The use of natural clay for the treatment and restoration of scalp hair, useful properties, varieties and their action, recipes for clay masks. After decades of fashion, a variety of commercially available hair care products are re-emerging as home remedies using natural ingredients. The most effective natural substance for getting rid of numerous hair problems is clay. How to choose the right clay for hair, how to make a mask from it are the main issues discussed in the article.
Types of hair clays
Every day, the hair of each person is exposed to harmful effects. Hair is damaged not only by low-quality shampoos, various cosmetics, coloring solutions, which contain unnatural ingredients, but also by tap water and the sun's rays.
The condition of the hair and scalp also deteriorates significantly due to an unbalanced diet, which causes a deficiency of nutrients throughout the body. There are a lot of problems: brittle hair, hair loss, dandruff and others.
A completely natural product - clay comes to the rescue in solving hair problems. Currently, it is sold in pure form in powders, pastes, or as part of ready-made masks made according to a variety of cosmetic recipes.
Clay mask recipes differ not only in additional nutritional ingredients, but also in the types of clay used. Clay is easy to classify due to its color. It can be white, pink, red, yellow, green, blue, gray, black. Each species has a special composition of useful substances, which determines one or another color and useful properties of this natural material.
Let's consider some types of clay:
- White clay … This variety is rich in minerals, iron, calcium, phosphates, potassium, silicon, zinc and magnesium. The content of all of these substances allows white clay to thoroughly care for the scalp and hair follicles. The versatility of white clay in the context of hair care is that it can be used for any hair type. Clay of white color also allows you to solve a complex of problems that arise with both hair and scalp cells. The substances included in the white clay allow you to remove flaking of the scalp (dandruff), absorb excess fat, strengthen hair roots, prevent hair loss, accelerate hair growth, strengthen the hair structure, thereby combat fragility and add volume, add shine and shine to hair …
- Pink clay … The useful qualities of pink clay are due to the presence of iron, potassium, aluminum, calcium, zinc, magnesium, silicon. The last ingredient is key because thanks to it, the effect of pink clay is considered the most gentle of all types of clay. This species has the most delicate effect on the scalp, unlike all other species. The pink variety is rich in silicon, so masks made from it are famous for their excellent soothing effect.
- Blue clay … This variety is the most popular among those people who intend to keep their hair thick and grow long hair. In addition, it thoroughly cleanses the scalp. Blue clay is a kind of cocktail of nutrients to stimulate hair growth. Blue clay includes silicon, titanium anhydrite, calcium, aluminum, magnesium and iron.
- Green clay … The most effective type of hair is green. She is able to solve several problems: increased oily hair, the presence of dandruff, irritation on the root zone of the skin. In general, after applying solutions with green clay, the process of skin cell regeneration is accelerated. The beneficial qualities of green clay are due to the presence of silver, zinc, calcium and magnesium in its mineral composition, which help to establish local metabolism and strengthen hair.
- Black clay … This species is enriched with calcium, magnesium, strontium, quartz, iron, nitrogen, radium. It is of great value not only for hair, skin, but also for the whole organism. Despite the wide list of useful substances, solutions with black clay are always enriched with additional nutrients, for example, sour cream, egg yolk, mint. If you add sour cream to the mask, then you can use the black variety for dry hair, because this dairy product contributes to additional hydration.
How to apply hair clay
In order to achieve the most beneficial effect when using clay and not harm the hair, it is necessary to properly prepare the solutions, adhere to the recommendations regarding the frequency and duration of their use, as well as some of the rules of the procedure itself.
General principles of using clay solution as a mixture for hair:
- To strengthen hair, apply clay masks 2 to 3 times a month.
- For recovery, increase the number of sessions up to 7-8 times a month.
- Use warm liquid to create the solution. In cold water, it will be more difficult to bring the solution to homogeneity, and hot water leads to a loss of useful properties.
- First, dilute the clay powder until thick sour cream, then add the auxiliary ingredients.
- Use only ceramic, plastic or glass utensils and a wooden spatula to mix all the ingredients in the hair mask.
- Do not prepare the solution for future use, mix the ingredients just before use, because the ready-made solution is not recommended to be stored.
- The exposure time of the clay mask is from 20 to 90 minutes.
- To improve the intensity of the beneficial effect of the components of the clay mask, wrap the treated part of the head with a bag, wrap it up with a towel.
- Clay can make hair stiffer, so after the clay mixture is completely washed off, apply the conditioner to your hair to soften it.
- As additional ingredients to the clay mask are used: vitamins, yolks, honey, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, mint, vegetable oils (olive and burdock), lemon juice, milk.
- After exposure to the clay mask, it is not recommended to accelerate hair drying with a hair dryer. It is better to dry your hair naturally.
There are practically no contraindications to using clay for hair. Do not use clay if there is an individual intolerance to certain components.
Clay hair mask recipes
The clay can be used in the form of a thick mask, as a shampoo for shampooing, as a rinse, or as a styling agent.
Using green hair clay
Options for green clay masks:
- Mask for high-fat hair … Prepare a mixture of green clay and decoction or water (50 ml). After obtaining a homogeneous consistency, add apple cider vinegar (20 ml) and juniper oil. Soak the mask for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Anti-dandruff solution … Add the egg yolk and apple cider vinegar (20 ml) to the green clay paste (60 ml). After applying the solution, massage gently to stimulate the penetration of nutrients into the skin. The exposure time is 25 minutes.
Applying blue hair clay
Let's describe the ways to use the blue type of clay:
- Hair mask for reducing oiliness … Make a mixture of 40 ml blue clay, water, 20 ml lemon juice and 2 cloves of garlic, minced in a garlic press. The mask should be thick enough. Apply it 1-2 times a week.
- Anti-hair loss solution … Combine blue clay (30 ml), water, lemon juice (10 ml), honey (10 ml), egg yolk and bergamot essential oil.
- Blue clay to accelerate the rate of hair growth … Treat hair with a mask of 40 ml of blue clay, water, egg yolk, honey, 20 ml of sea buckthorn oil. This mixture also helps to increase the volume of the hair.
- A cocktail to restore damaged hair … To restore the normal hair structure, apply the following mixture every 7 days: 20-25 g of blue clay and burdock oil, yolk, 10 g of honey and lemon juice.
- Modeling blue clay … For a secure fit, apply blue modeling clay to your hair. It will allow you to easily manage curls while creating your hairstyle. The result is a soft hold while nourishing the hair.
After applying black and blue clay, blonde hair may gray out a little. Use a tinted shampoo to restore fresh color to your hair.
White clay hair masks
Options for masks made of white clay for different hair types:
- For dry hair … Make the following mask: prepare a gruel from 1 bell pepper using a blender, add white clay (20 ml) and kefir (40 ml) to it. Apply 1 to 2 times a week for 15 minutes.
- For treating oily hair … Mix a tablespoon of white clay with water. Add equal amounts of lemon juice, cream and mayonnaise - 1 tsp each. Apply this mixture 1 or 2 times a week for 25 minutes.
- For weakened hair … A 2-month course of white clay masks with the addition of colorless henna will help restore weakened hair. Key ingredients of the mask: clay (2, 5 tbsp. L.), Water (5 tbsp. L.), Henna (1 tbsp. L.), Apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp. L.).
Black clay hair products
Options for preparing solutions for black clay hair:
- Dry hair mixture … The components of the mixture: black clay (60 g), heated milk (1 glass), honey (40-50 g), ground cinnamon (10 g) and 2-3 drops of vitamins A and E.
- Shampoo solution … To wash your hair, a liquid solution with black clay works well, as it binds grease and dirt well. Dissolve 60 ml of black clay in 80 ml of water, mix with 80 ml of apple cider vinegar. Apply the resulting solution immediately with circular movements of your fingers, rub in for 7-8 minutes, then rinse and treat hair with balm.
Any clay tends to dry out your hair. Therefore, when applying it to dry brittle hair, if you have split ends, add vegetable or essential oils to the solution.
Applying pink hair clay
Options for gentle masks made of pink clay:
- Revitalizing mask … Hair weakened by external factors and lack of nutrients can be easily restored with pink clay. To do this, mix it with 40 ml of ground coffee, add grape vinegar diluted with water (20 ml of vinegar and 40 ml of water). Finally, add a tablespoon of sour cream. The desired exposure time for this mask is 20-30 minutes.
- Hair rinse … An effective way to relieve irritation is to rinse your curls in clay water. Dissolve a small amount of pink clay in 400 ml of warm water. Apply this liquid to all hair and root area. If possible, do not wash off the solution immediately, leave it for 15-25 minutes.
Use masks with pink clay before styling to make your hair more manageable.
Features of choosing the best hair clay
Buying pure clay without impurities, a person chooses the possibility of creating a unique recipe using an individual selection of auxiliary ingredients. The need for a subjective approach is dictated by the division of hair into types (oily, normal, dry and mixed), the presence of a whole range of problems with the hair, the lack of substances necessary for the body in each case. Before buying clay, you should determine in advance what kind of hair you need.
Tips for choosing a clay grade for preparing hair solutions:
- For oily hair, choose green, white, and black clay.
- Black, white, blue clay is suitable for normal hair type.
- For dry, brittle hair, use pink or gray clay.
- To normalize blood circulation and intracellular metabolism in the skin, use masks made of black or white clay.
- Green and pink clay fights against irritation in the root zone. The pink look has excellent disinfecting properties.
- Green and gray clay has regenerative properties.
- Green, blue and white clay can help eliminate dandruff.
- Blue clay solves the problem of hair follicle destruction and hair loss.
- Thinning hair, sensitive skin, the presence of inflammatory processes in the root zone are problems that are solved with masks made of pink clay.
How to use hair clay - watch the video:
Using clay mixtures for hair at home without visiting a beauty salon will save money, while giving your hair a new, trouble-free life, significantly improving the overall appearance.
