I first learned about doing rinses when I originally shifted away from using conventional, drugstore shampoos and conditioners. I had a lot to learn but it got me started in the right direction.
So, why ACV rinse? Why now?
I wanted to share my interest in rinses after my travels across the country. New places means different water and air, and I definitely noticed this with my hair. Each place has a different mineral content in their water. You know when someone talks about hard water? That, exactly that. You can see that in your hair!
When we got back to the East coast, I would cleanse my hair, and it consistently felt brittle and sticky, and looked dull. This was telling me that I wasn't removing what was on my hair, and it wasn't getting moisturized from my conditioning products.
With ACV, you're using the natural acetic acid to help break down any mineral build-up, so your regular hair care can do what it's supposed to. While it is possible it can help with product build-up, this isn't guaranteed. If you're finding that your hair feels off, feels like it has a residue even when cleaned, it may be time for a clean slate with ACV.
So how do you do an ACV rinse?
First, you want ACV that clearly states "with the mother". These products have not been pasteurized, and have living enzymes that make it work.
Second, diluting the vinegar. We dilute the vinegar because we are attempting to make it slightly more acidic than the pH of our hair, around a pH of 3-4. To reach this, you would aim for a 1:12 mixture of 1 part vinegar to 12 parts water. It's okay if this isn't exact, but it's safer to err on the side of less than more. You can always come back and get a little math-y to increase the ratio.
So an easy step-by-step:
1: Shampoo your hair as normal.
2: Cover your hair with the ACV mixture, avoiding your eyes. I like using a little spray bottle over just trying to pour it into my hair, but any way works! Massage or let rest for about 5 minutes.
3: Rinse!
4: Condition as normal or as you prefer on a wash day.
Post-rinse, your hair should feel increasingly smooth, and you should see a positive return in curl pattern. You may also notice an improvement in itchy or dry scalp symptoms, increased body, and reduced frizz. Everyone's hair experience is different, but I find ACV rinses to be a huge help from time to time. It's really about learning to read your hair the same way you'd read any other signals your body gives you.
So, are you with me? Is it time to buy a big jug of ACV and start doing rinses?
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