Hey girls, I am sure many of you have heard of the miraculous effects of apple cider vinegar used in hair care. I keep encountering it almost everywhere, all the time – not just as a hair care product but also as an ingredient of face masks or a base-ingredient for all kinds of toners for oily, combination and normal skin. Nevertheless, it was all based on theory. How does apple cider vinegar really work? Does it really make the hair shine incredibly? Is it worth incorporating it into everyday hair care routine? I have tested out this beauty elixir and would like to invite you to my review.
Apple cider vinegar – effects
In theory, it seems that apple cider vinegar contains natural acids that regulate the pH of the skin, properly acidify it, cleanse, gently exfoliate the skin, and help with hair detox (all toxins, impurities, deposits of cosmetics stylizations have no chance with apple vinegar ). In addition, this vinegar brings relief to all skin irritations, soothes and refreshes the scalp, and also significantly contributes to the reduction of dandruff. The most important feature, however, for which we all love apple cider vinegar is that it perfectly polishes the hair, and making it soft, fluffy (not to be confused with frizzy) and very nice to the touch.
I wanted my hair to be as silky soft and shiny as after a pricey beauty treatment at the salon. And so, I bought apple cider vinegar. I read various online tips and tricks on how to use it and I started myself.
Apple cider vinegar for hair – how to use it?
1. Apple cider vinegar in the form of a hair rinse
It’s the easiest you can do: after rinsing your hair with pure water simply pour a liter of water mixed with a bit of apple cider vinegar over your hair. Gently massage it and leave in without rinsing.
Apple cider vinegar in the form of a hair rinse – effects
It wasn’t all that good at first. Frankly speaking, it is rather difficult to determine the right amount of apple cider vinegar. Various sources (including my grandma) claim that one liter of water and a tablespoon of vinegar will suffice. Of course, I acted like a spoiled girl raging for even better results and added two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and rinsed my hair. The effects…well, it was one big disaster. Instead of shine – the hair was dull, instead of incredible softness – it was stiff and rough.
It got better the second time. I followed the old-style recipe not ignoring the rules used for decades. And it worked! Apple cider vinegar really cleansed my hair off sebum and toxins: I could feel really smooth and pleasant hair. As for the shine, I wouldn’t be so sure about it. In this case, apple cider vinegar disappointed me because I hadn’t noticed any difference whether I used it or not.
Once, I had a ready-made raspberry vinegar in the form of a hair rinse. I must admit it really made my hair super shiny. I was convinced that it will be the same effect this time. Unfortunately, but maybe you have to use apple cider vinegar several times to notice an improvement in hair shine??
Also, keep in mind that apple cider vinegar is not the best idea in the case of dry and damaged hair. It’s best to reach for safe methods, for instance, natural oils and hair oiling.
2. Apple cider vinegar as an oil-mist for hair
Apple cider vinegar can be combined with various beautifying and conditioning substances. It works best with natural oils – they strengthen scalp cleansing properties and condition it thoroughly. How to prepare a vinegar-oil mist for hair? Simply mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with one liter of water (or a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and half a liter of water) and enrich it with a bit of oil, 5-10 ml will suffice. If you are wondering which oil will be best for the hair, all I can tell you is to match it to the porosity of your hair. What is more, do not combine vinegar and water with high-concentration oils (coconut, shea, babassu, cocoa butter), because all three phases of the mist will not merge. One of the best oils that match many hair types due to the concentration of fatty acids are jojoba, argan, macadamia and castor oil. You can combine them with vinegar and water. A good idea for a vinegar mist is to use a suitable herbal tea, for instance, chamomile, nettle or horsetail instead of water.
You can spray your hair with the mist before washing your hair, leave in for a quarter of an hour, then rinse and wash your hair, or spray it gently (in a smaller amount) on damp hair after washing. Vinegar closes the hair scales and makes the strands smooth and shiny.
Apple cider vinegar as an oil-mist for hair – effects
Ok, I admit that the vinegar combined with the oils and infusion of chamomile proved to be better on my hair than a traditional rinse. I do not know just how much it owes to the apple cider vinegar, and how beneficial were natural oils that form an occlusive layer on the surface, polish and protect the strands. In any case, I liked the vinegar mist more because it gave better results for my hair, and it is easier and faster to apply.
What do you think about apple cider vinegar? Have you tried it in hair care? Does it work better in the form of a mist, a scalp lotion or a hair rinse? Let me know in the comments 🙂
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