ACV Rinse for Hair and Scalp Health

I've always had a love/hate relationship with my shampoo. How about you? Personally, shampoos left my hair dry, brittle and fragile. For some, it gets rid of oil but leaves their roots feeling greasy.

I can't say that this is the result of all leading shampoos, but as most shampoos contain harsh sulfates that are damaging to every hair type, it's the result of many. They clean your hair, but at the same time, strip it of moisture and displace its natural pH level.

Does pH even matter? Absolutely. A balanced pH level is vital to the health of your hair.

Yes, companies have attempted to correct the damaging effects of shampoos by creating the conditioner, but I often wonder: If the shampoo is that bad, why bother using it?

Don’t. There’s a safer alternative, and you probably know it's name: apple cider vinegar, aka ACV.

Most shampoos claim to break down build-up and clean 70-90 percent of your hair and scalp. On the other hand, apple cider vinegar has the same claim and it balances your hair’s natural moisture level.

Rana, owner of Green Era, says that apple cider vinegar is a wonderful pH balancing hair rinse.

"ACV contains many beneficial acids like acetic acid, malic, and lactic acid," Rana said. "These acids exfoliate the the scalp to remove old, dead skin cells."

This relieves scalp dryness and itchiness as well as promotes hair growth. By exfoliating, or "detoxing" the scalp, these acids remove the chemicals that your hair endured from harmful products.

“Apple Cider Vinegar is known for its ability to cleanse the buildup in hair to leave hair soft and shiny,” Rana said.

Rana created an apple cider vinegar hair rinse for these benefits and more. Dry scalp, dandruff and psoriasis are all conditions that may be treated from her rinse and homemade ACV rinses.

Most homemade ACV rinses consist of equal parts apple cider vinegar and water. Unfortunately, this doesn’t deter the potent stench of ACV. Depending on the quality ACV you purchase, the smell may linger in your hair long after you apply conditioner. I myself have been tempted to permanently shelf my ACV rinse for how it it wafted off my curls—especially in the summer.

But Rana made a special apple cider vinegar hair rinse with natural ingredients that's fragrance free.

To her ACV rinse, Rana added:

• Aloe Vera
• Green Tea
• Lavender and Rosemary Essential Oils

Aloe Vera acts similarly to apple cider vinegar by healing dry, itchy scalp and other scalp conditioners. Due to the balance of Aloe Vera she applied, it will likely condition and soften hair better than a homemade ACV rinse.

Rana’s hair rinse further detoxes in lieu of its green tea infusion. Green tea is a natural antioxidant that, like ACV, helps to detox your hair.

Lastly are those beneficial essential oils: rosemary and lavender.

“Lavender and rosemary essential oils benefit all hair types, but especially dry hair types,” Rana said. “And these essential oils also promote hair growth.”

Homemade apple cider vinegar rinses can promote hair growth by creating a healthy scalp: the first and foremost step in healthy, longer hair. However, these essential oils stimulate hair growth to give ACV and Rana’s other ingredients extra support in the hair growing department.

Do you still have reservations about trying an apple cider vinegar rinse? Rather than making your own, first purchase a fragrance free rinse with natural ingredients. An added bonus: these rinses are often cheaper than shampoos. And they work better.

As you apply the rinse to your hair, the first time, do it in the mirror and massage your scalp. This way, you’ll see the build-up and dandruff lift off your scalp!

I found that the best way to use ACV rinses is to place the rinse in a powerful spray bottle—not the small hair spray bottles you find at the dollar store—and liberally spray it onto your scalp. Massage with the pads of your fingers for at least one minute to remove build-up.

Next, spray the rinse down the length of your hair and “crunch” it into your tresses. With a shower cap, leave it on for 5-10 minutes and then rinse the ACV from your hair.

Some of the results are almost immediate:

• Cleaner, healthier scalp
• Shinier hair

You can do this once a week, or once every two weeks consistently for long term benefits.

Have you tried the Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse? What were your results?

On the other hand, maybe you haven't tried it. Will you try it now? Or are you still on the fence?

Don't forget to add comments of your results below!