My hair is falling out…

Not only that but it has been extremely dry, breaking and just all around  a sad hot mess 🙁

I’ve been doing an experiment for the last 6 months where I use products available to me locally, once the hair care products I  brought from the states, ran out. This is in preparation for my Peace Corps Journey.

My hair is falling out…

On top of that my scalp looks like the sahara desert and I thought I had lice.  I haven’t experienced dry itchy scalp since my decision to go natural almost 8 years ago.

After 6 months (actually 3 months)  without the majority of the products from my traveling hair regimen I experienced a hair emergency! Last saturday I set out to Cordoba to enjoy a day out in the sun (it was 72 degrees there!) and to get some aloe vera juice. And maybe some coconut oil IF if could find it. It’s quite hard to find these items in my tiny pueblo. And refraining from ordering online is apart of my experiment 🙂

In the El Cortes Ingles, which is like the spanish version of Macy’s, I found a small bottle of aloe vera juice but no coconut oil.  These two products I’ve learned are holy grail ingredients for my my tresses!

The water in my town is pretty toxic (it smells like chorine out the tap) so I’ve used strictly boiled water in my spray bottle. BUT yes, I still wash my hair in it 🙁

Aloe vera juice will help me to regain ph balance and much needed moisture to my hair.

Since I haven’t done a henna treatment in over 6 months I figured the next best treatment would be a bentonite clay mask.

Next I’ll show you a step by step of my mixture. Keep in mind that you should mix the clay with a wooden or plastic spoon. Just try to avoid using any metal bowls and silverware with this clay mixture.

Pay close attention…I will mention what I purchased while in Spain and what I have remaining from the US.

Essential Ingredients

 

**Here are the ingredients I used:

  Bentonite Clay ————— 1 cup or around 120 grams

(I purchased this clay from Whole Foods before coming to Spain)

Aloe Vera Juice ———– 1/4-1/2 cup or around 2 -4 oz

(purchased in El Cortes Ingles, Spain)

Apple Cider Vinegar ———1/4-1/2 cup or around 2-4 oz

(purchased in Spain)

Rosehip Oil ——————————————– 10 drops

(purchased in the US before coming to Spain)

Jojoba Oil————————— 1 tablespoon (Trader Joe’s)

Olive oil ——————–1/4 cup or 2 oz (purchased in Spain)

** I tried to do the US and European conversions of the metric system  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

….if your hair is really thick like mine use the greater amounts or just base it off how thick or thin you want your clay mask to feel. I like mine really thick! Put the extra on your face and body! It’s great all over!!!

The only item in this picture purchased in Spain is the aloe vera juice. The others I have been carefully hoarding over the past 6 months!

1. Weigh out the Aloe Vera Juice

2. Weigh out the Apple Cider Vinegar

 

3. Weigh the clay

4. Add liquids and oils to clay!

 

5. Mix Well!

* I like my mix really thick and creamy. Add less clay and more liquid if you want to make it a bit lighter. Also if you want to make a mud wash instead of a mask, you can do the same thing.

 

6. Apply to your hair and leave in for at least 30 minutes.

I left mine in for 1 hour and a half while I did some work on the computer and around my piso.

 

Sorry no after pictures!

It was really late when I washed it out. But my hair and scalp were very clean. Afterwards I sectioned my hair  into about 8 braids. I applied a rose hip and jojoba oil mixture to my scalp and smooth the remainder to each braid.

I highly recommended this bentonite clay hair mask mix to anyone experiencing the same hair emergency problems.

And yes! bentonite clay will be accompanying me on my peace corps journey 🙂