Priya Means Love: Lavender Mud Hair and Scalp Cleanser

We've talked about going no poo before... you know, no shampoo. Well I've got a new cleanser to tell you about- Priya Means Love's Mud Hair and Scalp Cleanser. 

Now, before we get in to deep, you have to know... this stuff smells a-mazing. It's the perfect blend of lavender and that something else you can't put your finger on that gives it a perfect pampering scent. But now it's time to get down and dirty (er... clean?)

It seems contradictory to cleanse my hair with mud. But hey, I'm never one to turn down getting a little muddy, so of course I jumped at the chance to try this all natural hair and scalp cleanser. 

*C/O Priya means love. Full Disclosure here. 

As far as packaging goes, this has got to be my favorite shampoo. It's metal, which means I'm not going to leave another plastic bottle floating around, and it just looks so nice. Anthony noticed it sitting in my shower and commented on how cool it looked, which has got to be saying something! 

Then you get to the ingredients. I've tried the baking soda method of "no-poo", and eventually moved to simply sulfate-free. Lavender Mud is more on the  baking soda end of the shampoo method spectrum, but it's oh so much more. The ingredients not only cleanse and detoxify your hair, but they provide nourishment (and that scent I still can't get over!) from all natural ingredients including clay, aloe vera, herbal extracts, and organic essential oils. These ingredients not only take care of your hair, they keep your scalp healthy, which only leads to healthier hair. 

If you're using traditional shampoo's you might want to detox before picking up a lavender mud. When you switch to natural shampoos, your hair may (or may not) go through a phase of detoxing. My detox phase was nearly two months, which is practically unheard of (usually they are much shorter). During this phase your hair can be greasy and unmanageable and you may never trust the product that was used during this painful period again. (So maybe I'm being dramatic, but my shampoo detox was the worst I've ever heard of!) Once you've reached a blissful state of natural, healthy hair, you're definitely going to want to check out the lavender mud, because you deserve to treat yourself.

Lavender mud is the gold standard of natural shampoo. If baking soda is the dollar bottle from the drugstore, Lavender mud is that fancy brand spas in destination cities use for their celebrity clientele. From the packaging, to the scent, to the ingredients, it's exactly what a natural shampoo should be. 

After I wet my hair, I shake the mud up until it feels mixed and apply about a quarter size amount to my scalp- though you may use less if you have thinner or straight hair. There's no need to apply to the rest of your hair- the product will wash through it when you're rinsing and this will be enough to cleanse it. This is true even if you use hair products (natural to go with your natural shampoo and healthy hair!) I've found with my thick, textured hair, it helps to use a scalp brush to fully distribute the product. I've been using the tangle teezer because it has longer bristles than most scalp brushes. 

This is about how much I use. If your hair is extra oily or sweaty, you may find leaving the cleanser on your roots for longer does just a good a job as using more product.

If you haven't used natural shampoos before, you'll notice your hair feels a little different when you rinse. It should feel clean but not dry or stripped like after may traditional shampoos. You shouldn't need a conditioner as this product won't strip the natural oils your hair has to protect and nourish itself. If your hair is especially dry, you can follow the mud with a apple cider vinegar rinse (ACV diluted with water). 

The lavender mud left my hair with much more volume, texture, and shine than even the "natural" shampoo I was using. I did go through another detox when I switched from a sort-of-natural sulfate free shampoo to the mud but it was much much much less painful than from traditional to sulfate free.

The mud is sold in two sizes. I've been using the smaller and have been surprised by how long it's lasted. One thing you have to keep in mind is once you switch to natural shampoos you use less product (and no conditioner) and wash your hair much less frequently without it getting gross, which is better for your hair anyways.

I have a dry scalp and relatively dry hair even after switching to natural shampoo, so I add a little of priya means love's cedar shea texturizer to the ends for moisture. Between the volume and texture from the mud and the texture from the cedar shea, priya found the perfect recipe for beach hair. Though for traveling, the small size at 4oz is just too big to throw in a carry on! 

The Short Story: 
-A-mazing scent
-Good for you ingredients
-Consistency of a milkshake
-Metal container
-Two sizes (4oz/8oz)
-$11/$17
-Available online here (4oz) and here (80z)