Ghassoul is a clay traditionally used in the Maghreb countries to take care of hair naturally. Sun, wind, mechanical drying, coloring, swimming in the sea or in a pool, water quality are all aggressions for your hair fiber. Discover how to beautify your hair with ghassoul.
Ghassoul (pronounced rassoul): the white clay of the Maghreb
« Ghassoul vient de l'arabe dialectal marocain ghassala qui signifie « laver ». De couleur blanche, plus ou moins grisâtre, cette argile ne se trouve qu'aux pieds du Moyen Atlas, dans des mines souterraines à 200km au sud de Fès. Dans la tradition maghrébine, la ghassoul est un élément important dans le rituel du hamman, tout comme le savon noir et le gant kessa (gant en crêpe plus ou moins rugueux pour exfolier les peaux mortes). » source : L'argile blanche ou l'argile des peaux sensibles ( lien à insérer https://www.santi-shop.eu/blog/sante-nutrition-1/largile-blanche-ou-largile-des-peaux-sensibles-283 )
Composition of the ghassoul
Unlike green clay which can tend to be aggressive, ghassoul is softening thanks to its low concentration of aluminum and calcium oxide.
Naturally, we find in the ghassoul :
silicon
magnesium
iron
sodium
potassium
phosphorus
zinc
Why use ghassoul as care and shampoo ?
Maghrebi women have been using ghassoul in their beauty routine for centuries. This white clay is saponifying. Delayed in water, it turns into a washing paste. This natural shampoo does not foam but it :
cleans
purifies
fortifies
softens
eliminates dead cells and dandruff
absorbs excess sebum
degreases
protects the hair fiber
respects the pH
sheathes the hair
makes it silky smooth
In hair care and depending on the quality of your hair, you can add to the paste: oils, floral waters, serum, etc...
The ghassoul can be recommended for oily, dry, damaged hair or simply as a care routine for shiny hair.
How to use Ghassoul in your hair routine ?
To take care of your hair naturally, simply mix 3 to 6 tablespoons of ghassoul powder with hot water.
Stir well until you have a smooth paste.
If necessary, add hydrolate or 1 to 2 drops of an essential oil or serum or a few drops of vegetable oil for a mask.
Apply it to your wet hair, massaging it into the scalp and making sure that each strand is impregnated.
Leave on for 2 to 3 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly with hot water.
Finally, dry your hair with a towel and air dry as often as possible to limit the damage caused by the hair dryer.
Tip: It is recommended to avoid any metal utensil when preparing mask, poultice and other paste because the transfer of ions would alter the properties of the clay. Prefer glass or wood.
The clay absorbs impurities. Once used, do not reuse.
Clay tends to accumulate in the pipes. At best, try to run enough hot water to get rid of it or, at best, remove and/or dispose of the excess in the trash or in the garden.
The ghassoul of the Logona brand
The ghassoul is found in its natural state at the foot of the Middle Atlas on an area of 27 000 hectares. Many excavations have been carried out without necessarily respecting ethical and ecological values.
The Logona brand was created in 1978 by Hans Hansel, a German naturopath. She was one of the founders of the first BDIH "controlled natural cosmetics" specifications. Thus, all the products of its various ranges are certified and labeled. Note that "since its creation, the laboratory has been at the origin of many innovations, such as the first 100% vegetable hair coloring, the first anti-aging face care certified "natural cosmetics", the first range of shampoos with sugar-based surfactants and the first certified nail polish". source: Logona's official website.
Ghassoul and tradition
In Morocco and Tunisia (called tfal), the ghassoul is part of the essentials of the hammam. In these countries, ghassoul is sold in its natural state in powder or crushed and the recipes are transmitted from mother to daughter. It is commonly mixed with orange blossom water, rose water, argan oil etc...
Ghassoul is also offered as a wedding gift to the bride along with henna and milk.
Finally, it is also used orally to relieve gastric acidity in pregnant women.