by
The Natural Haven
This is a compilation of some continuing mini experiments on hair washing using different types of commonly recommended cleansers for natural hair. The results are quite fascinating!
The Experiment
I used my own (natural African) shed hair and imaged it:References/Controls
– oily reference – on its own without any washing (sheacoco regular use)
– clean reference – washed with shampoo only (2 minute water rinse, 2 minute shampoo wash, 2 minute water rinse and air dried for 4 hours)
Test Cleansers
– washed with a single test cleanser only ( 2 minute water rinse, 2 minute cleanser wash, 2 minute water rinse and air dried for 4 hours)
– The test cleansers were water only, conditioner (cowash) , bentonite clay, rhassoul clay, baking soda and apple cider vinegar (ACV)
1. Controls – Oily and Clean Hair References
I regularly use coconut oil and shea butter and after previously imaging my own hair, I knew it was going to be super oily. Shampoo is able to completely remove the oil from the hair leaving no trace of oil and therefore is a perfect clean reference sample.
2. Water only washing and Co-washing Results
Water only washing seems to be able to just spread the oil over the hair and there is still a large amount of oil left on the hair. To my surprise, hair conditioner/co-washing really cleaned hair quite well and there were just tiny traces of oil left behind.
3. Rhassoul and Bentonite Clay washing results
Clay washing with both rhassoul and bentonite clay gave a very similar result to co-washing. The oil was mostly removed and there were just a few tiny spots here and there where remnants could be seen but overally, a very good level of cleaning was achieved.
4. Baking Soda and ACV Results
Baking soda and ACV are both generally touted as having cleansing properties but really did not do any better than a water wash only. I also had to extend the wash time to 10 minutes to achieve a better result. It could be possible that the oil layer was too thick for both to work well, but the other cleansers (shampoo, co-washing and clay washing) did all manage to clean to a good level under similar conditions.
Additional notes:
Running warm water was used for all washes. In each wash or rinse, hair was rubbed gently to simulate normal hair washing. Shampoo – Herbal Essences Dazzling Shine Shampoo. Hair conditioner – L’oreal Eversleek Smoothing Conditioner, Shampoo – Herbal Essences Dazzling Shine Shampoo. Rhassoul and Bentonite Clay – Sheabutter Cottage. ACV – Sainsbury’s own brand. Baking soda – Dr. Oetker..
Please do note that under the microscope we can see oil layers but we do not see small deposits such as build up or hair conditioner deposits (well you actually could see them with specialised instruments but not with my microscope!). Strictly speaking this experiment will answer the question, how well will washing method X remove an oil layer from hair.
96 Responses
I just use moisturizing shampoo. I pre-poo first sometimes.
Three months ago, I switched to rhassoul clay for hair washing, and it’s amazing! I’ll never look back. I use these for my weekly hair washes now, and it leaves my hair moisturized, and smooths my hair to bring out my hair’s natural shine and texture. I never have to worry about a day of post-wash dryness now. I love! 🙂 I’m never going back.
Personally I don’t want to remove all the oil from my hair. ACV + water are good enough for me. Never tried baking soda, I’ll give it some thought. Thanks for the great information.
I have to say that when I use basking soda, I use it mixed in a conditioner, followed by a ACV rinse. My hair does feel clean and not stripped. I can’t say that the baking soda works on it’s own, but I do think you should try another brand of baking soda. After hearing about big name supplement companies selling “vitamins” that weren’t really vitamins, I am skeptical of anything natural or vitamin related I buy these days.
THANK YOU for this, fantastically informative. Finally science meets hair! Thank you <3
I have been using a brown sugar scrub for my scalp, baking soda to wash my hair and ACV to rinse it. My hair feels so clean and softer than ever before. Anything else makes my hair stripped and rough feeling. I also use it for my daughters hair. The baking soda will irritate my scalp if I use to much on it so I only put it on my hair. To each it’s own.
Hi
Done the Max Hydration Method way, using baking soda and or ACV along with Clay gives great results. 🙂 I tried it and it was the best thing for my low porosity hair.
I am curious to know whether this sainsbury brand of ACV contains “the mother?” The ACV with this ingredient is what people look for when the clarify with ACV because regular ACV won’t do the trick. I don’t know if it would change the results, but it would be more accurate. I know nothing about sainsbury acv, so does it contain “the mother.”
So what am I supposed to use o effectively strip my hair of the oils on wash day?!
Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. What is washing our hair about?? Some seem to have forgotten?? It is about CLEANSING!!! Not about how soft I can get it! Do any of these “test” factor in how Cleansed your SCALP & HAIR are?!?!? Not oil free, CLEAN. Because if an absence of the physical something is all it takes for you then you won’t mind shaking hands with MR.Bubonic BirdFlu who just sneezed in his hands! But don’t worry HE WIPED THEM & Got ALL the SNOT OFF!! Because Apparently THAT is the NATURAL STANDARD of CLEAN!! Sure for 1’000 of years people washed WITHOUT SOAP or CLEANSERS and THEY DIED!! But when they looked at REALLLLL close and squinted it Looked Clean!! But they still DIED!! WE KNOW THIS!! WE have SANITIZING WIPE’S, GELS that we use on Surfaces that LOOK CLEAN!!! And then we get to our hair and BECOME CLUELESS!!! ASK ANY 5 year old in a developed country “What should you wash your hair with?” Uhmmm shampoo. “Why?” So it uhmm will be clean. And guess what, she didn’t need 10 pointless test’s to figure that out!!
she mentioned that her microscope would not detect buildup (removal thereof)….what is your definition of clean?…I would assume it would include the removal of oils…buildup…..would you run a sanitizing wipe through your hair to ensure its “clean”….or would you seek to choose the gentlest cleanser for your hair….as you would with your body…..which would not be the same as what you would use to clean a freaking countertop
I apply ACV then co-wash so maybe thats why I never had a problem!!
I get a little irritated when I see information like this. Why? Because these sort of tests should have been done in the beginning before promoting ACV as an effective cleanser, this goes the same for any other product that is used for natural hair care. I think that ACV is a great product that is beneficial for natural hair,and this info. does not change how I feel about ACV. Its like this, before they said chocolate was unhealthy and you shouldn’t eat it. (By the way) Then came new research that eating (dark) chocolate is good for you. See what I mean?? There will be a point where people won’t know what is good n what isn’t.
No shade but I really don’t think you can make any conclusions about the cleansing effectiveness of baking soda and ACV based on a hair sample from one person. Robust qualitative and quantitive analyses would require hair samples from a large sample size of naturalistas. At that point, you may be able to draw some conclusions. The findings described here are anecdotal and can not be extrapolated to all natural hair.
Just sayin’.
Interesting post. I used ACV to prevent dandruff and itchy scalp and fortunately it resulted for a shinier hair too. Thanks for posting this article. Have a good day!
I’ve never used acv for cleansing, but I have added baking soda to my shampoo in the past. The results of these tests are surprising.
I think that baking soda and acv may have antibacterial properties, but may not be effective oil removers.
I was also surprised about how much oil the conditioner removes. Very interesting, thanks for sharing these results!
People have their own preferences. I know a couple of people who are going months without using any kind of shampooing product. . . because they do not want the oils removed from their hair. Not everyone is jumping on the wagon of trying to use ACV rinses and such because they see others do it. This is an interesting article. However I feel like there is always some “shade” being tosses around on BHLH each time I get an email update . . . something is always pointing a finger at someone.
I tried most of these methods and the only one that I really like is the co-wash. I use ACV only when my scalp is itchy but only as a pre-wash or rinse.
hair looks really nasty magnified like that lol.. the fact that it is touching my head right now kind of makes me want to be bald.
Yes I have heard several you-tubers tout using an ACV rinse to clarify the scalp ONLY, and as you can see, it doesnt clarify anything. Your shampoo doesn’t really need any help. Can’t argue with the microscope! Its as clear as day!
I never liked the idea of those two ingredients in my hair to begin with, never tried either. I use Rhassoul clay, and homemade products that do not build up on my hair. I do a thick mask of rhassoul & bentonite a month.
And rhassoul washes weekly.
I use acv but i apply it first, rinse it out then shampoo with my Andalou Naturals shampoo that I buy from Whole Foods. I never used acv alone. I actually use acv because I have really bad dandruff from taking warfarin(blood thinner). So I’m not surprised at the results
The couple of “gurus” I actually listen to (one being Naptural85) both use ACV prior to shampooing to lift the dirt/product build up from your scalp easier so you won’t have to shampoo over and over when you have a lot of build up. To my understanding ACV and baking soda aren’t meant for “cleansing” but to AIDE in the process. That’s why in most cases it’s called an ‘ACV rinse’. In my experience, it gives me the same results as using a clarifying shampoo. So, it DOES work when used PROPERLY (prior to shampooing). I think some people in the natural hair community need to learn the basics about hair in general then make logical decisions before shooting down what “doesn’t work for them”. Of course it won’t work if you’re using it wrong.
The issue is it may not work for EVERYONE, regardless if they are using it “right” or not. And, who made the rules to say which is right or wrong?!?
I was not aware people use ACV strictly for hair cleansing. I thought it was just for sealing the cuticle and softening the hair. I usually use it as a rinse after I shampoo and before I condition. It leaves my hair feeling softer and looking shinier. Informative article though!
Yes, I thought ACV was a scalp treatment.
Yep! I use ACV as a rinse to make my hair shinier.
what about baby shampoo can that worl for a light oil/no silicones user…its SLS free.
I sometimes do a bentonite clay wash but instead of mixing the clay with water I use ACV. I use ACV since it tends to yield a smoother mixture, whereas water makes it kinda clumpy. But the bentonite clay wash is by far my favorite, although I am not at all opposed to using shampoo.
I didn’t know that some people just use ACV for a wash though.
i like using lemon juice to help break up build up in my braidlocks. but i also use shampoo. but when i used shampoo alone, the build up didn’t clean away easily.
I love using ACV as a rinse. After I shampoo and condition my hair, I use a 50% diluted ACV rinse. It really refreshes my scalp and my hair is never dry afterwards. I then follow-up with my leave-in conditioner and styling products.
I have never used baking soda alone to cleanse my hair. I have used it in conjunction with my cleansers to counteract hard water and to add volume and softness to my hair. It works nicely to boost the effectiveness of my shampoo when I have a lot of product build-up. I have also tried it mixed with my conditioner as my own “cleansing conditioner”.
As for ACV I only use it as a rinse; usually a final rinse. I did this just to seal the cuticle and impart softness and shine. Both baking soda and ACV only seem to work for me when I use them once in a while. If I try to make them a frequent use product I don’t see any additional benefits. In fact I see negative results, some sort of build up sensation or dryness.
This is why I stick to everything I was already doing before everyone started going natural. Half the stuff these new naturals say is BS. I would NEVER stop shampooing my hair in favor of ACV or some other crap. I still shampoo and use “cones” and my hair has just reached waist-length despite being 4c. Do what works for YOUR hair.
I wanted to like ACV & baking soda but both made my scalp so dry.
this is pretty cool
Interesting to see how much oil co-washing removes. My scalp never felt clean at all after co-washing, which prompted me to double-wash with conditioner, resulting in stripped hair (and a “ha ha, I’m still super dirty, you can’t clean me” scalp). I don’t co-wash anymore. Looks like ACV might do the opposite: clean my scalp without stripping my hair. If I could handle the smell of ACV, I’d try washing my scalp with it.
Last month, I researched water-only washing and decided it probably wouldn’t work for me, based on what I know about my own scalp and hair. But I thought “hey, I bet part of this method would work for me as a pre-poo on wash day!”
So I tried it 2 mornings ago: I massaged my scalp for 3 or 4 minutes. Then I stepped into the shower and rinsed with water to evenly distribute my own natural oil. Thanks to my sebum, and the leftover moisturizer that was already on my hair (SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk) from the day before, I discovered that I could easily finger detangle while rinsing with water.
I should mention: when I say “finger detangle,” I really mean “remove shed hair.” I find that if I tell myself I’m removing shed hair instead of detangling, I’m much gentler on my coils. It’s a little mind trick I play on myself. The goal is not to pull every clumped coil apart (that’s how I end up with knots in my hair) or to search-and-destroy knots, but to simply clear out the loose hairs.
Anyway, after doing my water-only pre-poo, I washed as usual with my SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus shampoo. I followed with SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus conditioner. And I learned another new-to-me trick: shingle your conditioner.
I don’t use the shingle method for my wash & gos (I don’t have the patience for it, I wanna wash and GO; plus, I don’t like to apply lots of gel throughout my hair), and I didn’t get super elaborate in the shower with lots of hair clips and all that. I just quickly separated my hair into 8 total sections — horizontal and vertical — and applied conditioner generously to each section. This was the first time I ever felt like every single strand of my hair was coated with conditioner. I don’t know why I never did this before! It works so much better for me than keeping my hair in just 2 or 4 sections for conditioning, let alone conditioning twisted hair.
After a few minutes of washing the rest of my body while the conditioner sat on my head, I did one more quick round of shed hair removal, and then rinsed most of the conditioner out (I always keep a little in as a leave-in). Left the shower and checked myself out in the bathroom mirror. My hair looked amazing! I had more volume up top than usual, and my coils stood out and hung just the way I wanted ’em to. I still had shrinkage (from APL to somewhere between chin and shoulders) and a little frizz, but I accept that those things are just the way my hair behaves. After a little Curl & Style Milk as a sealant, I was good to go. I’m on day 2 of that wash & go now. I didn’t even have to remoisturize my hair this morning. Eh, I probably will tomorrow.
Final verdict: I’ll add “water-only wash,” as a wash day pre-poo, to my usual routine. During the winter, there will still be times when I’ll pre-poo at night with olive oil instead.
And from now on, I will shingle my conditioner, always, forever and ever.
also from the pics clay (both) did way better (or stripped the oils) from the hair than any other method than shampoo
I recently started water washing almost 4 months ago, i personally love it and it’s good enough for me! mind you I only put raw shea butter and coconut oil on my hair and in fairly small amounts anyway. But I really love it. I “might wash with a shampoo or conditioner when I get to 6 months. But I really am converted now. I have 4 different textures in my head and all of them are softer now and seem to hold moisturizer longer easier than normal to detangle over all (also I’m like two inches from tail bone length) and still this works for ME
I wash with a mix of baking soda and aloe Vera and you can’t tell me otherwise lol. But in all seriousness cowashing leaves build up on my hair and scalp, and I’ve run through the gambit of shampoos and my scalp was always dry and itchy afterwards.
Just another example of having to do what works for you. Interesting results regardless though
I’ve been washing with first diluted baking soda followed by diluted apple cider vinegar for nearly 4 years. My hair and scalp look and feel very clean, but not dry, and grows steadily. I plan to continue this method. I was Googling to find out more about incorporating Rhassoul Clay into my routine, for curl-clumping benefits. Any shampoo I use dries my hair out badly. All I use in my hair are Shea butter, cocoa butter, natural oils, and a hair gel. My hair thrives when I use as few products as possible. I found the same when relaxed, that my hair that had been stuck at shoulder-length for much of my life finally grew past my arm pits once I cut out heat and reduced use of products, including washing with baking soda and ACV only except on relaxer days.
Great article but remember it is one person’s experience and so that may not be another person’s results. But I’ll keep the info in mind.
It just proves that ACV does not strip the hair of its much needed oils…notice she said that the results of the product build up are not indicated…which by the way is what we really needed to know
Hi I just wanted to state some things because this isn’t too much help in understanding our hair. Let me add I fully understand this is just her hair. One an experiment has multiple components, my problem is I have dry scalp so what does this mean for me in terms of the strains of my hair. How much coconut oil and shea you put on Daily? How long did you do this for? Because it varies fin Jeff to head. And if it didn’t come off then is it because of the oil or the butter? And different types of hair like fine hair medium or thick because it could be a factor. And the scalp is a player in This clean scalp promotes hair growth as well and if the shampoo causes dry scalp flaking etc. There is a lot that play in hair. And please don’t blindly follow everything that is said. Just wanted to add my two cents, there are more too but it goes on lol. Please consider This before making decisions. It is a good start though
I think it should be noted that the results of co-washing is only as good as the conditioner you’re using. In this case, the person is using a conditioner that is silicone free and has behentrimonium chloride which is both a cleansing and conditioning agent.
Also, in terms of the baking soda and AVC rinses, many people seem to have varying experiences. I believe there are factors involved that must be taken into account, such as the dilution of the products before being applied to the hair, the texture/porosity (NOT curl pattern) of the person’s hair, and most importantly the other products that are being used.
So to put it plainly, its perfectly okay to have differing results.
I use rhassoul clay with essential oils and aloe vera juice as the base. My hair gets clean with no problem. I never co-wash or use shampoo.
I tried the ACV and the co-wash. I had to return to shampoo because my scalp produces too much oil plus and I have to use a lot of oil and butter on the hair.
To be honest Im surprise naturals use baking on their hair. Baking soda can clean out a clogged sink, whitens teeth & cure upset stomach. I wont dare think about putting that acid on my hair.
I use shampoo (sulfate free) at every wash. My hair didnt get clean with conditioner and it left my hair dry, limp and dull.
baking soda is basic like relaxers which is why they say to follow with a vinegar rinse but i never thought it would actually clean and i was right
it’s actually alkaline, but that still doesnt make it a good thing to use.
I’m not sure if it was a mistype ..but Baking Soda is a base not an acid. It soothes an upset stomach because it functions as an antacid; it’s basic nature helps neutralize the fluid in the stomach with is acidic.
It make not be an “acid” but since it can remove corrosion from a car battery, I dont want it near my hair!
It’s a simple acid-base reaction. Batteries are filled with an acid that reacts with the electric charge at the nodes that forms the corrosion you see. Adding basis baking soda dissolved in water reacts with the acidic white build up. When the two react they fizzle releasing gas, like oxygen, as they neutralize each other. This is the same thing that happens when unclogging a sink. You mix basic baking soda with acidic vinegar. The chemical reaction foams and unclogs your sink. This is not taking place when used on hair. Baking soda is a salt so it can be mildly abrasive; that is how it whitens your teeth. So as far as its abrasive nature goes, that might be cause to worry about using it on your hair, but baking soda is not going to melt or erode your hair in away. It is a weak base.
FYI the pH of baking soda (mixed in water) is between 8-9 on pH scale which makes it a base (or alkaline), the opposite of an acidic pH level. Apple cider vinegar has a pH level of around 3. The pH of a relaxer is anywhere between 9-14! The pH level of hair/scalp is between 4-5. pH levels cause the cuticle layer of hair strand to do different things. Acid closes the cuticles, base raises/lifts the cuticles.
Anytime i try to use acv (even when very diluted) my hair feels stringy and the texture feels different after. I think it really messes with my hair porosity. I use shampoo because my hair is even more shinier and defined after a good clean.
Interesting to see someone else’s experience with baking soda and ACV. Just ACV hasn’t worked as a cleanser for me, so I wonder how others have made it work for them. From my experience, baking soda works very well to clean the scalp and hair. No product build at all. I think it can depend on its application, too. Paste vs. a water mixture.
The co-wash picture was quite surprising and neat to see. Yay! I’m not crazy for co-washing. hehe. I’ve heard many times that co-washing doesn’t do anything.
Nope Ill continue to cowash like I have for almost 2 years and once a month use my cleansing conditioner…
co washing gave me scalp problems, seborrheic dermatitis…i got like cradle cap on my scalp. I havent gotten that since i started cleansing with 2tsp of baking soda to 2 cup water ( i add tea tree oil to that sometimes)
I actually just finished scrubbing my scalp and hair with baking soda and rinsing with acv! I quit using shampoo about six months ago and switched to cowashing and acv rinses. Two months ago, I began using baking soda weekly or every 10 days or so. My head and hair seem to like it. I simply fill a container with BS and section my hair in quarters. I scoop a few tablespoons up and try to spread it evenly throughout the section and scrub from the scalp to the ends. I retwist the section, clip it back up and move on. Once all sections have been treated, I rinse each section individually. That’s right; I let it sit in my hair. Once it’s all out, I rinse and scrub with acv. Apply my deep conditioner, put on a cap and throw on a towel for an hour!
Great article. I’m also fine with shampooing once a week after trying ACV and co-washing a few years ago. My hair has been at it’s best since I started using shampoo again and overall sticking to the basics. I honestly use a clarifying shampoo only on my scalp while my hair is dry and then I follow up with a moisturizing shampoo on my hair. No dryness or stripped feeling. I need to know that I’m really, really cleaning my scalp and giving it a fresh start each week. That’s just me though.
I concur with this experiment based on personal experiences. My strands don’t feel cleansed after using baking soda or ACV and both cause my scalp to itch furiously!
I’m fine with shampooing once a week or once every other week with actual shampoo.
Wow great info. I wonder is there any way u can test out a cleansing conditioner, like a Kera Care cleansing cream, As I Am Coconut Cowash etc? Conditioners that claim to be cleansing.
This article is great–very informative! I usually alternate between shampooing and cowashing every two weeks. This ensures that my hair stays moisturized but that all of the build up is removed effectively. Also, I LOVE diluted ACV as a scalp clarifier–it really does help to manage dandruff.
Very interesting. What i’m curious about is, why my 4bc hair feels so dry after washing it with baking soda
Pure baking soda (e.g arm and hammer brand) can have a pH of around 9/10 and this high pH can cause the hair cuticle to lift. This can make hair feel dry. The same actually happens with some shampoos but in that case it is not pH but the fact that the charge of hair is negative and that of some surfactants in shampoo is also negative. Different reasons (ph or charge) but same effect (lift cuticles).
Awww Curls Nooo I love an ACV rinse and Baking Soda wash. My hair really feels clean and soft after I use both products separately or together so I am floored that they are not that effective. Wow, I have a lot to think about. Great article!
Denise, I always say don’t fix it if it is not broken. There are many people who report feeling a cleansing effect with ACV or baking soda. I am a heavy oil user and perhaps this is the reason that the hair did not get clean. I think if you are a light/ no oil user it is possible that water, ACV or baking soda will be just fine 🙂
I agree, good call.
Thing is you have to go on how YOUR hair feels afterwards. Also she showed the strands not the scalp…most people (well at least me) dont put product on the scalp. It also depends what you use for sealing the hair. from MY experience ACV/BS can’t remove heavy emollients like Shea Butter and heavy cream based products. But I personally use olive, castor and peppermint oils…OILS aka liquids.
When washing mechanical agitation also helps remove dirt. I use this brush on my scalp…smoothing the hair down against the scalp and massaging the scalp with the brush.
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Great article; it’s good to see experimental results that explain my own anecdotal experience. For quite a while I was using ACV to wash my hair, and I thought that was fine. A few weeks ago, frustrated by how increasingly rough and lackluster my hair was feeling, I switched to a bentonite wash and realized that the ACV hadn’t been getting my hair clean at all! The bentonite finally got rid of the accumulated build-up, and left my hair soft and smooth. Also, with the build-up gone my hair retains moisture and holds its curl pattern (or a twist/braid-out) much better, so I don’t have to use as much product. I’m still going to follow up my bentonite washes with an ACV rinse for my scalp though; I find the vinegar really effective in keeping away dandruff.
Very insightful and informative.
Never even thought of using Baking Soda in my hair but I’ve used ACV before.
Will focus on shampooing and co-washing.
Clays are aite but too messy.
Thanks JC
I respect your opinion but I don’t think clay is as messy. Depending on its consistency you can apply it w/o it dripping everywhere before jumping in your shower or make it enough runny to apply it under the shower while taking your bath. Applying clay and covering it with a shower cap for 30 minutes isn’t a must especially if you clay wash every week. Just use it as you would a regular shampoo under the shower. If this method is still too messy, use a good clay soap made the traditional way with organic oils and no chemicals added just like the traditional african black soap made with ashes instead of lye. I’ve been working with clay “forever”. It’s an AMAZING healer. My top best are Rhassoul and fine French green clay because they are the smoothest ones you can use on hair. With clay you don’t even need to massage, it absorbs and clean by itself. For 6 months I’ve been washing one side of my hair with sulfate, non sulfate shampoos and shampoo bars and the other half exclusively with my clay mix and clay soap. The results were so amazing I had to cut my hair back to APL to even it out because the clay side was growing faster than the non clay side. For the clay side I don’t use conditioner, leave-in because clay is already a good conditioner and detangler. I simply use a mix of distilled water and glycerin as a final rinse, plop it to damp, apply my oil mix, steam under a hooded dryer, add my butter mix on top, air dry and voila, soft and moisturized hair for a week. But remember, this what works for my hair. The key is to experiment until you find what works for you.
I love clays too but, I find that I do need to still oil rinse and use leave in because my hair is naturally just so darn dry.
You mentioned French clay, I was curious about that one where do you purchase yours? I also love the Rhassoul over bentonite and I also mix my rhassoul with white clay because I read that white clay is a gentle cleanser…
Thanks for details, Linda. I’ve been using a shampoo bar with clay and am tempted not to use other conditioners, but like Tracy says, my hair and scalp are just so dry.
At Tracy and Joan B in S.C. no problem. One thing to know with clays is that they don’t go hand in hand with chemicals because they neutralize them due their high faculty of absorbing toxins, bacteria and everything that is out of balance. Clay works by adsorption, absorption and pH balancing allowing the body to rid itself of potentially harmful material.I suggest you assess your diet and the other products you use on your hair. Do you drink enough water? Take any medication? What is your hair regimen? Do you rinse out the clay enough and make sure there’s none left on your hair? Are you using all natural hair products? Because clay doesn’t mix with chemicals and it is advised to use it 30 minutes to a couple of hours away from any chemicals. Clay attracts anything that’s harmful to the body meaning that the spot you use the clay on is the spot where the harmful material will show itself in different forms/symptoms from dryness, itchiness, redness to pimples and so on. Therefor if you don’t correct what’s out of balance and keep using clay, you will end up with the same results. And this is the reason why some first time clay users abandon using clay because they think that it made them sick when in reality it revealed and attracted what was harmful. If after making sure that you’re doing everything the right way and your hair is still dry, just be patient and let the clay healing process take time to work. Some bodies take longer than other to adapt to all natural regimen after years of “chemicals”.
One thing I didn’t mention here is that I do steam my hair with a Qredew before clay washing not only because my hair is low po but also because it adds extra-moisture to my hair and makes detangling session a breeze. Same reason why my final rinse has glycerin. I also add glycerin and/or honey to my clay mix. But my steaming session aren’t a must,I can use a simple mix of clay and distilled water and still have the same results. I mostly steam when I’ve been rocking mini twists for 2-3 weeks.
White clay is the most gentle of all clays because it is a neutral clay. Avoid using tap water, use distilled or spring water instead. Tap water is laden with chemicals and it already charges the clay with chemicals before you even apply it on your hair thus neutralizing a good part of the benefit of using clay. For the same reason, never use a metal spoon or bowl for your clay mix. The best utensils to use are wooden, porcelain and ceramic utensils. Plastic is ok but not for long time storage. Last but not least put your clay in a mason jar and let it take a sunbath as many time as you want. Sun reactivates clay properties, supercharges it and makes it works 10 times better.
I’m blessed to get my green french clay locally from a store called Leaves and Roots. But I’m also blessed to get it from France. The French ARGILETZ brand is the best green clay you will ever find on the market. Their superfine clay never feels gritty and they have ready-to-use green clay paste in a big 3.3lbs jar that is awesome. Try Time Laboratories Argiletz French Green illite powder, it’s wonderful too and it’s on Amazon $10 plus shipping for 8 oz. I never tried other brands so I can’t vouch for them. It is advised to use the clay from the area or the country you live in because the clay is an “intelligent” substance that adapts itself to its environment.
I apologize for this long post but I sincerely hope it helped. Happy Clay wash.
Thanks for the detailed response… I do use natural products bc they seem to work best for my hair… I’m not on any meds but, I am revamping my diet/ eating better and ensuring my water intake is up to par… Last, I was pregnant when I was using the clays and I haven’t really had time to use them since I’ve been protective styling bc I’m a new mom and it’s easier, lol. But, I will see if this makes any difference when I take out my protective style and use my clay mix. Thanks again!
Nice! I’m very grateful for this post. I’ve been washing my natural hair with Bentonite clay for about six months and I’ve really noticed a difference in my natural hair. It’s stronger and thicker and my curl pattern became visible. All the stuff that they say about shampoos with sulfate being bad for natural hair is true. I stopped using shampoos with sulfates because they were too drying for my natural hair but i got extra benefits after i stopped using them. I sometimes wondered if the Bentonite clay was cleansing my natural hair well enough but after six months of watching it get the job done, i stopped worrying about it but I’m thankful for this scientific confirmation that it really does get the job done. A note of advice though, always rinse the clay off properly unless you want your natural hair in a reddish colour and stained clothes to go along with it.
Thanks for doing this. It is a really interesting and informative piece.
Thank you so much for this article. I was just watching a video where a beautician was saying that co-washing doesn’t work and many swear up and down that ACV cleanses the hair. There is something about receipts that makes my heart skip a beat. I will continue to cowash, ACV rinse then deep condition.
Co Washing didnt work for me 4a4b hair, it left my hair dirty, dry and dull. It works for some but for me and it just didnt do anything. Co washing doesnt not remove product build up.
I agree! I think that cowashing is best when your hair isn’t very dirty/there’s minimal build. But, I tend to use Bentonite or Rhassoul clay for my washes and Shampoo when I want a quick clean.
Really surprised about the baking soda and ACV, actually. Hmmm
I’m with cepfeng on this one. After someone else’s blog earlier this week about maximum hydration, I was reading to start witht he baking soda and ACV. Not to mention the part about wondering if any left over baking soda would give the ACV the volcano effect.
Baking soda is still beneficial for low porosity hair, even if it isn’t as effective a cleanser as thought.
And if you’re talking about THE Maximum Hydration Method, the next step after the baking soda “clarifying” rinse is co-washing, so your hair will receive proper cleansing.
Joan, in step one of the Maximum Hydration method, you can use baking soda OR ACV. Neither is used right after the other. If you chose to use baking soda, it is combined with conditioner or water & honey. The purpose of using baking soda when doing the maximum hydration method is to get the cuticles of low porosity hair to temporarily lift open thereby allowing water to be absorbed into the hair. Those with high porosity hair benefit more from the ACV rinse because it helps to close the cuticles and lock in the moisture. Regardless of which one you choose, step 2 is the application of conditioner as a cowash so there is no chance of achieving a volcano affect lol! I hope that helps explain it a little better.
Fascinating, that’s why acv doesn’t feel like it’s Stripping hair, I read somewhere as well that all it does is lift the oil of your scalp and coat the length of your hair with it.. Which might be a good thing or a bad thing, because it means we found a way to get sebum to the rest of our hair instead of just the scalp… It does help me to alleviate dandruff/dermatitis issues though.
I heard the same as you, that ACV is really for the scalp and not the hair
Interesting experiment. Quite informative, I wanted to ask how your scalp felt after each clean…
The experiment was on shed hair not the scalp. I have purchased another microscope for scalp tests, it is on my to do list 🙂
interesting. i have 3b/c hair and every now and then i need to wash my hair with shampoo. i notice after awhile of using co-wash my curls wont become as defined or my hair loses luster. i co-wash about once a week and shampoo every other week. this method works best for me
No problem, do whatever works for you. What works for one natural may not work for another; no two heads of natural hair are exactly the same. Many people love using shea butter on their natural hair and my natural hair loves it but my skin gets irritated whenever shea butter comes in contact with it( a painful stinging sensation and redness ) which is a problem if you want to wear your hair hanging down on your shoulders or framing your face. I don’t know why this happens but i rarely use shea butter because of this, instead i found something else that works for me which doesn’t irritate my skin.
Jacky, do you have a latex allergy? Shea nut trees are related to ‘rubber’ trees (in quotes because more than one plant is used to produce natural latex, but I digress), and I have read a more than few instances of people who are allergic to rubber latex also being allergic to shea products. Similarly, if anyone is severely allergic to poison ivy, you may want to stay clear of foods containing mangoes and mango butter–they’re also related plants. I know it’s a bit off topic, but I feel like allergies aren’t really discussed super often in the natural hair community.
Hi Dananana, i don’t know if I’m allergic to latex but I’ll check, thanks. I would like allergies to be discussed on this site too, i think it’s a great idea. It could educate naturals on ingredients that trigger allergic reactions.
Thanks Jc!
Super helpful article!! Its great to read the cleansing methods of other n aturals and the results. But there is nothing better than the scientific results. Thanks Natural Haven…I’m glad you tell us what we NEED to know.
These results are her hair and her hair only without specific controls, so her science is really just another natural’s cleansing method and results.