6 Reasons To Use Apple Cider Vinegar In Your Hair Care With Spectacular Results

apple cider vinegar for hair - young women rinsing hair

The Surprising Ways Apple Cider Vinegar Works As A Dandruff Treatment, Conditioner And Detangler For Your Hair Care

When it comes to using the best beauty products for your hair, you could spend a lot of money at the salon or the drugstore. You could also use household items. Apple cider vinegar or ACV is one of those affordable everyday products that can deliver spectacular results when used for hair care. Apart from weight loss and skin care, this amazing acetic acid can do a lot of wonders to your hair. Read on to learn more about the benefits of apple cider vinegar and some recipes.

1# – Apple Cider Vinegar Removes Product Buildup

No matter how expensive they are, shampoo, conditioner, serums, styling creams and hair sprays can cause buildup on the hair strands. At first, build up can make your hair look healthier.

It may weigh down your flyaways or makes your frizzy hair curls look smoother. Using a thermal styling product before using heat on your hair certainly, protects it from damage. However, over time, product buildup can leave you with limp, dry, dull hair.

Giving your hair a break from regular shampoo, conditioner and styling products can help bring it back to life. Even clarifying shampoos may have ingredients that build up on your locks over time.

Chemical hair products like shampoo, conditioners and alpha hydroxy building up near the hair follicles can also result in waxy dandruff on your itchy scalp. According to beauty expert Michelle Phan, using an apple cider vinegar hair rinse can clarify strands and remove buildup.

The acetic acid in ACV breaks up particles that stick to your hair and scalp. It also balances your hair’s pH level, leaving it shinier.

To make a clarifying apple cider vinegar rinse:

  1. Mix 1/3 cup of ACV with four cups of distilled water.
  2. Shampoo your hair as usual. Rinse your hair well; you don’t want to feel any slippery shampoo and conditioner left on the hair.
  3. Work in the AVC rinse from your scalp to the ends of your hair. Leave it on for 30 to 60 seconds.
  4. Rinse out with warm water.
  5. Do a final rinse with cool water to seal the cuticle and add shine.

According to Naturally Curly, you don’t have to use the entire bottle of ACV rinse at once. Keep it in your shower so that you can use it regularly.

#2 – Use Apple Cider Vinegar As A Conditioner

Conditioners are often slick and creamy. Therefore, it seems strange to use apple cider vinegar as a conditioner.

To understand how apple cider vinegar works as a conditioner, it helps to understand the structure of hair. Scienceline explains that hair is made of flakes of dead skin that overlap each other along the inner strand of hair.

These flakes make up the cuticle. A smoother cuticle reflects more light, looks shinier and feels silkier. As your hair strands rub against each other, your air and your clothing throughout the day, the cuticle becomes rougher and weaker.

Regular hair conditioner contains positively charged ions. The ions bind to the negatively charged molecules in the hair’s cuticle. This bond creates a layer of protective molecules outside every hair strand.

The acids in conditioner also make the flakes fall flat again. The acidity of apple cider vinegar delivers the same effects.

It allows the scales of your hair cuticle to lie flat without coating hair in a layer of molecules. This creates natural shine to hair without buildup.

When you use ACV as a leave-in conditioner, you will also be able to detangle your hair more easily. That’s because the smooth cuticle doesn’t create friction with the other strands of hair. It’s less likely to create knots and tangles.

To use apple cider vinegar as a conditioner:

  1. Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water. You can use a spray bottle for easier application.
  2. Pour a little of the mixture into your hand and apply to the ends of your hair, avoiding your scalp. Repeat around your entire head.
  3. Rake through the ends of your hair with your fingers to remove tangles. You can also use a wide-toothed comb for this step.
  4. Rinse. Do not follow with your regular conditioner.

#3 – Apple Cider Vinegar Can Improve Dandruff And Scalp Problems

A variety of things can cause dandruff, and dry skin can cause flakes. One of the best natural remedies for this is the apple cider vinegar.

However, dandruff can also be caused by excess oily hair, product buildup or fungus, according to the Mayo Clinic. In fact, dandruff is more likely to be caused by one of these factors than by a dry scalp.

Apple cider vinegar’s natural ability to break down product buildup and fix oily hair problems can also relieve dandruff problems. The vinegar’s antimicrobial characteristics can also combat the yeast-like fungus that may contribute to dandruff.

According to research, apple cider vinegar is antibacterial. An apple cider vinegar hair rinse can clear up certain itchy scalp, dry scalp or hair problems caused by bacteria.

If you have severe dandruff, you can apply undiluted apple cider vinegar for dandruff control to the roots of your hair. Massage it gently into the scalp. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Wash your hair using your regular shampoo.

You can also make a natural hair mask with apple cider vinegar. This keeps the hair scalp moisturized for a healthier hair.

For milder scalp problems, you can add a cup of apple cider vinegar like this to your shampoo bottle. Mix well. Use this every time you shampoo your hair.

#4 – Use Apple Cider Vinegar To Eliminate Shampoo And Conditioner Altogether

The “No-Poo” method of cleansing the hair involves using baking soda followed by apple cider vinegar to cleanse and condition the hair. Proponents of this natural approach say it results in voluminous, healthy hair growth.

To cleanse your hair using the “No-Poo” method, follow these instructions:

  1. Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to create a paste.
  2. In the shower, wet your hair. Massage the baking soda paste into your scalp. You don’t need to apply it to the middle or ends of your hair.
  3. Rinse out the baking soda paste thoroughly. At this point, your hair cuticle will be open, and your hair will feel rough and tangled.
  4. Mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a few tablespoons of water and pour over your hair slowly.
  5. Use your fingers to brush through the ends of your hair. Rinse out the apple cider vinegar.

Using the “No-Poo” method of shampooing is an ideal way to eliminate the use of chemicals to wash your hair. It can also reduce product buildup.

However, you may experience an increase in oily hair buildup during the first week or two of using this method. Also, the baking soda is extremely alkaline. Using it consistently over a long-term period can be rough on your hair’s natural pH balance and cause damage.

If you want to try the “No-Poo” method, you may achieve the best results when you use it once every few months to stimulate the scalp and remove product buildup.

#5 – Apple Cider Vinegar Can Help With Hair Loss

Paul Bragg, author of the book Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Health System, explains that apple cider vinegar contains acid and enzymes that kill bottle bacillus. This type of bacteria can cause hair loss and thinning hair.

To use apple cider vinegar for hair loss:

  1. Mix ACV like Bragg’s apple cider vinegar with water in a 1:1 ratio.
  2. Apply the rinse to your scalp and hair after washing and rinsing with your regular shampoo.
  3. Massage your scalp. Leave the apple cider vinegar on the scalp without rinsing for at least five minutes.
  4. Rinse out the apple cider vinegar, or leave it on for additional conditioning.

According to Bragg, consuming raw apple cider vinegar can also help with hair loss. Mixing a tablespoon into a glass of water once a day has been shown to deliver results. Some people also add a pinch of baking soda to the mixture.

#6 – Will Using Apple Cider Vinegar In Your Hair Make You Smell Like A Salad?

Although apple cider vinegar smells strong, it shouldn’t leave a lasting scent. As the vinegar dries, the smell goes away.

If you have very thick hair that takes a long time to dry, the smell could stick around. When you’re using ACV in your hair, make sure your hair dries thoroughly before putting on a hat or wrapping it into a bun. Keeping your hair damp could make the smell stick around longer.

For this reason, you may prefer to use apple cider vinegar in your hair on dry, sunny days instead of humid ones.

Use organic apple cider vinegar in your hair for best results. It tends to smell sweeter. Raw, organic apple cider vinegar with the “mother” has an aroma more akin to cider than vinegar. According to Wellness Mama, the “mother” is the blend of beneficial bacteria used to ferment the vinegar.

You can also add a few drops of essential oils to make your ACV rinse smell better. Lavender and Frankincense essential oils are antibacterial and have a mild, aromatic smell. Coconut oil makes a great choice as well.

Is Apple Cider Vinegar Safe For All Hair?

Even though apple cider vinegar is a natural product, it can adversely affect certain hair types. The acetic acid can remove color from dyed hair.

Apple cider vinegar can also make fine hair look greasy. Fine hair may get its volume from a rough cuticle.

When the cuticle is sealed, the hair becomes flatter. This effect of apple cider vinegar may result in stringy, limp-looking strands.

However, people with medium to thick hair or curly locks often find that their hair is more manageable after using apple cider vinegar. Because it detangles and smooths the cuticle without adding weight, apple cider vinegar makes many types of hair appear sleeker.

If you have severe scalp problems or open lesions on your scalp, using apple cider vinegar will sting. You may not want to use apple cider vinegar if you have damaged skin.

Some experts suggest that using apple cider vinegar too frequently over the long term can damage your hair. If you overdo it with apple cider vinegar, your hair may become dry and straw-like, especially if you use it before going out in the sun.

Using it in moderation to clarify your hair, restore shine or treat dandruff creates healthy, manageable locks.

image: via flickr