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Put mud in your hair- natural clay hair detox for thick and shiny hair
  • Beauty

How to Detox Your Hair

Katie WellsJul 6, 2013Updated: Apr 20, 2020
Reading Time: 3 min

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Beauty » How to Detox Your Hair

A reader emailed me and asked if I’d ever heard of using clay to wash or detox your hair. I hadn’t, but was intrigued, so I started researching…

Mud in Your Hair?

Turns out, clay can be very beneficial for hair in the same way it can be beneficial in the rest of the body: it removes toxins to leave hair super-clean and with a lot of shiny volume.

I still like my coconut milk shampoo, but from the comments, it definitely doesn’t work for everyone. This recipe is another great option that could be used regularly. It seems especially good for those with fine or naturally oily hair as it leaves the hair very clean, but I also found sites recommending it for those with coarse or frizzy hair for its ability to tame the hair (I can’t speak personally on this one as my hair is very fine).

If no-poo hasn’t worked for you, and homemade shampoo hasn’t worked for you, I’d encourage you to try this option. It can be customized for your hair type and lasts up to a week in the shower.

Sound strange to wash your hair with mud? Give it a try…

How to Detox Your Hair

As I mentioned in my herbal hair colors post, different herbs can have darkening or lightening effects on hair. Nettle is said to be great for hair, so I would use this on any hair color. I used chamomile flowers on my hair since it is blonde, but rosemary would be a better choice for dark hair (and it is also supposed to be a good natural remedy for dandruff).

These are the mixtures I’ve tried:

  • For blonde hair: 1/4 cup chamomile flowers + 2 tablespoons nettle leaf in 2 cups boiling water
  • For dark hair: 1/4 cup Rosemary leaf + 2 tablespoons nettle leaf in 2 cups of boiling water

After the mixture cools, I strained out the herbs and used 1 cup for the clay recipe and 1 cup for the final rinse with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar added.

Put mud in your hair- natural clay hair detox for thick and shiny hair

Hair Detox Recipe

Katie Wells
Use clay, herbs, and apple cider vinegar to remove toxins from your hair and leave it shiny and smooth.
4.49 from 37 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 19 mins

Ingredients
  

For Blond Hair:

  • ¼ cup chamomile flowers

For Dark Hair:

  • ¼ cup rosemary

Remaining Ingredients:

  • 2 cups water (boiling)
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ cup bentonite clay (or redmond clay)
  • 10 drops essential oil (optional- I used lavender and rosemary for hair growth)

Instructions
 

  • Combine the herbs of choice with the boiling water and allow them to steep until the water cools slightly.
  • Strain herbs out.
  • Combine 1 cup of the herbal tea and the apple cider vinegar in a blender, food processor, or non-metal bowl.
  • Add the clay 1 tablespoon at a time while blending or whisking.
  • Keep adding clay until the mixture is smooth and about the consistency of yogurt.
  • Add the essential oils if using and mix in.
  • Store in an air-tight container in the shower for up to a week.

To Use:

  • Wet hair.
  • Starting at the roots, massage a handful of the clay mixture into hair and work down to the tips.
  • Repeat until all hair is coated. Leave 5 minutes or up to 20 minutes (do not let dry!) and rinse out with warm water.
  • Optional: I use the remaining 1 cup of herbal tea combined with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to rinse with.

Notes

Note: Bentonite clay is most effective if it doesn’t come in contact with metal before use. Mix with wood, plastic or glass for best results, though I haven’t found that this makes much of a difference for hair products. I use an old mini-food processor with a plastic dough blade that I found at a thrift shop.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Do you prefer a pre-made option? Morrocco Method offers an excellent hair and scalp detox product that is made from raw, wildcrafted ingredients.

Would you put mud in your hair? Why or why not?
Natural clays help detox your hair to leave it shiny and thick without the need for chemicals. This recipe explains how and why your hair needs a detox.

Category: Beauty

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a wife and mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

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Reader Interactions

Discussion (197 Comments)

  1. Sue

    July 24, 2013 at 11:10 PM

    Ooo!!! I really want to try this. my allergies have forced me to forgo store bought, chemical infested shampoos and conditioners. i keep getting contact dermatitis around my shoulders and back. I’ve always been allergic to perfumes, and lately it’s just been getting worse. :/ i tried the baking soda method and my hair felt horrid, which caused me to be hesitant about the coconut shampoo. hopefully this will work for me. i have no idea what else to do if it doesn’t.
    Anyway, my hair is fine and breaks easily. i was wondering if there were certain clays for certain hair types?

    Reply
    • Karen

      December 30, 2014 at 11:03 PM

      4 stars
      red clay is great for dry and brittle hair
      bentonite is for hair that is much more oily.

      Reply
    • Lisanne

      August 4, 2019 at 7:03 PM

      Hi Sue! You might want to try the “no-poo” method. I’ve been using rye flour, mixed with water (I shake it in an OXO salad dressing shaker), then rinse with couple teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar & water (takes out tangles). I’ve taken to combing my hair in the shower & this helps with rinse process. My hair looks & feels great, plus growing like mad! Very natural process, no toxins, no reactions. Hopefully for you, too!

      Reply
      • Shade Grimes

        August 16, 2019 at 8:27 AM

        Would this be clarifying also? I have hard water.
        If not, what would be good? Thanks!

        Reply
    • Jennifer Sheldon

      May 13, 2022 at 1:39 PM

      5 stars
      I am wondering though, are the metal blades on a blender or food processor going to hinder the effectiveness of the clay?

      Reply
      • Jamie Larrison

        July 10, 2022 at 11:18 PM

        I’ve heard that if the blade is stainless steel it shouldn’t cause an issue.

        Reply
  2. Yolanda

    July 16, 2013 at 12:37 PM

    Oh, I forgot to add that this ended up all over my shower, I had to rinse the whole shower off. It was the Green Clay. I is there a clay that won’t clog up the drain that isn’t Green??

    Reply
  3. Yolanda

    July 16, 2013 at 12:29 PM

    Made this with Green Clay. I only had Rosemary leaf for the tea. (No poo has never worked for me, even after the transition stage. Tried it 3 times) After using this recipe, my hair was soooo soft but not shiny at all. Do you know why that is?
    Also, can I use this everyday? I put ylang ylang essential oil and there was no smelliness.

    Reply
    • Wellness Mama

      July 16, 2013 at 10:30 PM

      You can rinse with more vinegar in the water for more shine or brush with a tiny bit of argan oil on the brush….

      Reply
      • Yolanda

        July 16, 2013 at 11:47 PM

        Okay, I wil try that. You mean Apple Cider Vinegar right??
        Also, can I use this mud shampoo everyday??
        Thanks so much for this recipe, I love it!!

        Reply
        • Wellness Mama

          July 19, 2013 at 1:21 PM

          Yes and yes 🙂

          Reply
    • Jessica

      October 12, 2014 at 5:57 PM

      You can also try some Oregano Oil. Just a drop or two (depending on length) of this on dry hair will give you great shine, and can be used instead of conditioners (for people whose hair still needs some).

      Reply
      • christi

        February 21, 2015 at 11:30 AM

        Unless you don’t want to smell like an Italian restaurant for days. …

        Reply
      • Kat

        November 27, 2019 at 11:43 AM

        Just a concern, most people’s blenders and food processors will have metal blades. Might be best to just hand whip the clay into the mixture, unless you have a plastic pastry blade on your food processor. Have tried this recipe on my scalp countless times and it works magic. My hair has more movement and a light silky feel, which is an amazing switch up from having such heavy thick hair.

        Reply
  4. Leah

    July 10, 2013 at 11:38 PM

    Hi! Have you (or anyone else) tried premade clay hair masks? I ask because I’m in Jordan and need something to naturally clarify my hair (for some reason it’s been pretty greasy for the last few weeks and I do not want to use regular shampoo), and I don’t know where to find specialized products here. I’ve seen clay masks in some stores here. The other option I’ve been looking into is baking soda, but clay seems to do more of what I need, so I’m curious to try it out.

    Reply
    • Wellness Mama

      July 11, 2013 at 5:04 PM

      Haven’t tried them but they should be pretty similar…

      Reply
    • Lisanne

      August 4, 2019 at 7:10 PM

      Hi Leah! Amazon has everything you’d need; do they deliver to your country? But don’t use Baking Soda, it’s PH Balance is all wrong for hair & will destroy it!

      Reply
  5. Sarah Whaley

    July 10, 2013 at 5:29 PM

    does anyone know if this will strip the henna out of my hair?

    Reply
    • Mia

      July 14, 2013 at 6:06 PM

      Sarah,

      I have henna in my hair and using clay doesn’t seem to effect it all all. I use a mixture of coconut milk, clay, and a couple of other ingredients.

      Reply
    • Stephanie

      February 4, 2015 at 4:11 PM

      5 stars
      I use Red henna and Black herbatint coloring in my naturally light blonde hair and this hasn’t affected it at all!

      Reply
  6. Yael Scutaru

    July 9, 2013 at 11:13 AM

    Can I use Kaolin clay instead of bentonite?

    Reply
    • Wellness Mama

      July 9, 2013 at 3:30 PM

      Yep…

      Reply
      • Yael Scutaru

        July 9, 2013 at 3:32 PM

        Thanks 🙂

        Reply
      • Helen Jackson

        June 25, 2014 at 5:42 PM

        I printed out your recipe for mud hair detox. You mentioned using different teas for different colored hair. What do you recommend for gray hair

        Reply
  7. Virginia Miner

    July 7, 2013 at 6:23 PM

    Yes. My hair is so sad with no-poo plus pregnancy and I don’t want to go back to the store stuff! I will give this a try!

    Reply
  8. Marcela

    July 7, 2013 at 1:01 PM

    Hi! what do you recommend to wash dry hair?

    Reply
    • Murr

      October 12, 2013 at 10:14 AM

      Coconut milk seems god (:

      Reply
  9. Holly Hedge

    July 6, 2013 at 4:56 PM

    I’ve been doing this along time instead of shampoo, no poo didn’t work for me. Heads up to anyone who is planning on trying this, rinse extra well, my hair can still feel gritty especially if you us regular shampoo and conditioner often. Also mix it up and try clays other than bentonite (which can be found at whole food under the azteca brand) like green clays which I hear some people’s hair just love.
    Anyone who is considering going this route instead of shampoo or no poo, look up the company terressentials they make an amazing hair cleansing product. They’re website also has all kinds of tips and instructions to detox your hair completely off shampoo and it honestly makes my hair 500 times better then when I make my own with bentonite. Thank you wellness mama for sharing the knowledge to the paleo community, I honestly wasn’t sure this was ever going to make the leap.

    Reply
    • Angela

      May 10, 2014 at 5:41 PM

      5 stars
      It works Excellent. Surprisingly, the mud works as a cleanser though It takes a while to get used to putting mud in your hair, sometimes we also use one kind of Mud used to called multani mud in our face, which works so nice. Thanks for sharing such amazing information.

      Reply
      • adhaincroi

        October 2, 2015 at 11:25 PM

        Multani Mitti is the Indian name for Fullers Earth which is awesome for all kinds of uses. face packs very rich in magnesium chloride which is good for acne and problem skin. Is a good scrub and can also whiten the skin or help with pigmentation variation issues. I like it with a little honey or rosewater for a face mask. if you have sensitive skin though you need to be careful its quite drying. add some coconut milk maybe for dry skin. Mixed with a bit of water I use it for the no poo method instead of baking soda, and follow with vinegar and water or a rosemary decoction (basically boiled in water like tea)

        Reply
    • Ginger

      January 1, 2015 at 3:20 PM

      I never thought I’d go the “no-poo” route, but I made up a batch of this and have used it twice a week for the past month. I just use water because I have brown hair mixed with gray and I didn’t want to dull the gray. I follow with an apple cider vinegar rinse, and it makes my fine, wavy hair clean, soft and shiny. I’m not sure, economically, if it’s better than shampoo but I do like it and am not sure I want to go back to shampoo and endure the few weeks of transition again. The only problem I have is that it does make the shower pretty gritty and messy so I have to clean more.

      Reply
  10. Ali

    July 6, 2013 at 3:41 PM

    It’s important to use high quality calcium montmorillonite clay for the best results and to avoid clogging your drain. Sodium bentonite clumps which makes it harder to rinse and it can clog drains. If you buy edible grade montmorillonite clay, there is no end to the external and internal applications and benefits!

    Reply
    • Leah

      July 8, 2013 at 12:27 PM

      Is there a brand you like? Where’s the best place to order some from?

      Reply
    • Yolanda

      July 22, 2013 at 5:02 PM

      This Clay is for Fish right?

      Reply
    • Maria Palompo

      August 3, 2014 at 8:03 PM

      I just made Wellness Mama’s remineralizing toothpaste with Sonne’s #7 Detoxificant (Sodium: 5 mg, Iron: 2 mg). Other ingredients are bentonite clay and purified water.

      Is this also okay to use in this shampoo mud recipe?

      Reply
    • Nim

      February 24, 2015 at 5:07 PM

      5 stars
      Can one use Fuller’s Earth? Thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • Kanika

        May 31, 2015 at 8:01 AM

        My grandmother has been washing her hair with fuller’s earth clay since her childhood. She has way better hair than my mother (who always uses harsh chemical based shampoo). I was doubtful when I first hear about washing hair with clay, but some posts online has convinced me to try it.

        Reply
    • Eileen

      April 11, 2016 at 6:36 PM

      Thank you! My husband was telling me to knock it off with the clay in the drains! lol I just treated my hair with the mud, then washed with the coconut milk/Bronners soap/Essential oils w a dropper of black seed oil and then rinsed with filtered water/organic apple cider vinegar and my hair feels FANTASTIC!!! Everyone is noticing and telling me how great and full of body it looks now!

      Reply
      • ana

        July 7, 2016 at 11:32 PM

        hmm I’m gonna have to try that. I used just the coconut milk shampoo and my hair was tangled and oily and just not very happy.

        Reply
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