Using Apple Cider Vinegar for Your Hair: Everything You Need to Know
Apple cider vinegar has gained popularity for its wide range of uses and potential health benefits. This admired ingredient has been used for several centuries as a possible remedy for sickness. Today, many people still drink it as a home health supplement, try it as a salad dressing, and even use it to maintain the health of their hair. So how true is all the hype? Is apple cider vinegar good for your hair?
This guide will provide you with all the information you need to know about using apple cider vinegar for your hair, from the potential benefits for your hair and scalp to how you can incorporate it into your hair care routine. Once you see all that apple cider vinegar can do for your hair, you are likely to embrace the benefits for yourself.
C h a p t e r 1 :
What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar made from apples, yeast, and sugar. Its production process gives it properties that may offer health benefits when consumed or applied topically.
How Is Apple Cider Vinegar Made?
Apple cider vinegar is made in multiple steps. First, the apples are crushed to squeeze out the juice. Once all the juices are extracted, bacteria and yeast are added to start the fermentation process, the same process used with wine and beer. During fermentation, the sugars from the juice turn into alcohol. Then, a second fermentation process converts the alcohol into vinegar as acetic bacteria create acetic acid in the formula.
This process creates raw apple cider vinegar. After these steps are complete, the apple cider vinegar is usually diluted with water to reduce the acidity or combined with other ingredients, depending on how it will be used.
The acetic acid formed during the production process is thought to be responsible for several potential health benefits. In most processes, the finished product also contains live bacteria, which may provide additional benefits. Lastly, like most plant-based ingredients, apple cider vinegar also features flavonoids, which are natural compounds with strong antioxidant properties.
What Is Apple Cider Vinegar Used for?
Apple cider vinegar has many excellent properties that make it a go-to option for a variety of purposes, including cooking, cosmetic, and even medicinal uses. For starters, you can find the ingredient in several recipes, as it can make a good salad dressing, marinade, or baking ingredient.
Meanwhile, many people drink apple cider vinegar in mixtures for a range of health reasons. Regularly consuming apple cider vinegar may help support healthy cholesterol levels, promote metabolism to support weight loss, and help you maintain healthy blood sugar. Many people use apple cider vinegar to help promote healthy digestion. However, anyone looking to consume apple cider vinegar as a regular health supplement should always consult their doctor first.
This popular ingredient can also be used outside the body as a beauty product. Because acetic acid may provide cleansing and pH-balancing properties, apple cider vinegar has become a familiar and effective ingredient in different skin and hair care products. You can find apple cider vinegar in soaps, face washes, moisturizers, shampoos, and leave-in treatments.
C h a p t e r 2 :
The Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair
Although many people opt to consume apple cider vinegar for their overall health, it can also help you maintain healthy hair. The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can provide multiple benefits for your hair, and there are many ways this versatile ingredient can be added to your routine.
Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Benefits
Apple cider vinegar may offer several benefits, which can be the result of several different properties. For example, apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, antioxidants, B vitamins, and vitamin C. With a healthy combination of these components, apple cider vinegar can be an excellent option for an effective hair care routine when used carefully.
The following are some of the potential benefits of using apple cider vinegar for hair as it may:
Cleanse your hair
Cleanse and exfoliate your scalp
Remove product build-up from your hair
Allow other products to absorb better into your hair
Fight hair loss
Support a healthy scalp
Help strengthen your hair
Provide more shine
Provide a smooth texture
Promote hair growth
Apple Cider Vinegar for Different Hair Types
The benefits of apple cider vinegar extend to all hair types, but some can benefit more than others. Particularly, if you have a curly or wavy hair type, applying apple cider vinegar is convenient for its ability to reduce frizz, making it an especially excellent addition for types 2, 3, and 4 hair.
The profound cleansing powers of this natural formula also make it an excellent choice for washing these hair types since it can penetrate deep into the scalp.
These benefits also extend to cleansing oily hair. Not only is it a fantastic cleanser for these hair types, but it can also add to the volume of the hair since it does not weigh down the hair strands like heavier products.
Keep in mind that apple cider vinegar can be quite powerful with its purifying powers. Therefore, those with thin hair types may want to limit washing their hair with it to more than once or twice a week. Those with a sensitive scalp should also exercise caution, as the acetic acid in the vinegar may be irritating when overused.
C h a p t e r 3 :
Washing Your Hair with Apple Cider Vinegar
The most common reason to use apple cider vinegar in hair is to clean it. When used as a shampoo, apple cider vinegar is one of the most effective natural ingredients.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help Detox Your Hair?
Apple cider vinegar is an excellent cleanser for your hair as it removes all traces of oil, dirt, and hair product build-up from your strands and scalp. Washing hair with apple cider vinegar is excellent for cleaning your hair all the way down to your scalp.
The vinegar is amazing at cleansing hard-to-remove product build-up, helping to clean the hair follicles and seal the cuticle against further build-up. Altogether, an apple cider vinegar hair detox is an excellent option when you need a deep clean.
How to Make an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
An apple cider vinegar rinse is a popular way to cleanse their hair and support a healthy and voluminous head of hair. Many people prefer to make a DIY formula at home, and it is pretty easy to do. All you need to do is make your mixture and add the rinse to your hair before conditioning. To make a rinse at home, just follow this recipe:
Add 1 part ACV to 5 parts water in a spray bottle or shampoo bottle. This is the most important step, which will ensure that you do not irritate your scalp with the high acid content.
Consider adding a few drops of essential oil, like tea tree oil, to minimize the smell of the formula and even provide further benefits.
Lightly spray the mixture evenly throughout your hair.
Gently massage the vinegar into your hair and scalp and allow it to sit for five minutes.
Completely rinse the mixture from your hair to avoid leaving any on your scalp.
You can use apple cider vinegar to detox your hair using either the above homemade mixture or buying a shampoo that contains the impressive ingredient. An apple cider hair rinse is a common technique for supporting healthy hair, but for less effort and guaranteed results, it is easier to just turn to an actual shampoo.
How to Wash Hair with Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo
With its deep cleansing powers, apple cider vinegar is an excellent ingredient for shampoo. The best way to wash your hair with apple cider vinegar is to find a trusted product that uses apple cider vinegar without harsh additives. One example is WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo, which uses the powers of apple cider vinegar with natural oils and does not include any harsh chemicals like sulfates or parabens.
The detoxifying powers of apple cider vinegar shampoo make for a great clarifying shampoo. That said, you should develop a balanced routine that uses apple cider vinegar no more than twice a week or a few times a month, depending on your hair type. As with any clarifying shampoo, overuse can strip the natural oils from your hair and leave it overly dry.
An effective shampoo should clean deeply without drying or irritating your hair and scalp. When used properly, apple cider vinegar does both, which is why it is excellent for all hair types. ACV is especially effective for shampooing thicker, curlier hair types since they should be washed less often. When you do shampoo, you want to ensure that you remove all the pollutants from your hair. ACV does the job right.
Using Apple Cider Vinegar Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is an excellent option to address oil build-up in your hair and extend the time you can take between washing your hair. It is also great when you are in a pinch, like if you are on an outdoor trip or if you wake up late one day and don't have time to wash your hair.
There are many options for dry shampoo, but you can turn to apple cider vinegar for a much simpler, much quicker, and more natural alternative. You can make your own dry shampoo at home by taking a few ounces of water in a spray bottle and adding just one drop of ACV for every ounce. Plus, unlike traditional dry shampoo, apple cider vinegar does not leave any unpleasant residue, providing a more natural shine and volume to your hair in between washes.
For a professionally formulated option that can be used as an excellent dry shampoo, you can use WOW 10-in-1 Apple Cider Vinegar Mist Tonic. The apple cider vinegar helps to cut down oil in your hair, while aloe vera, green tea, and tea tree essential oil help to provide valuable antioxidants.
Washing Hair with Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects
When used in normal amounts, apple cider vinegar is a safe and effective option to use on your hair. There are some potential side effects, but they are minimal and rare, especially when using a quality, natural form of the product. The greatest risk of apple cider vinegar is overexposure.
Due to its high acidity and powerful purifying properties, you should never apply it directly to your hair. When drinking undiluted apple cider vinegar daily, people have reported tooth erosion and stomach discomfort. Similarly, using too much pure apple cider vinegar on your hair and scalp could lead to irritation.
Still, when used in moderation and with the right formula, the benefits of apple cider vinegar far outweigh the minimal risks. To minimize your chances of experiencing any side effects, always dilute apple cider vinegar or use a trusted product that does not include any harsh chemicals like sulfates or synthetic fragrances. Limiting your use of apple cider vinegar to once or twice a week will give you more of the benefits and less of the risks.
One hesitation people have before embracing apple cider vinegar-based hair products is the fear of smelling like vinegar. After all, the scent of vinegar can be rather potent and distinct. Fortunately, when you use a shampoo like WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo, you can have faith that you get all of the benefits of apple cider vinegar without the robust and distinctive smell.
C h a p t e r 4 :
What Apple Cider Vinegar Does for Your Scalp
Caring for your scalp goes hand-in-hand with an effective hair care routine. Fortunately, when you turn to apple cider vinegar for your hair care, you can support the health of your scalp at the same time.
How Apple Cider Vinegar Helps Your Scalp
Apple cider vinegar seems to provide multiple potential benefits for your scalp, helping to keep your sebum at bay and keeping the skin clear of impurities. By using apple cider vinegar, you can clean and exfoliate the scalp to ensure its total health.
Maybe the most significant benefit of using apple cider vinegar for your scalp is its ability to balance the pH. Sebum, the natural oil produced by your scalp, is naturally acidic, leaving your scalp with a lower pH. However, environmental factors like hard water, dead skin cells, sweat, and harmful hair care products can all raise your scalp's pH to uncomfortable levels.
A high scalp pH can lead to symptoms like inflammation, redness, or excessive oil production. Ultimately, when your scalp is irritated or uncomfortable, it can affect the health of your hair follicles, which can prevent the growth of healthy hair. However, the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar has a low pH and helps to align the pH of the scalp with its natural levels.
Including apple cider vinegar in your hair care routine may also provide several other advantages. With its purifying and detoxifying powers, vinegar can help clarify your scalp and prevent excessive build-up, which can clog your hair follicles. The vinegar's natural properties may even help relieve an itchy scalp and dandruff.
How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair Dandruff
Dandruff is the most significant indicator that the health of your scalp may need some support. Dandruff is the flaking of skin on your scalp and can be unsightly. Although harmless, dandruff is uncomfortable and usually a sign of a dry or irritated scalp or even a fungus. Combatting dandruff can be quite the process, as it may take some time to find the right product to stop it. Fortunately, using apple cider vinegar for dandruff is an excellent natural option.
In some studies, apple cider vinegar has been shown to have antimicrobial properties, including the potential to combat fungus. These findings are good news for attempting to prevent the growth of dandruff-causing fungus.
An apple cider vinegar hair rinse is one way to introduce your scalp to the antimicrobial properties of the vinegar. To do so, you can create a solution of vinegar diluted with warm water. After shampooing, simply pour the solution over your head, massage it into the scalp, let it sit for a few minutes, and rinse it out.
Another option is to use a conditioner that incorporates apple cider vinegar as one of the main ingredients. By doing so, you gain the potential to eliminate dandruff naturally while also providing your hair with valuable moisture. The best part about using an apple cider vinegar conditioner is that you can incorporate this ingredient without adding any extra steps to your routine.
C h a p t e r 5 :
How to Make Onion Juice for Your Hair
Apple cider vinegar has developed a reputation for being a valuable tool in the hair growth process. Before you devise a plan to support your hair growth, it helps to have a complete picture of how a natural remedy like apple cider vinegar can help.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help Grow Hair?
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help Grow Hair?
When you want to grow your hair, you need a comprehensive and consistent routine that supports both your hair and scalp. It can be challenging to find a hair growth treatment you can trust. Fortunately, apple cider vinegar can be a great natural addition to your routine to support hair growth.
Using vinegar as part of your everyday hair care routine can offer several benefits that promote healthy hair growth. Primarily, ACV is excellent for the scalp, helping to balance the pH, prevent irritation, fight off harmful bacteria, and remove excess oil build-up or impurities.
Issues like dirt and oil build-up and an irritated scalp can harm the hair follicles, stunting hair growth, so apple cider vinegar helps remove several potential barriers to hair growth. By cleansing and promoting the health of your scalp, apple cider vinegar promotes a positive environment for hair to grow.
Some suggest that apple cider vinegar may also be able to boost blood flow to the scalp for better hair growth, but more evidence is needed to confirm this. Still, this popular vinegar should be a part of any routine designed to promote healthy hair growth.
How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair Loss
Using apple cider vinegar for hair loss may work best when combined with other ingredients, like onion oil or doctor-prescribed medications. There is little scientific evidence surrounding the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar in stimulating hair growth because there are only a few studies. Still, it does have many benefits that can support hair growth, like cleansing the scalp and hair follicles, as well as preventing scalp irritation. Therefore, it is a solid tool in a routine designed to stimulate hair growth.
To reduce hair loss, perform an apple cider vinegar hair rinse at least weekly, which will help to cleanse the scalp and hair strands. You may also choose to use a conditioner or leave-in treatment that incorporates vinegar, both of which will help promote a healthy scalp. These formulas are gentler and can be used multiple times throughout the week. You can use a conditioner or leave-in treatment with apple cider vinegar as often as you would any other conditioner or leave-in treatment.
Consistency is the most important factor in any routine designed to combat hair growth. Once you have established which products and ingredients you are going to use, make sure you use them each day to avoid losing any progress.
C h a p t e r 6 :
Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Treatments
Clearly, using apple cider vinegar in hair has many potential benefits when done correctly. Understanding all the potential treatments you can do with apple cider vinegar will only give you more tools to promote healthy, shiny hair.
Apple Cider Vinegar Conditioner
An excellent follow-up to any shampoo is a conditioner that contains powerful apple cider vinegar. You can buy a conditioner that uses the ingredient or use an apple cider vinegar hair rinse after your shampoo. Using apple cider vinegar as a conditioner helps seal the cuticle to hold in moisture and also provides your hair with natural shine and volume, just like any good conditioner should.
If you use an apple cider vinegar shampoo, you can also balance it by using a conditioner with other moisturizing ingredients. For example, the WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Coconut/Avocado Oil Conditioner bundle gives your hair the cleansing powers of apple cider vinegar and uses the moisturizing powers of coconut and avocado oils to nourish your hair and preserve soft, healthy strands.
Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Mask
Hair masks are an excellent way to add additional support to your hair care routine by allowing additional nutrients to soak into your hair. With a hair mask, you can strengthen your hair strands against damage and lock in moisture. By using a hair mask with apple cider vinegar, you can also balance the pH of your scalp and incorporate powerful antioxidants.
A great option is a WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Mask, which also contains hydrolyzed wheat proteins to strengthen your strands against damage, almond oil to provide multiple vitamins that prevent breakage, and vitamin E, which has excellent antioxidant properties.
Hair masks are an excellent treatment for any hair type. To use one, simply apply the mask evenly throughout your hair, use a comb to spread it out, allow it to sit for about 15 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly with warm water. You can use a hair mask as often as twice a week, depending on how your hair responds to the treatment.
Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair
Another natural, DIY haircare formula is a two-step clarifying shampoo made from baking soda and apple cider vinegar. It turns out that this mixture has more beneficial uses than just for science projects! Baking soda has a high pH, which causes it to open the hair cuticle for a deep clean, while its abrasive texture may exfoliate the scalp.
As with any clarifying shampoo, this formula should be used sparingly, only when your hair has excessive build-up and needs a thorough cleaning. Also, exercise caution if you have a sensitive scalp. Baking soda can be harsh on your hair because it is alkaline, and your scalp is acidic. Following up with an apple cider vinegar rinse will help rebalance the pH.
For a safe and effective treatment, do the following:
Make your baking soda shampoo by combining 1 part baking soda and three parts cool water. Add a few drops of essential oil for fragrance if you would like.
Mix the ingredients in a small bowl to create a paste.
Gently add the shampoo to wet, rinsed hair, working the mixture from the scalp down to the ends of your hair strands.
Follow up the baking soda shampoo with an apple cider vinegar hair rinse.
Thoroughly rinse your hair to remove all baking soda and apple cider vinegar.
This treatment is an effective replacement for your standard shampoo, from once a week to a few times a month, helping to exfoliate and cleanse your scalp. Ultimately, pay attention to how your hair and scalp respond to determine whether this is a good treatment for you. If your hair ends up dry or irritated, limit your use of a baking soda and apple cider vinegar treatment.
Can You Leave Apple Cider Vinegar in Your Hair?
If you are looking for a natural leave-in treatment option, apple cider vinegar is a good choice. As with most apple cider vinegar treatments, it is all about moderation. Of course, leaving raw apple cider vinegar in your hair may not be the best idea. However, with the right formula, apple cider vinegar can easily be left in your hair and offer benefits at the same time.
One example is the WOW 10-in-1 Apple Cider Vinegar Mist Tonic, which works wonderfully as a gentle but effective leave-in treatment. Using this mist tonic in your hair will nourish your hair with vitamins and antioxidants, eliminate frizz, and even help remove excess oil.
This product also features other valuable ingredients like soothing aloe vera, tea tree oil, and green tea extract, which are all rich sources of antioxidants that help to protect the hair and scalp. These ingredients, as well as a pure rose hydrosol, help to keep your hair healthy and moisturized, making for an effective leave-in treatment.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Lighten Hair?
If you are considering adding apple cider vinegar to your daily routine but are concerned that it may lighten your natural hair color or dyed hair, rest assured that your hair color will be protected. Apple cider vinegar is a safe option for both natural and color-treated hair. The vinegar helps to seal the cuticle, which will prevent fading your hair color while also boosting its shine. Using products with apple cider vinegar, like shampoos and conditioners, is a great way to support your hair's health while protecting its color.
