Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse is a great treatment for natural hair. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has many benefits for in and outside the body. Some of those benefits for hair are: balancing hair and scalp pH, removing product buildup, treating dandruff and hair loss.

Why an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse works for hair.

Hair is on the mildly acidic side of the pH scale and has an ideal pH of 4.5 to 5.5, which is close to that of an apple cider vinegar rinse (pH 2.9).

Many products are strongly alkaline or have a pH of 8 or more. Rinsing with apple cider vinegar will help balance the pH of your hair and remove the buildup that can result from the use of these styling products and inexpensive shampoos. Rinsing closes the hair cuticle which cover and protect the surface of each hair shaft. Closed hair cuticles results in shinier, smoother and easier to manage hair.

Rough hair shaft with open cuticles compared to smooth hair shaft with closed cuticles.

Don’t worry about the slight vinegar smell you will notice after rinsing. It will disappear completely as your hair dries.

How Do You Use It?
1 Part Apple Cider Vinegar into 3 Part warm filtered tap water. Apply the vinegar rinse after shampooing or a thorough cowash and then rinse it all out, or for extra conditioning, you can leave the rinse on your hair for a minute or two. This natural hair care product can be used once a week.

Note: I recommend using organic ACV.Courtesy of Curl Whisperer

One caution: you need to bear in mind that ACV is an acid–over 100 times more acidic than your hair–and it needs to be respected as such. Acids can and will start to degrade your hair shaft with overuse, so you must be cautious and pay strict attention to your hair’s reaction to frequent ACV rinse use.

I personally believe a monthly to bi-monthly ACV rinse provides more than sufficient benefit for almost everyone.

Depending on your hair texture and porosity, you may be able to support a greater amount/frequency of usage than others can, but you must be careful to judge yours accordingly. If you are doing frequent ACV rinses and are seeing positive results, then your dilution ratio is most likely suited to your hair type.

If you begin to notice degradation in your hair shaft–breakage, frayed ends, dryness, brittleness, or more porous hair–then you need to revisit your proportions and make adjustments accordingly.