Going Green Blog

Entry #12: Washing in clay for a week!

I was given a challenge to use Rhassoul Clay from Natural Spa Supplies - a natural product that can be used for body, face and hair - and nothing else besides.

I was looking forward to the challenge since I am always looking out for new and eco friendly ways to live our day to day lives - the simpler the better. Being someone who used sopanuts for laundry and bicarbonate of soda for cleaning - how wonderful to have a purely natural product for body and hair washing!

On a quiet Saturday with no kids or husband around and when I was in no rush, I opened my packet of clay and mixed up about half of it with warm water as instructed, being a little unsure as to what the consistency should be. Immediately the smell evoked memories of making clay pots at primary school - happily a not entirely unpleasnat memory. I could immediately see the classroom in my small Yorkshire village school and with its desks, chairs and blackboards and my fellow classmates - so I felt entirely transported to a simpler world - pre ipod, mobile phone and colour tv!

I managed to remember that I was not about to make a pot but to have a wash. So into the shower I went. I started off with it on my face as this was its most familiar use having used face packs in the past. It felt nice on my skin and I left in a few minutes. It started to dry but my skin felt fine - it did not get that dry itchy feel which some facemasks can induce with me having quite dry skin. I wet my hair and put some in my hair. I soon realised I had the mixsture too thick and was concerned I would never wash it out again. This is something I learnt to adjust over the coming week.

The strangest bit, I found was, washing the rest of me - no nice fragrance (not sure you can count primary school wet clay pot smell as a lovely fragrance!) and no suds. How would it make my skin properly clean and sweet smelling. It was quite hard not to be messy with it but at least any sploshes on the bath floor were easily washed away. I washed the rest of me - a little unsure as to how much I should use and mindful that this amount should last me the week. It was simple to use and I was soon squeaky clean - that is how I felt. The clay washed away easily from my face and body but was a bit harder to get out of my hair.

The texture of my hair when wet was ever so slightly sticky but when dry was soft and manageable. I opted to wash my hair every other day throughout the week. My skin was soft and smooth and surprisingly nice smelling. Not easy to define - slight clay smell only nicer. I continued to use the clay solution throughout the week adjusting the consistency to make it more runny for my hair which was more successful. I like the texture of my hair and skin although I could not get entirely used to using it all over.

I am not entirely I would completely do without some shower gels for my body but I would be very happy to continue using the clay for my hair and face. Indeed I would like to encourage my teenage daughter to try it to on her face to see if it helps with the inevitable teenage spots. I suspect I would get used to it as an all over body wash but I would need a bit more time to completely wean myself off shower gel and get used to the clay.

Overall - a great product, delightfully simple and does what it promises.

Find out more at www.naturalspasupplies.co.uk