If you’ve been concerned about the risk that commercial shampoos pose to your health – you’re not alone. I won’t go into details about that as I’ve previously written about this here, so this post is purely instructional on how you can make your own rhassoul clay shampoo as a natural alternative to regular shampoo.

Below I’ll outline the vast variety of benefits of rhassoul clay, how to use it and where to get it from.

What is rhassoul clay?

Rhassoul clay (or sometimes called ghassoul clay) is a natural mineral clay that comes from Morocco.

Its official name is hectorite. “Rhassoul” comes from the Arabic word “rassala”, which means “washing”. It’s a natural mineral clay that has been used for centuries by the native population and is still used widely around the world in Turkish baths and by individuals who want an easy, clean and efficient way of cleaning their body. When my friend introduced me to this I was amazed, I couldn’t believe that it’s so EASY to get clean hair!

What are the benefits of rhassoul clay shampoo and skin care?

• It’s good for all skin types and has many other uses, such as clay masks, exfoliation, general body washing and more
• Rhassoul clay has more trace minerals than other types of clay but is mostly comprised of silica (52%) known to stimulate hair growth and magnesium (25%) which strengthens hair follicles and hair
• It helps with detoxification as the minerals can swap themselves for toxic chemicals in our bodies. So it doesn’t just clean us, it gives us wonderful compounds that are great for our skin too!
• After some time of using rhassoul clay shampoo, you will no longer need to wash your hair as frequently (I do it every 3 days now, whereas before I HAD to do it every single day before)
• It reduces the need to moisturise daily if used on the skin (even if at the beginning it will feel a little dry after use)
• Rhassoul clay has been said to help with the following: acne, eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, and other skin issues
• Reduces dryness and flakiness

How to make rhassoul clay shampoo

You’ll just need:

• 2 heaped teaspoons of rhassoul clay powder (enough for long fine hair)

• Enough water to make it into a watery paste (preferably warm water)

Rhassoul usually comes as a powder and it will turn into clay when mixed with water. It can form blobs of clay – I use a teaspoon or my fingers to even it out. Generally it’s super easy to make, no hassle at all. It’s best to use a plastic bowl for this, metal is not recommended and others may break in the shower.

I’m glad I wrote this after having my best friend try it on herself or I wouldn’t know that people can get it wrong.

So this is important: you need a LOT more clay than your normal shampoo, it needs to cover your hair almost completely or it won’t do anything at all. Two teaspoons are plenty for my light and fine hair that reaches down to about the middle of my back.

You rub it in your hair (try to get it everywhere) for a few minutes and it works best if you can leave it in for at least 5 minutes. Don’t let it dry anywhere on your body. Then wash it off thoroughly.

Please note: it will not foam or feel anything like your regular shampoo.

When you shouldn’t use rhassoul clay shampoo

After years of seeing how rhassoul clay shampoo works for different people, I’ve realised that it doesn’t work for everyone.

If you have very fine and light hair, like me, it will probably be great.

If you have very very thick, dark hair, you might struggle to wash it off properly. I’d say give it a go anyway, but make sure to use a significant amount of rhassoul clay and wash it off VERY well.

What about hair conditioner?

Ah conditioner, the one thing I said I could NEVER live without…until I discovered this wonder-clay! More often than not I don’t use anything, but once in a while, it’s good to give your hair a little moisturising. I usually just take a few drops of an essential oil, rub it between my hands (not too much!) and gently go over the hair ends. Takes 2 seconds and you smell great after too.

Sometimes I will use a natural conditioner too, if my hair goes a bit too wild.

Where do I get rhassoul clay?

The easiest way would be to buy rhassoul clay online.

How easy it is to find will depend on where you live. I’m currently in London and could not find it in the obvious places like Whole Foods and Planet Organic. I got mine at the Festival of Life and I assume they would sell it at other fairs like the Mind Body Spirit Festival.

The clay will come in either powder form or in chunks, like the photo above. I HIGHLY recommend getting the powder – I almost broke my food processor trying to powder down the chunks. They are certainly cheaper, but not worth the hassle in my opinion.

There’s just no way I can get the clay, what do I do?

There are plenty of ways of making homemade natural shampoo so don’t get upset! I actually switch between using rhassoul clay shampoo and one made of herbs that I mix myself, just to vary a little.

Update: now I use bicarbonate soda – a much simpler method and one that is easily available in every country. Read about it here.