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.
Hair Detox Recipe
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
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?
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?
red clay is great for dry and brittle hair
bentonite is for hair that is much more oily.
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!
Would this be clarifying also? I have hard water.
If not, what would be good? Thanks!
I am wondering though, are the metal blades on a blender or food processor going to hinder the effectiveness of the clay?
I’ve heard that if the blade is stainless steel it shouldn’t cause an issue.
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??
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.
You can rinse with more vinegar in the water for more shine or brush with a tiny bit of argan oil on the brush….
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!!
Yes and yes 🙂
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).
Unless you don’t want to smell like an Italian restaurant for days. …
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.
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.
Haven’t tried them but they should be pretty similar…
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!
does anyone know if this will strip the henna out of my hair?
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.
I use Red henna and Black herbatint coloring in my naturally light blonde hair and this hasn’t affected it at all!
Can I use Kaolin clay instead of bentonite?
Yep…
Thanks 🙂
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
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!
Hi! what do you recommend to wash dry hair?
Coconut milk seems god (:
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.
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.
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)
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.
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!
Is there a brand you like? Where’s the best place to order some from?
This Clay is for Fish right?
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?
Can one use Fuller’s Earth? Thank you 🙂
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.
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!
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.