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Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair Rinse
April 22, 2021
Apple cider vinegar continues all the rage these days, from body detoxification to skin care, but it has actually been around since about 400 B.C. when Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, used it for its amazing natural detox cleansing, healing and energizing qualities. Hippocrates even prescribed apple cider vinegar mixed with honey for its health properties.
Some of you may remember Grandma smelling of vinegar. That’s because grandma knew just how great vinegar is for you. I have shared a lot of information about apple cider vinegar, including my secret detox drink, and I regularly recommend it to my patients. I take it personally for detoxification and improved digestion, but I also include apple cider vinegar in my personal care regimen, such as using apple cider vinegar for hair — in this case, a conditioning rinse.
Most of the products on the market today strip hair and skin of its natural oils. This causes dryness and can even cause dandruff! But the acidity found in apple cider vinegar can stop that process by balancing your scalp and hair’s natural pH levels. In fact, these acids and enzymes in apple cider vinegar can kill bacteria, which can cause many scalp and hair conditions such as dandruff, itchy scalp from eczema, hair loss and even baldness.
One of the great things about apple cider vinegar is that rinsing with apple cider vinegar can help balance the pH of your hair. Apple cider vinegar is great in that it can remove residue that may be in your hair from product buildup. Another benefit is that it works as a natural detangler and revitalizes your hair, leaving it soft and smooth. It can even make the hair luxurious and super shiny!
How to Make An Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair Rinse
In your bottle, add the apple cider vinegar. It is important that you use organic apple cider vinegar with the mother so that your apple cider vinegar lemon and rosemary rinse does not contain toxins.
Okay, now that you have the apple cider vinegar in the bottle, add the purified water. Purified water can be achieved by simply boiling the water for one minute on the stove. Make sure to let it cool before adding it to your apple cider vinegar rinse. Once added, shake well.
Having a nice scent to your mixture is an added bonus which comes from the essentials oils. Lemon essential oil not only provides a refreshing scent, but it’s best known for its ability to cleanse toxins from the body. It can rejuvenate and provide energy, purify the skin and even act as a bug repellant! Rosemary is an amazing addition as it can help with baldness as well as act as serve as a hair thickener. Add the essential oils, tightly screw on the cap and shake well.
To use, after using my baking soda shampoo, pour apple cider vinegar rinse into your hair making sure to cover all of the hair and scalp. A spray bottle is an easy way to get it evenly dispersed throughout the hair and scalp. Allow the apple cider vinegar rinse to sit in your hair for a 3–5 minutes before rinsing. While this rinse will condition your hair, if you feel you need more conditioning, try my homemade conditioner recipe.
For best results, use cold water to rinse as it will help seal the ends and openings of the cuticle, locking in shine and moisture that can keep your hair from getting frizzy.
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Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair Rinse
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: 8 ounces 1x
Description
I use apple cider vinegar personally for detoxification and improved digestion, but I also include it in my personal care regimen, such as using apple cider vinegar for hair — in this case, a conditioning rinse.
Ingredients
- 1/8 cup organic apple cider vinegar with the mother (Bragg’s)
- 3/4 cup purified water
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
- 10 drops rosemary essential oil
- clean glass bottle
Instructions
- In your glass bottle, add the apple cider vinegar.
- Then, add the purified water. Replace the cap and shake well.
- Now, include the essential oils. Shake again until well blended.
- Apply to hair and scalp after shampooing.
- Rinse with cool water for best results.
Notes
For best results, use cold water to rinse as it will help seal the ends and openings of the cuticle, locking in shine and moisture that can keep your hair from getting frizzy.
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Substitute for rosemary essential oil?
How long does this mixture last? I don’t need all of it for one treatment, can it keep for more than a week?
I prefer not to use essential oils. Would a substitute such as olive oil or avocado oil be acceptable?
Oh my gosh. The minute this hit my scalp it was intant relief! I have seborrheic keratosis and this rinse is amazing. Thanks Dr. Axe
Does this work as a shampoo replacement?
I grew up doing this, no, it’s a rinse. In fact, I wash my hair after I do it so I don’t smell of vineger for says ( I have longeish hair.)
what does “for says” mean? And it’s spelled: Vinegar
I use this as my final rinse and never rinse it out. The smell totally dissipates when my hair drys…love it!
It would be great if you could give metric equivalents in your recipes.
Cup measurements differ around the world – metric is much more precise!
Do you have shampoo and Conditioner recipes for extremely dry hair and also for hair loss or thinning hair. Thank You
I LOVE the rinse! I have super curly 3a hair and I am very surprised at how lovely my hair feels after. How often can it be used safely without causing damage? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Thanks!
Is there an oil I can use in place of Rosemary? I dont have that one.
After you rinse with the apple cider vinegar rinse do I need any conditioner?
Won’t the essential oils in this vinegar rinse make my hair oily/greasy/flat ?
Just the recipe I was looking for! Going to give it a try!
Do you think we can do this without washing hair first? I don’t use shampoo often.
Can we make it enough for 1 month supply and keep it so that we don’t have to make it each time we use them?
Many thanks
Can anyone suffering from rheumatoid arthritis take apple cider vinegar. Would it help or flare up the inflammation?
I have a question is apple cider vinegar reduce with water to 5 percent acidity good for you hair
What is the PH level for both the Lavender Shampoo and Apple Cider Rinse? Also what is the PH level of the Citrus Shampoo and can I use them together?
This is good. Pls I just want to ask if I can use this acv on children hair and also the baking soda shampoos pls I need a reply thanks.
To be honest this works really well thanks for all of the tips and life hacks :D
I live overseas and cannot get AVC, but I can get white vinegar. Would that work as a substitute?
Make it yourself it is sooo easy!
No. It is very different.
This is likely helpful to prevent kids from getting lice. When I was a child, my mother rinced all of our hair (7 kids) with water with a pour of white vinegar in it. She never measured. We lived on a farm, and kids at school were always getting lice, but not one of us ever got lice. I’m sure ACV has the same properties.
Is it save to use diluted Apple cider vinegar for rinsing pets?
I know that ACV is good for you but I hate the taste and smell of vinegar and usually exchange lemon juice for vinegar when cooking. Any ideas how I can get past the smell in your ACV rinse.
I usually drink mine with a glass of orange juice mixed with little more water and always use a straw. Tastes good.
……and for those of you who brew Kombucha, let it go to vinegar and it will be just like ACV. I have used Kombucha Vinegar for years the same way Dr. Axe suggests for ACV. After it has brewed and too far along in drinking, take your snobs out and let it sit with a lid on for a few weeks and presto, FANTASTIC vinegar for drinking, dressings, hair rinses, cleaning or whatever else you would use ACV in.
Not “snobs”. But SCOBY.
can this conditioner work on synthetic hair wigs?
Whenever I drink applecider I break out like when I used to have dairy. On my face and arms and the bumps itch. I drink the Braggs with lemon and honey in water. Please I need help. Also vegetarian who eat fish but don’t think I am getting enough protein. Can you please help. I also bought energy greens drink mix front another person online and that cause me the same issue.please help if you can. Thank you
I’m not a doctor but I’ve seen in articles that if you break out in a rash it could mean liver toxicity. Try to find a holistic doctor that can determine why you are breaking out.
Hi Oliveen Owen, I have worked for a Whole Health Nutritional company for about 3 1/2 years and they have some wonderful products that I would love to share with you. Please reach out to me at [email protected] to chat privately. Thank you.
What’s the sodium content of your bone broth powder
I’m on a really low-sodium diet. Is this going to prevent me from following the protocol for overcoming leaky gut?
sodium is 150 mg a serving. two servings a day are recommended.
Since there are essential oils in it does it need to be a glass bottle or is plastic ok?
Generally essential oils can break down the plastic over time and who knows what can leak into your rinse from the chemicals of the container. Best to use a glass bottle for longevity of the container and chemical safety of your rinse.
hi , just remembered when i was @ school back in early 70`when mum made us rinse our hair in rain water or a sip or drops of propper vinegar in water and the hair was so soft and silky ==> very good reminder , thank you !
Prove it with GENUINE photos.
I also use Herbalist colour and ACV has not been a problem with the colour!
I have been using it for quite some time..and have been a big fan of ACV. However I leave it for almost an hour before washing my hair and it has worked for me..
My hairdresser said if u color your hair don’t use. It can melt the color in your hair. Darn.
Interesting considering I use vinegar to lock in intense colors because it shuts the cuticle down and prevents color bleed. I’ve been a hairdresser for over 20 years.
Maybe because it’s a temporary hair color I use, but the vinegar rinse does remove the color faster than conventional hair rinse. Either way, I’m sticking to my vinegar rinse which I’ve been using for several years. My favorite EOs to add are orange and patchouli.
Thanks for the orange patchouli tip!
I’m a cosmetologist and it won’t melt the color. It all has to do with ph balance. If you use professional color it shouldn’t contain metalic salts so it’s safe. If you use peroxide that’s different, that will change the color. Never heard of melting hair color. Heard of hair breaking off on over processed hair though
My sister is 62 years old went to cosmetology school 40 years ago and is CONSTANTLY changing the colors of her hair with many different products. She has the most beautiful luxurious hair.. her secret? Always uses ACV rinse since childhood. Just acv w water I’d try it for yourself before blindly listening to any hairdresser Just my opinion and I don’t trust easily but I’ve seen proof
Can one use this rinse if one has coloured hair? i don’t use typical salon or pharmacy colouring kits, i use one called herbatint which is natural and no chemicals in it. please let me know thanks
I have used a recipe similar to this one on my colored hair for about 2 years and I wouldn’t go back to store bought conditioners. I used Herbatint Permanent hair color for several years and now I’m in the process of letting my gray grow in. But still using my vinegar hair rinse! My favorite essential oils to add to my rinse are rosemary and peppermint! Love it!
Thanks cause i don’t have lemon oil and was wondering if i can use something else.
Can i use this concoction on salt and pepper hair? Growing out my gray also but still lots of dark.