When you wash your hair and it no longer feels clean, even with your favorite tried and true shampoo, or when your locks get limp and lose volume – it’s time for a clarifying treatment. I don’t really think that clarifying shampoos work great, since they clarify, then deposit more stuff into the hair. There are two things I used in the past that worked really well for me – Ion Crystal Clarifying Treatment and this Rainwash from Mehandi. The websites have slightly different ingredients listed than what’s shown on the packages but the three common ones are citric acid, ascorbic acid and xanthan gum. Since I know that xanthan is just a thickener, I figured citric and ascorbic acids are what does the trick.
Water is a big source of mineral deposits in your hair. Think how quickly you get buildup on your shower faucets; that’s mostly calcium and magnesium, also called ‘limescale’. Those elements are quite alkaline (pH 9-10) so the best way to dissolve them is by using something acidic. Citric and ascorbic acid are considered mild enough to eat (both derived from citrus fruit), so they are definitely safe to use on your hair if you are trying to limit stronger chemicals in your skin and hair care.
I prefer Rainwash Treatment from Mehandi that I mentioned above – it has less iffy ingredients, and makes my hair feel really clean, but it is expensive considering how cheap the ingredients are, and the shipping from that site takes forever. When I decided to start experimenting with this, I happened to have all the ingredients on hand – I use citric acid as a preservative in my homemade shampoos; and add ascorbic acid (just plain vitamin C powder) to my kids’ baths to soften the water. You can pick up both for cheap at Target or Walmart. Xanthan gum is optional, and is a bit more pricey, but it adds a nice consistency to the finished product, which makes it easier to spread and keep in your hair. Xanthan gum is what makes this treatment a paste.
You can also just squeeze the juice from a lemon and an orange, put it in your hair and let it sit for a couple of hours. I tried that and it also works, but I prefer the powdered version. The best way to do this treatment is after washing your hair and before conditioning.
- 1/4 cup citric acid
- 1/4 cup ascorbic acid
- 2 tablespoons xanthan gum
- Mix all ingredients together, and store in an airtight container.
- When ready to use, mix 2 tablespoons of the powder with 4 tablespoons of water or Aloe Vera gel.
- Allow to sit for 5 minutes to thicken, then spread through your wet freshly washed hair, cover with a shower cap and allow to remain in your hair for 15 minutes as a weekly clarifying treatment, or up to an hour for heavy buildup.
- Rinse and use your regular conditioner afterwards. I don’t normally condition since these acids, like vinegar, cause the scales on your hair shaft to close, making hair smooth and easy to brush.
6 comments
Hi Valeria, I want to clarify my hair and I found your recipe which I think is great. I don´t want to pay for Mehandi treatment and wait for weeks. I just want to ask, is this ok with fine curly hair? I already have strawlike dry hair and am afraid, if this could be too harsch on my hair and possibly ruine it? Could you send me the answer to my email address?
many thanks
M.
Hi Marianna, I’m really not sure how this would work on different types of hair. My hair is naturally blond and baby fine, and I really like the results, but it’s also not dry, almost the opposite, so I can only base it on my own experience. Sorry, I wish I could be more help!
I can’t wait to try this!
I have been reading about rainwater or also called miracle water from long hair community…my takeaway is that if you put any substance on your hair that is too alkaline or too acidic, it can be damaging. It has been recommended that you use ph testing strips to keep the solution at a 5 or 6 which is closest to our natural skin/hair ph.
Here I am in 2021 reading the ingredients on th epacket of Rain Water from Mehandi and realize that I have EVERY ingredient in my cabinet to make this stuff!!!! Reading is fundamental and I thank you so much for making my “recipe” research easy. It is times like this when a seemingly inconsequential search for specific info yields such great results that I am inspired to put my off topic ideas, discoveries and fortunate mishaps called dinner in a blog for a desperate soul to find in their time of need. So…basically–THANK YOU!
Thank you for confirming my thoughts on RainWash. Haven’t been able to find a serious treatment like it that gets right to the point ( mehendi instructs to use Distilled Water.
RainWash from Mehendi is definitely a game changer. I was blown away by the results on my 3a curly hair before I even used their henna. I love and trust all the products from mehendi but the shipping cost to Canada is over the top.
I’ve been wanting to buy and mix those three ingredients myself but a little nervous being unsure of the RIGHT PROPORTIONS of the two acids.