, the longer washing time is balanced out by the fact that I only wash my hair in this way every 1-2 weeks, as opposed to conventional shampoos which can make the hair and scalp dependant on washing every other day. It is really amazing what clay washing can do, for reducing hair loss, strengthening hair, and beautifying your natural hair texture.
After applying the second batch of clay to the hair, undo the braids and use your fingers to gently separate hair out of the clumps it has formed into from the braids. Then squeeze the clay through my loosened hair gently.
ACV Rinse
After rinsing out this final clay wash, move on to the next step, which for me is an apple cider vinegar hair rinse. If you are using conditioner, you would apply it before the hair rinse.
Apply this using the same type of applicator bottle to the scalp and hair length, let sit for 1 minute or so, and then rinse out with cool water. Some people can leave this rinse in, but I recommend rinsing it out to start with and see how your hair reacts. Also, a little vinegar goes a long way. If you have never used ACV before, start with less in your rinse.
After finishing up, gently squeeze the water out of my hair, and blot with a microfibre towel. Finally, you can seal my hair ends with a small amount of oil. You can use my herbal hair growth oil for this.
Then, proceed to dry hair . You can blow dry - preferably with low to no heat - or air dry. You can even wrap your hair up to dry - preferably with a soft cotton t-shirt or micro-fibre towel.
Using this hair-washing technique can produce incredible results with time!
Side note: I have loved the basic form of clay washing for many years, but the herb-enriched clay wash I used in today’s video has been even more stunning in its results! I’m excited for the day I can offer this product to the public.
Are you feeling inspired to try out this hair wash routine? Let me know in the comments!
If you found this information wildly helpful and informative and would like to thank me, consider "buying me a coffee" through one of the buttons throughout this article. Thanks! I appreciate it so much! Click here for the full list of sewing products I recommend. Click here for the full list of hair-care products I recommend. Click here for the full list of makeup and skincare products I recommend. I have personally used all of these products and can wholeheartedly recommend them to you. It also helps support this blog if you purchase anything through one of those links because I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Contact me at katherine@katherinesewing.com
Hi, I watched your tutorial and am excited to give this a try. I wanted to let you know as I was going through it, I realized the applicator bottles you listed don’t hold the proportions on this article.