bentonite clay
after a couple of people mentioned using it as a hair mask, i tried the bentonite clay, and loved what it did for my hair, but found mixing with water to make a paste to be a total nightmare. because it doesn't. mix, that is. it just forms clumps that are far too stiff to spread well through hair and blocks the drains*.
i've persisted, though, because i've been needing something to tone-down the greasiness of my hair (which does tend to build up over the course of a couple of washes with water-and-vinegar-only), but without stressing my already-a-bit-flakey scalp or stripping all of the oils out of my hair.
what i've finally found to work brilliantly is if i take about 2 teaspoons of the clay powder, dry, and finger-comb it a bit at a time through greasy hair (while it's still dry, too). then i get in the shower and rinse it off, massaging my scalp well, then i rinse with a 1:2 ACV:water mix.
hair is soft, not greasy, not dry and crispy, shiny, my scalp is less flakey... it's all good.
i've been finding, too, that as it's getting longer i fidget with it when i'm nervous or concentrating -- and that the more i touch it, the faster it turns into an unbearable ball of grease. i know, obviousness! but it's been i while since i had hair, so i'd forgotten. if i can keep my hands off it, i can go 6 days between washes. if i mess with it, it's more like 4.
* ok, so i'm exaggerating slightly for effect. but it was far too messy for my tastes, and did make me worry about my drains.
i've persisted, though, because i've been needing something to tone-down the greasiness of my hair (which does tend to build up over the course of a couple of washes with water-and-vinegar-only), but without stressing my already-a-bit-flakey scalp or stripping all of the oils out of my hair.
what i've finally found to work brilliantly is if i take about 2 teaspoons of the clay powder, dry, and finger-comb it a bit at a time through greasy hair (while it's still dry, too). then i get in the shower and rinse it off, massaging my scalp well, then i rinse with a 1:2 ACV:water mix.
hair is soft, not greasy, not dry and crispy, shiny, my scalp is less flakey... it's all good.
i've been finding, too, that as it's getting longer i fidget with it when i'm nervous or concentrating -- and that the more i touch it, the faster it turns into an unbearable ball of grease. i know, obviousness! but it's been i while since i had hair, so i'd forgotten. if i can keep my hands off it, i can go 6 days between washes. if i mess with it, it's more like 4.
* ok, so i'm exaggerating slightly for effect. but it was far too messy for my tastes, and did make me worry about my drains.