» Clay . : La Coco Bella : .

Ok, I know, I know….ANOTHER shampoo bar!! I don’t care! I am passionate about these things lol #DontJudgeMe :o)

I’ma jump right to it, this bar is from my last buy (well, my only buy so far lol) from Chagrin Valley (check out this post and this post in case you missed them!). So far, I have been extremely impressed with all the bars I bought from CV. Their ingredients are top notch and their customer service makes it that much better! I love supporting family-owned businesses like this :o)

So I got the Mud & Clay Shampoo Bar in the 1.5 oz sample size for $2.50 (now $2.70). I selected this one because a) the name sounded like it would be fun! I love playing with clay hehe and rhassoul clay is wonderful for conditioning the hair, so I figured mud and clay would make a perfect combination! Ironically, I had been doing research on the Dead Sea and how it’s known for so many things (historically, spiritually, medicinally, etc.), It’s one of my dreams to visit there one day :o) So I saw this bar contained Dead Sea mud so I knew I had to try it out!

Ingredients
Saponified oils of olive, castor bean, coconut, sunflower, virgin shea butter, rice bran; Dead Sea mud; rhassoul clay; water; sea kelp; essential oils of lavender, lemongrass, lemon; rosemary oil extract

Product Description
A mineral rich spa treatment for your hair. Rhassoul clay and Dead Sea mineral mud stimulate and tone the scalp; help restore luster to over processed, overworked and dull hair; and clean by removing excess oils without removing natural protective oils. Absorbing unwanted residues and depositing natural beneficial minerals, restores volume and leaves hair soft, shiny and healthy.

This is my second fav bar so far from CV (my first is the Babassu and Marsh Mallow but I still have one more to try so we shall see if this is still in the #2 spot hehe) My hair and scalp of course felt super clean, only had to lather up once which helps reduce my shower time. My hair was soft and really shiny. This is a great soap to clarify and “detox” your hair and scalp. It kind of “re-sets” your hair/scalp back to normal for those of us with temperamental scalps that like to act up from time to time grrrrrr. I’ve even seen that Dead Sea mud helps with hair loss, I imagine its because it creates a healthy environment in the scalp which in turn produces growth. I will definitely use this in the summer months when my scalp tends to get oily and itchy since it helps balance the oils levels. I love how all of the CV bars I have do not have overbearing scents and are not too “earthy”. They are actually really pleasant!

Fortunately, I have always found that products that contain minerals always work well in my hair and the Dead Sea mud and rhassoul clay are packed with all kinds of vitamins and minerals. Rhassoul clay contains silica which actually helps grow your hair stronger which I am ALL for! The sea kelp and lemongrass were also selling points for me (I now LOVE lemongrass tea!). A friend of mine put me on to the benefits of sea kelp (sea weed) and told me it makes your hair healthy and strong. I still have to find the courage to start eating sea weed as a snack but for now, I at least have my shampoo bar lol

Since I am obsessed with bentonite clay, this has gotten me SO excited to try rhassoul clay in its pure form (surprisingly I never have!) …some say it’s even better than bentonite!!! ***GASP!!!*** We shall see…..

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****BONUS — I wanted to briefly review one of Chagrin Valley’s complexion soaps while you’re still here :o)

I’ve been on a kick to try and naturally resolve this acne-prone/oily face of mine and I was lucky enough to get a free sample of the Dead Sea Spa Soap along with my shampoo bar haul hehe I figured it would be fitting to review the Dead Sea complexion soap along with the Mud and Clay shampoo bar :o)

Don’t mind the dried bubbles on the bar in the pic below, I had already started to use it by the time I took the pic hehe

Product Description
Mineral Rich Dead Sea Mud stimulates blood circulation, rejuvenates skin, and deep cleans to remove impurities. The fine, natural grain of the mud softly, yet effectively, sloughs off dead skin cells and leaves the skin looking fresh and radiant. Experience a mini-spa treatment for dull, tired skin, with every bath or shower.

Ingredients
Saponified oils of sunflower, coconut, organic palm, olive, virgin shea butter, castor bean; water; Dead Sea mineral mud; Dead Sea Clay; sea kelp; essential oils of lime, litsea cubeba, lavender, rosemary, orange, eucalyptus; organic cornstarch; rosemary oil extract

I mentioned some of the benefits of Dead Sea mud above and the Dead Sea mud also has a ton of beneficial effects for skin as well. It helps with a ton of skin disorders like psoriasis, eczema and of course acne, which I unfortunately have to deal with. The minerals accelerates the speed that your skin naturally exfoliates itself and restores its pH balance. It also improves elasticity and minimizes pores, wrinkles and lines. I can see why people travel from around the world just to bathe in the Dead Sea and cover themselves with this amazing mud!

I’ve been using ayurvedic facial masks and treatments (Reshma multani mitti, Reshma ubtan, turmeric, lemon peel, rose, etc.) about 3 times a week lately and they sometimes don’t rinse off well by themselves so I have been using this to lather up and help get rid of any residue (ESPECIALLY turmeric!) and this soap has done a great job with that. I figure since I am doing a treatment already, the Dead Sea soap is like the icing on the cake. It also helps remove eye make-up as well.

My skin is really starting to clear up since I have been using these all natural soaps!

I have a confession…

I have kept a secret from you all and decided to come clean….I have been using bentonite clay for 4 years and it’s been giving me BANGIN hair ever since… I know I know, should have been up front with you sooner… please still like me :o((

lol just playin, well not really, I have been using this AMAZING clay. The results of treatments are phenomenal. I was first introduced to this clay back when I was stalking Fotki hair photo albums (do people still use those??). I can’t remember who, but I saw a girl use it as a hair mask and she was ranting about how it made her hair so clean, soft and defined. I used this treatment about 3 times a month for about a year and my hair was probably the healthiest it had ever been...oh how I miss those days lol I’ll get there again ;o)

I discovered that this clay was sold at Whole Foods for less than $10 for an entire pound (It’s usually sold in the facial care section). The brand I use is Aztec Secret Indian Healing clay which is actually intended to be used as a facial mask (which is EXCELLENT for oily skin btw) In a nut shell, bentonite is a natural occurring green clay derived from volcanic ash and its super magical powers come from trace minerals like aluminum, iron, sodium, calcium, titanium but the main ones are:

Magnesium –It is a very necessary mineral in the body so cells in the body can survive. It is an anti-aging mineral used by the cells to function and produce energy. It rejuvenates and detoxifies the cells. Thus, without these minerals, the hair is not capable of growing and it becomes dull.
Potassium –This is the mineral that transport cellular wastes into the external surface so it will be washed away. Without this, the wastes build up, causing the cells to malfunction and will not be able to produce more cells. With potassium, the hair becomes healthy and supple making it resistant to breakage and split ends.
Silica- If silica is deficient, the hair becomes lifeless and dull, prone to split ends and the scalp turns dry for it aids in moisture retention. When the natural moisture is retained in the body, the connective tissues become resilient so, pre-mature aging possibility is hindered. Thus, silica can provide strength to the hair, stops hair fall and hair breakage.

Source http://www.vissastudios.com/bentonite-clay-hair

So I’m sure by now you’re like, what is so special about this daggone clay, well it cleanses, conditions and clarifies your scalp like no other. It literally sucks out all impurities, toxins, dirt, excess oil and restores your scalp back to “normal”. It’s anti-fungal and relieves itchy scalps. It’s like a magnet, it just attracts everything “bad” going on in your hair lol (this is why it is so good for your face) The best part is it is not drying and actually conditions your hair making it more manageable, soft and light. I’ve noticed my curls stay defined longer and even a little more elongated.

NOTE: Yes I have tried the Terresentials mud wash (it’s still sitting in my shower) that Naptural85 made famous. Although the mud wash smells great and works well, the main ingredients are simply aloe vera juice, bentonite clay and essentials oils….all of which I have. So I will use up the wash that I have and just continue make my own “mud wash”. It is WAY cheaper too…

So I mix my powder with apple cider vinegar (ACV) and water. It fizzles like soda when you mix it hehe fun stuff. I recently tried Aloe vera juice with a few drops of essential oils after one of my twitter curlfriends suggested it. The great thing about this clay is you can mix it with a bunch of things i.e. coconut milk, marshmallow root, conditioner, yogurt, tea, etc. I have yet to try any of these but I certainly plan to.

Oh and I read somewhere that you should NOT use a metal spoon or bowl to mix. I guess the properties of the metal interact with the clay minerals and decrease the potency. Clearly I used a metal spoon…oops…

You can apply the paste on dry or wet hair but I prefer wet because the water helps distribute the paste better. I keep my spritzer bottle at hand and spray each section as I go. I tend to go a little heavy with the application and make sure I really cover my scalp and message it in. I am sure my excessiveness is just wasteful but I’ve always done it this way lol Oh and thank goodness I have an understanding/non-judgemental boyfriend because I know I look craaaaazay.

See exhibit A….

Such a mess, I’m a big azz kid, I like to play with mud haha I’m sure you can do a better job at keeping it on just your hair and not all over the place like me :o)

Told you I’m a little heavy handed lol ever seen Link in that movie Encino Man….? lol

I leave the clay in for up to 60 mins but you can leave it in for as little as 15-20. Rinsing out the clay is surprisingly a breeze, even after the clay starts to dry. It softens up almost on contact with water. But be sure you rinse really well because I’ve missed a couple spots and had little dried up patches of clay on my scalp lol cuuuute

Once you rinse, rinse, rinse, you’ll notice how incredibly soft your hair is. Some curlies even skip the conditioner BUT if you’re a product junkie like me, you don’t miss out on any opportunity to use your fav conditioner lol