Aztec Indian Healing (Bentonite) Clay Mask Review on Type 4 Hair

HEY FRIENDS!

So, what’s been up with my natural hair?! It’s been awhile, huh. Y’all should know by now these posts don’t come too often, but I had some high hopes for a change. Nonetheless, we’re here with a review of a long awaited clay mask! This mask has been making its rounds on the internet for a while now. At first, I couldn’t find the brand which was used in stores here, but I finally got it while “Christmas shopping” back in December. Heads up: I tried it once before doing this review but my mixture wasn’t quite right. This is actually my third time trying this mask and I have to say, my thoughts on it haven’t definitely changed given the results from a year ago.

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Before we get into the details of the review, why a clay mask? Isn’t shampooing and conditioning enough? Welllll, the Aztec Indian Healing Clay has many benefits, they include:

• Drawing out toxins, impurities and build up out of the hair and scalp
• Opening the hair cuticle to better absorb products, which helps in retaining moisture
• Helping to clump curls together and define them
• Promoting hair growth due to the natural minerals found in the clay
• Softening and conditioning the hair which leads to manageability

What’s in it? – The Mixture

Guess what?! There are only 3 ingredients (or more, depending on the oils you wish to add and the need for water). So simple! You’ll need Aztec Indian Healing Clay, Apple Cider Vinegar and good ole WATER. I didn’t use exact measurements, I simply estimated what I thought would be enough and also once it was a good mixture. You’re looking for a consistency like yogurt. It’s best to add the ACV to the clay first for the reaction to happen then loosen with water. On my most recent try, I decided to add some coconut oil. I’m not sure if this was the reason for the vast difference, but GUYS! 😍

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The Process

Disclaimer: I didn’t watch any in depth videos prior to doing this. I just saw it was “the wave” and hoped it will help moisturize my thick (4C) hair.

• First off, you need to work on damp hair (the mistake I made on the first try). Therefore, it’s best to have a spray bottle nearby to refresh when needed.
• I simply scooped product into my hands and spread it onto my hair in sections. Ensure to work the mask into your hair from roots to ends, trying hard to get ALL the strands.
• After completing my entire head, I covered my hair with a plastic cap and left it on for about 20 minutes. P.S. You shouldn’t let the mask dry in your hair, it’ll make it difficult to come out (another rookie mistake). Rinse with warm water afterwards then condition hair.

2020 UPDATE:

• When I was done applying the mask to my hair, I left it uncovered for about 20-30 minutes then rinsed with warm water.
• I should also mention that my method was done in reverse; i.e. I deep conditioned my hair prior to applying the mask. This ensured that my hair was properly detangled before mask application which would have been difficult given the texture. I tried this method because I’ve been looking into the maximum hydration method. However, after seeing that you’d need to do this process daily for a week, I opted out. I’m not sure if that’s really the case, because it was one article I read but I do figure that it should be an ongoing process.

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Decided to try this mask again, with more ACV and the texture came out wayyy better. My hair is always screaming for moisture, so I'm gonna add this to my routine and see how it goes. The clay & Apple Cider Vinegar is also good for hair growth, cleaning your scalp and drawing out toxins. Also, they give your hair a nice shine 😉 ▪▪▪▪▪▪ #aztecclaymask #mynaturalhairisdope #naturalhaircommunity #type4chair #4chaircommunity #naturalhaitsistas

A post shared by Aaliyah • Content Creator 🇦🇬 (@astoldbyali) on Mar 3, 2019 at 4:44am PST

Results

Sooooo moment of truth. As you can see from the pictures and videos above my curl definition really came out while the mask was on my hair. Additionally, as I was rinsing it out of my hair it was very soft and shiny at the end. However, I didn’t feel like the results really stuck after. I don’t blame this on the mask, but probably my moisturizing method during the styling process (I’m still figuring this out).

I decided to do a wash n’ go but I think I’m going to retire that style. It never works out to my advantage and I end up getting single strand knots. I usually do the raking method since it’s not as time consuming but when I do take the time and shingle it’s a good style.

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2020 Update

I was shocked at how my hair looked while the mask was in! I can’t remember the specifics from the results last year, but looking at the pictures with the mask in, my hair looks dull. This time around it was shiny plus had a lot of hang time; I’m going to assume it’s the coconut oil at work. I only started using coconut oil this year and thus far I haven’t seen any harm being done to my hair. It worked well with my Aloe mixture and now this. After washing out my hair is was incredibly soft and just felt HEALTHY. This time around I opted for braids and can’t wait to see the results when I take them out. (Follow me on Instagram for all the BTS updates)

I can’t make any promises about adding this to my hair regimen, because as you can see it took me a whole year plus to try this again. To be honest, it’s a messy process and I just can’t deal with the extra long wash days.

Extra Info!

If you don’t have natural hair, you can use this mask on your face – same mixture applies. The benefits include:

• Treating acne
• Reducing oily skin
• Detoxifying skin
• Deep cleansing pores
• Reducing acne inflammation
• Plus IT’S A NATURAL TREATMENT

Last thing to note, you should probably only do this mask once a week. This applies for both the face and hair (just from what I’ve read). You’re always encouraged to do your own research as I’m not a dermatologist, lol.

Have you ever tried a Bentonite Clay Mask before? Let me know!