Bentonite Clay Part I

So I finally took the plunge and tried some bentonite clay. I sent my friend to the store to buy it for me (thanks again health foods store!) and she couldn’t find it at first because it was under the name Redmond Clay. I found out why when it arrived with a brochure. Directly quoted:

Millions of years ago, long before the earth knew pollutants of any kind, a range of volcanoes erupted-sending volcanic ash into the water of the ancient Sundance Sea. The water in this sea evaporated, leaving behind a bed of mineral-rich sodium bentonite. Near the small town of Redmond, Utah, we extract this ancient volcanic ash resting within the earth and bring it to you in its pure, natural state. A food grade clay, Redmond clay contains more than 50 natural trace minerals essential to human health.

The clay can actually be found in various parts of the US and also around the world. From another section of the brochure:

Sodium bentonite is naturally absorbent and extremely gentle on the system. Redmond Clay acts like a sponge, drawing substances , including toxins, into its internal structure. Sodium bentonite clay can absorb virtually anything. One gram of clay has a surface area of 800 square meters. The greater the surface area, the great the power to absorb. Due to its absorption capability, it is recommended to stay hydrated while using bentonite clay.

Though the brochure mentions using it as a poultice for bee stings, bites, infections, etc and also for internal use, it does not mention using it on the hair. I’ve seen several people, including Black Girl with Long Hair use it and love it.

Now, the following pictures are not for the faint of heart. In fact, they may cause heart attack and stroke. You have been warned.

Behold, the mud monster:

Ok this one isn't so bad. But as it dried I realized that it wasn't on very thick so I decided to add more. My hair, btw, is freshly washed with castile soap. Weird that my coils stayed in for the most part even though I finger combed and manipulated it a lot.

No, I am not mad in this picture, I just could not smile because of the clay! It felt a little itchy on my face and tightened it up a lot.

I applied liberal amounts to my hair after washing with castile soap. It was kind of clumpy so I made sure to squeeze/mash it in as I applied it. It started to harden as it dried, just as it did on my face. It just took longer.

It feels like mud, but a little clumpier. I read mixed reviews on Curltalk about mixing the clay with ingredients other than water, so I decided to just mix it with water for now. I do want to try mixing it with ACV when I use it on my face next. However, I think I will stick with water for the hair mixture.

As a facial, this stuff rocks! My skin felt toned and fresh, and I had a small pimple above my nose that was noticeably smaller after I washed this off. Wow!

My hair felt different after washing out the clay. I left it on for 30 minutes or so. It felt different. My hair was springier and felt fluffier. I had thought that it would make my hair dry, but it did not feel dry at all. I wondered what it would feel like if I'd just let it dry like that, but it was time for a DC, so that was next. I also wanted to do a DC to make sure that I'd gotten all of the clay out of my hair.I imagine that leaving some in would not give your soft bouncy hair

So in conclusion, I love the clay for my face and can’t wait to use it again in a few days. I’m not sure about the hair, but I will be trying this again to re-evaluate.

One of the best things about this clay is that it is super cheap if you buy it from a health foods store. This one application cost me about $2.50. Not bad at all. And if I just used it for a facial, it would last forever. Blended Beauty does sell a version that seems to be bentonite clay and marshmellow root. Here are some reviews if you’re interested. It’s pricier though.

I’ll try this again soon.