Well, let's see what I have for you today!!! Well... today I took the time to wash my hair with another ayurvedic approach. I used Indian Healing Clay that was mixed as a really REALLY watery batch. The clay itself is called Bentonite clay. Many of you may know what that is ... but just in case you do not ... here is a brief introduction:
What is Bentonite Clay?
“Bentonite, also referred to as Montmorillonite, is one of the most effective and powerful healing clays. Bentonite can be used externally as a clay poultice, mud pack or in the bath and, in skin care recipes. A good quality Bentonite should be a grey/cream color and anything bordering “pure white” is suspect. It has a very fine, velveteen feel and is odorless and non-staining. The type of bentonite offered by Mountain Rose herbs is a Sodium Bentonite.”
Bentonite Clay is composed of aged volcanic ash. The name comes from the largest known deposit of Bentonite Clay located in Fort Benton, Wyoming.
What Does it do?
Bentonite Clay is a unique clay due to its ability to produce an “electrical charge” when hydrated. Upon contact with fluid, its electrical components change, giving it the ability to absorb toxins. Bentonite is known for its ability to absorb and remove toxins, heavy meats, impurities and chemicals.
Bentonite clay carries a strong negative charge which bonds to the positive charge in many toxins. When it comes in contact with a toxin, chemical or heavy metal, the clay will absorb the toxin and release it’s minerals for the body to use. Bentonite also helps get oxygen to cells as it pulls excess hydrogen and allows the cells to replace it with oxygen instead.
Bentonite clay is a common ingredient in detox and cleansing products. It has an alkalizing effect on the body and when taken correctly, it can help balance gut bacteria.Most ladies mix their bentonite clay with water to create a paste to apply to the hair and scalp, but some mix the clay with aloe vera juice to lower its pH down to match hair’s naturally acidic pH. There are several types of bentonite clay, each named after its respective dominant element, like magnesium, potassium, aluminum, etc. It has been said NOT to mix the clay with a metal spoon or tool supposedly because the minerals will interact with the metal and decrease its effectiveness. The most popular bentonite clay for hair seems to be Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay which of course is the clay that I am using!!!
Other Types of Clays:
Naturally there is more than one clay that you can use for your hair and skin needs. I have listed a few others just to give you a feel for the different varieties. I specifically chose to use Bentonite clay mainly because it was easy to purchase, was readily available, and I believe it is one of the most common or basic forms of clay that most people are familiar with. I believe that once I get more involved in selecting clays for cleansing purposes, I will probably learn more towards the Rhassoul Clay. But for the time being , Bentonite is doing a pretty good job!!! (^_^)
Rhassoul Clay: Also known as Moroccan Ghassoul Clay, this mineral-rich clay is found in the Atlas mountains from Morocco. It has the ability to absorb impurities from the hair, unblock pores,
reduce flakiness and dryness of both the scalp and skin and aid in detangling. While this clay also cleanses, unlike bentonite, it is said to leave the hair very soft so it doubles as a natural cleanser and conditioner. It is a bit pricier than Bentonite, some of the most popular brands are Kae Natural and Anita Grant Rhassoul Deep Conditioning Cubes and it is most commonly mixed with hot water and applied as a hair mask.Kaolin Clay: Also called white clay, Kaolin is the most commonly used cosmetic clay. It is rich in silica and can also detoxify hair along with restoring moisture to dry and brittle hair.
Multani Mitti Clay: Commonly found in Indian groceries, this clay is a type of kaolin and is the result of decomposed volcanic ash. It is a very popular facial cleanser and mask but may also be used on hair to naturally cleanse tresses by absorbing oils and detoxifying the scalp. This is most commonly mixed with rosewater and your favorite oil and applied as a paste to the hair.
The last time I tried the whole powder mixture thing , the paste was so thick my hair started coming out. THIS time I made sure that I liquefied the formula so that it would be easier for me to saturate my hair with it as well as get my scalp coated. I LOOOOVVVEEEEDDDD IT!!! I will certainly be washing my hair with this clay again. I did not try using the boiling hot tea water though. Instead I mixed the clay with alo vera juice, water and a little bit of Apple Cider Vinegar. My curls were so beautiful after I finished applying the mixture all over my head. It was actually a shame to have to rinse it out! Speaking of rinsing it out... remember how I complained that the Kalpi- Tone would not rinse out no matter how hard I tried to get it out of my hair??? Well, I had absolutely no problem at all getting rid of the watered down clay mix. It was sooo refreshing, and my hair feels sooo clean!!! I believe it made it that much easier to detangle and style my hair as well.
As I mentioned earlier, I also managed to check the length of my hair. Yes, I know that I have been writing blogs for over a year and have yet to tell you the length of my hair!!! I know I am fired for this... And you are right!!! What have I been thinking??? Well, first of all I have not had the proper tools to even measure the lengths of my tresses!!! But , I changed all that last night when I purchased a cute little measuring tape specifically for the purposes of measuring the length of my hair. Although I never fully disclosed the official length of my hair before I began the waist length hair journey over a year ago, I can tell you that the most common length that I seemed to have was between 14-15 inches. I might have had one or two patches that stretched out to 16 inches, but by and large for the most part my longer strands were 14 or 15 inches long, and the shorter lengths 12 - 13 inches long. Well early this morning after I took my twists down ( I have been twisting my hair up in about 8-14 large twists , applying products and then wrapping my head with a scarf and keeping my head wrapped. ) and started measuring my hair. The most common length seemed to still be around 14 - 15 inches in length, only this time the longest patches of hair were around 16 - 17 inches long. Mind you , I did these measurements with dry hair that has not been pressed, flat ironed or manipulated in a manner to stretch the tresses to maximum length capacity. So basically , I was not getting a really accurate reading. So, after I finished washing my hair with the clay, I detangled , applied product and then measured my hair in all of the same places once again with my trusty little tape measure. This time, I was pleasantly surprised with the results. Although I am certain that I was still not 100% accurate, I believe that I had more of a truer sense of how long my hair really was after measuring the lengths after washing my hair. So after that discovery, the most common lengths were between 16 - 17 inches long. With the longest patches of hair reaching 18 inches, and the shortest parts of my hair ( mainly the back part towards the nape ) measured between 14 - 15 inches long. To say that I was stoked is putting it mild. I also thought that I very well could have grown my hair a bit longer still if I had not been trimming it the way I have been. So, As of now, I have decided that I will no longer be trimming my hair at all. I am going to be working on wearing my hair with the least amount of manipulation, and keep it tucked away in some form of protective style majority of the time. So, it looks like I will be installing a set of kinky twists in the very near future!!! (^_^)
Well, that is all I have to share with you all about what has been going on lately. Hopefully I will be able to wrote another blog soon about various foods that I have decided to work into my diet!!!
I hope you have enjoyed today's post!!! And like always, I look forward to sharing with you all again very soon. Until then...
հրաժեշտ (^_^)
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