Apple Cider Vinegar

For generations apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been a cure all in folk remedies as well as a powerful cleaning agent and healthful tonic.

Vinegar comes from the French word vinaigre, which translates to "sour wine”. Apple cider vinegar is made by taking the juices from pulverized apples and allowing them to ferment into alcohol. After this stage, the alcohol is further fermented into acetic acid, the main ingredient of ACV. Vinegar is full of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

In my own experience I find Apple Cider Vinegar to be the best hair conditioner. It is a very effective conditioning agent that removes chemical buildup from shampoos, conditioners and styling products. ACV is most recommended for darker colored hair because it brings out the color. Regular white vinegar is usually recommended for blonds, but it is not quite as conditioning as ACV.

Even if you don't regularly have dandruff or itchy scalp sometimes seasonal changes will change the PH balance and condition of your hair and scalp. I found at the beginning of this winter that dry, uncomfortable scalp was instantly alleviated with one rinse of ACV.


You need:
About 1/4 cup of ACV (Not exact science here- use what is best for you)
A container of sorts (I use a half gallon drink pitcher)
Warm water

In the shower, after shampooing (and conditioning if you have particularly dry hair) mix ACV and water then pour over slowly. Concentrate mostly on the roots, the rest will eventually work its way to the tips. Wait a little bit then rinse (How long is completely up to you). The only not-so-wonderful thing is that ACV smells before you rinse. It will probably fill up the bathroom with a vinegar smell- but it rinses away when you rinse your hair. Using a conditioner after will cover up the smell if your paranoid, but it kinda defeats the purpose of clearing buildup.

~Like when changing any hair-care routines expect to use a few times before your scalp adjusts to the correct PH for optimal results.

Stuff to try mixing in:
~Lemon juice 1/4 cup per liter (For blonds) brings out light colors
~An old recipe for lightening hair says to use a lemon rinse and then go out in the sun. The hair lightening products I remember buying were usually just lemon juice, alcohols and fragrances.
~Essential oils – (Only 1 or 2 drops per rinse) Using EOs such as eucalyptus, tea tree or lavender will make your hair smell nice. Use sparingly

So broken down: ACV:
~Rehydrates roots and tips
~Makes hair shiny (But not greasy!)
~Gets rid of gross, greasy product build-up
~Restores PH balance on scalp

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Vinegar is anti-fungal
~~Use for stuff like athletes foot or even mold in your fridge
White vinegar makes stuff shiney!
~~Use 1:2 ratio of vinegar and water as a glass cleaner
~~Polishes metal- great on stainless steel appliances

Other common and (not so common) uses for vinegar-
http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/homemaking/vinegar.html
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/vinegar.html
(Google search and find some more!)