Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse

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I am a huge fan of apple cider vinegar, or ACV as it’s known in its shortened form. This summer I tried my hand at making my own ACV and had great success (but more on that in a different post). Originally, I made the switch to ACV for my food because of its fermented properties that give it a probiotic kick (assuming you are ingesting some of the “mother”). I am all about healing my gut right now, so I take any help I can get!

Aside from being good for your gut, ACV is also great for your skin! I am allergic to just about every single shampoo and conditioner on the market right now since most have fillers that upset my system be it in or on my body. I’ve had to get crafty with homemade tinctures and creams to keep me clean and healthy! Enter ACV…

About once a week I use an ACV rinse in my hair (a little less in winter when the air is already dry)! My kids think I smell like a salad on vinegar wash days, but my hair looks fantastic! It’s shiny, the frizz is under control, and in general looks and feels healthy. The other bonus is that I can usually get away with not needing to use shampoo for about 2 days after since it works to balance your pH. 

So why ACV for your hair? Here are a few reasons:

1. It helps to balance your skin's pH, which is great for us oily people!

2. It contains probiotic which can help with the flora on your skin (yes, even your scalp contains tiny micro-organisms working to keep you healthy.) 

3. It strips the products from your hair that build up over time on the hair shaft and at the scalp.

4. In light of reason #3, it is much cheaper than clarifying shampoos!

5. It doesn’t contain harmful ingredients that are often found in store-bought hair products like (phthalates and parabens to name a few).

It’s important to note that ACV is an acid, so as many benefits as it has, it still needs to be used in moderation. "Less is more" definitely works in this case. If you are looking for an ACV shampoo and conditioner than can be used for more daily usage, check out the ones I use here. 

    Here’s how I use my rinse so you can make your own too. If you aren’t making your own vinegar, then head to the store and grab yourself an ACV that contains the “mother”. The mother is the bacteria and yeast that grow during the fermentation process and contains what we need to give our own flora a boost. At present, Costco sells giant jugs of it that do in fact have the “mother”, or you can use Bragg Live Food Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.

Step 1: Give your bottle a shake to stir up the mother that is probably sitting at the bottom of the bottle.

Step 2: Pour 1-2 Tbsp into a glass or mason jar. (Use the lesser if you aren’t an oily person, and more if you are).

Step 3: Fill the remainder of your container with warm water.

Step 4: Wash your hair as you ordinarily would. 

Step 5: Slowly pour your vinegar rinse over hair making sure you get your scalp all the way to the ends of your hair. (pro tip: careful you don’t accidentally pour it in your eyes…voice of experience speaking here!)

Step 6: Work the rinse into your hair and scalp like you would with your shampoo (I say like shampoo rather than conditioner because I tend to only put conditioner on the ends of my hair since it’s too greasy to put at the root. This is not the case with ACV rinse, you actually want it right down to the root.)

Step 7: Leave the rinse in your hair while you finish your shower.

Step 8: Rinse out the ACV and towel dry/ style as you normally would.

On ACV wash days, I give my hair a break from the blowdryer we well, and just let my hair and scalp have a day to breath.

That’s it! It’s that simple! Let me know what you think in the comments. What are you using ACV for? Share your ideas below!!

All my love,