How to use kaolin clay for hair

Kaolin Clay for hair is not just another interesting DIY doing rounds, it is an effective home remedy backed with proven results and wonderful science-backed benefits. Clays, in general, have gained a reputation in the beauty and therapeutic industry as a powerful clarifying and detoxifying product. They have been used since ancient times to beautify hair and skin and we’re here to present a detailed overview on the former.

How to use kaolin clay for hair,
what is kaolin clay

What Is Kaolin Clay?

Kaolin is one of the mildest and purest forms of natural clay available. Its main ingredient is the mineral kaolinite, which gives it a fine, powdery texture. The clay can be found all over the world, but the chief manufacturing countries are China, USA, and Brazil.

There are many different hues of kaolin (red, white, yellow, pink, etc.) which differ only slightly in the benefits. Owing to its nourishing, soothing and cleansing properties, kaolin is a widely used ingredient in skin and hair care products.

Benefits of Kaolin Clay For Hair:

Here are some main advantages of using kaolin clay in hair care:

  • Kaolin is rich in silica, a naturally occurring mineral that strengthens hair and prevents thinning. An often overlooked ingredient in hair care, silica ensures hair follicles have all the essential nutrients necessary for the strands. This keeps their elasticity intact and makes them more manageable. Using Kaolin clay supplies ample silica to your tresses, which then works its magic on them.

  • Kaolin has amazing absorbing properties, as also outlined by a research paper published in 2010. When applied topically, kaolin frees the scalp of any toxins, impurities, contaminants, oils, and secretions. The end result is a squeaky clean scalp without the horrible itching or dryness.

  • Kaolin clay gently exfoliates the scalp and improves blood circulation. Scalp exfoliation removes excess skin cells, oils, dirt and dandruff, making way for new and healthy hair growth. Hair experts vouch for the idea of gentle scalp exfoliation to achieve mane that’s strong and well-nourished from within.

  • The clay can help fight scalp acne, the weirdest acne type, in my opinion. It makes combing your hair a task because there is always this fear of running it through the damn pimple and writhe in the stinging pain. Kaolin is your savior here. It fights acne from the core, by unclogging the pores in a gentle, non-inflammatory way. 
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How To Use Kaolin Clay For Hair:

After going through its amazing benefits, I know you’re eager to try it on. Here are 3 easy ways to use kaolin clay for hair:

#1 As a dry shampoo:

To use kaolin clay as a dry shampoo, you can either use the powder as it is or mix clay with arrowroot powder in a 2:1 ratio along with a few drops of your favorite essential oil.

For application, brush your hair well and sprinkle some powder on the top of your head. Concentrate on areas that tend to get more oily.

Don’t rub the powder in as it will discolor your hair. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The clay absorbs all excess oils within this time frame.

Now, turn your head over and brush the extra powder off. Avoid using too much clay as it can create clumps in your hair and give a cakey appearance.

#2 As a mask

Kaolin clay hair mask is an effortless DIY you can do every week. Mix 2-3 tbsp of kaolin clay with warm water to create a runny paste with no lumps. As an added nourishing ingredient, mix in 2 tbsp aloe vera gel to the pack.

Apply the mask mostly on your scalp region and wait for about 10 minutes. Rinse it off with cold water. There’s no need for using a shampoo after the pack because kaolin is a natural hair cleanser and nourishing agent.

#3 As a hair cleanser

Instead of a weekly mask, kaolin clay can be used as a daily, no-poo rinse. Ingredients for a DIY kaolin clay shampoo is as follows:

  • ½ cup filtered water
  • 1 tbsp kaolin clay
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
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Combine all these ingredients in a non-metal bowl and massage the smooth paste onto wet hair. Leave it on for 3-5 minutes before washing. These measurements are for one-time use, you can increase the ratios to store it for a maximum of 1 week.

Kaolin Vs Bentonite Clay For Hair

Kaolin clay is often compared to bentonite, another popular clay type used in the beauty regimen. While both have similar benefits in terms of detoxifying, clarifying, and nourishing properties, there’s a difference in their absorbing powers: bentonite ranks higher on the scale. So, in the debate of kaolin vs bentonite for hair, there’s only one rule to follow. Dry and normal skin beauties should stick to kaolin and oily ones should use bentonite. Click here to learn more about this..

Side-Effects Of Kaolin Clay:

Kaolin clay is a naturally occurring, safe ingredient with no reported side effects. That being said, some beauty products can be irritating to some people. Before using large quantities of it, we’d suggest you do a patch test and if there’s no irritation for 24 hours, you’re all good to go!

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