Unfiltered raw apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an excellent natural hair treatment. It is cleansing, gives the hair more body and luster and can reduce hair loss. Washing your hair with ACV reduces itchy scalp and dandruff by destroying the bacteria and/or fungi that clog hair follicles. Apple cider vinegar rinse can also add shine to your hair and prevent split ends.
Many times harsh soaps and shampoos can strip the hair and skin of their natural oils, leaving them dry. But rinsing your hair with apple cider vinegar is a great treatment for your hair and scalp and has a long list of benefits.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
- Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting apples and adding bacteria which converts the alcohol to acetic acid.
- This results in an acidic liquid with a PH of 3.1 to 5.
- The main active ingredient in apple cider vinegar is the acetic acid which has potential health benefits.
- Raw apple cider vinegar has antiseptic properties and healthy bacteria.
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair
Let’s look at the many health benefits of apple cider vinegar hair rinse.
Apple cider vinegar helps to balance hair and scalp pH
- There are many commercial hair-care products that have a negative effect on the hair, leaving it dry and brittle.
- A study published in 2014 discovered that the high alkaline pH of many shampoos may damage the hair fiber surface, and this may lead to damage and breakage of the outer layer of the hair. The researchers also say that it is a reality and not a myth that lower pH of shampoos may cause less frizzing and generate less negative static electricity on the hair surface.
- Our hair has an ideal pH of 4 to 5. The acidity of the apple cider vinegar rinse means that it can help maintain the pH balance of your hair and remove buildup at the same time without stripping the hair of its natural oils.
Treats dandruff, itchy and dry scalp
- Apple cider vinegar makes a great natural treatment for dry itchy scalp because of its antibacterial properties and its ability to balance pH levels on the skin.
- Its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties help to get rid of dandruff and you can use apple cider vinegar rinse as a good preventative regimen.
- Apple cider vinegar will help you to maintain the natural pH of your scalp, which will help to create a hostile environment for fungus, bacteria or yeast that cause dandruff.
Apple cider vinegar is a natural hair detangler
- Apple cider vinegar is an excellent natural hair detangler and you can use it as an alternative to conditioner.
- The acidity of the apple cider vinegar rinse helps to smooth down the hair cuticle and helps you to enjoy a smooth, frizz-free hair.
Apple cider vinegar can encourage hair growth
- Apple cider vinegar can treat clogged hair follicles due to the bacterial infection that creates crusty flakes on the scalp (which can result in hair loss).
- There is an anecdotal evidence stating that apple cider vinegar rinse stimulates better circulation to the hair follicles, which strengthens the hair roots and promotes a healthy hair growth.
Apple cider vinegar rinse adds shine to your hair
- Rinsing your hair with apple cider vinegar helps to seal the hair cuticle.
- As a result, light is reflected off the hair, making it smoother, softer and shinier.
Prevents split ends
When you regularly use an apple cider vinegar hair rinse, you’ll be naturally removing tangles from your hair and help to close the cuticles which may help to reduce split ends and hair breakage.
How to Make an Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse
- It’s very easy to make and apply an apple cider vinegar hair rinse but first of all, you need to make sure and use the right kind of ACV.
- Choose raw, organic, unfiltered, and unpasteurized kind of apple cider vinegar.
- Not the refined kind you find in most stores.
- Buy a good quality kind of apple cider vinegar that contains the “mother” of vinegar, which is the cloudy stuff that sinks to the bottom of the bottle.
- This mother of vinegar contains the beneficial enzymes, bacteria, pectin and trace minerals that make apple cider vinegar so good for you (and for your hair). It’s also a good idea to shake the bottle each time before using apple cider vinegar to distribute the healing elements.
ACV hair rinse ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons ACV
How to prepare the ACV hair rinse
- In a spray bottle mix two tablespoons apple cider vinegar with one cup water (use the same ratio if you prepare a larger quantity, something like 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with one liter of water).
- Some references use higher concentration of apple cider vinegar because oily hair likes more ACV than dry hair. Start from the lower dilution and experiment to find the dilution that works best for your hair type.
How to use the apple cider vinegar hair rinse
- After shampooing apply the apple cider vinegar hair rinse, massaging into your hair and scalp.
- Leave for a couple of minutes. Then rinse your hair thoroughly. You don’t need to use a conditioner as the vinegar hair rinse will naturally condition your hair. But if the lack of conditioner affects your hair, you can apply it to the ends of your hair after the ACV hair rinse.
- Don’t get the ACV rinse into your eyes as it will sting. As your hair is drying, you may smell vinegar, but once your hair dries, the smell is gone.
- Do this treatment once or twice a week.
- You can even include herbs in the ACV rinse (previously infusing them in the water):
- You can add lavender for a great scent or rosemary to encourage hair growth.
- You can also add a few drops of the essential oils for healthy hair.
