How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Healthy Natural Hair

Jan 13, 2022

When our tresses are out of whack and need a refresh, apple cider vinegar is our go-to. You may have already heard about all the great things an apple cider vinegar rinse can do for your hair, but if not, keep reading as we're bringing you a beginner-friendly guide to this miracle ingredient and how to use it, plus some fire products you can consider adding to your haircare collection!

What is apple cider vinegar (ACV)?

Apple cider vinegar is created with the juice of crushed apples. Bacteria and yeast are added to this juice to begin alcoholic fermentation - where the sugars in the juice turn into alcohol. The last step of fermentation turns the alcohol into vinegar.

What are the benefits of ACV on natural hair?

1. It is an amazing clarifier, and works to purify and cleanse the scalp of product buildup.

2. It balances your skin's pH which promotes a healthy scalp and reduces hair fall.

3. It is anti-inflammatory and helps to alleviate redness and irritation.

4. It detangles your tresses for easy styling.

5. It coats and closes hair cuticles, leaving your hair strong, super soft and super shiny whilst preventing colour fading and frizz.

Who is it for?

Apple cider vinegar is safe for all hair types - even colour treated hair! It's especially good for hair with a lot of product buildup, whether that's from leave-in conditioner, gels, creams or oils. It works well for those with braids or other protective hairstyles.

It is not too acidic and won't cause damage to your locks provided you dilute your ACV with water. If you have oily hair, you may be able to use a higher concentration of ACV to water, but if you have dry hair we suggest using a higher ratio of water to avoid drying out your scalp.

You might also want to adjust your apple cider vinegar to water ratio depending on your hair's porosity. Generally speaking, low porosity beauties should add more water to their ACV rinse. You can experiment to find a dilution level that suits you!

How do I use it?

If you're a beginner to an apple cider vinegar hair rinse, these instructions are a good place to start! You can tweak the dilution ratio to suit you the more you learn about your hair's needs. Do an ACV rinse once a week or twice a month after shampooing on damp hair.

1. Mix four parts water with one part apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle or bowl (4 tbsp water, 1 tbsp ACV, or 400ml water, 100ml ACV, etc.)

2. Spray or pour the mixture over your scalp to evenly coat it.

3. Massage the vinegar into your scalp, roots and ends with your fingers. It should be diluted enough that it doesn't cause a burning sensation.

4. Allow the mixture to sit for about five minutes.

5. Rinse your hair and scalp thoroughly with cool to warm water.

6. You can either apply your leave-in and go, or follow with a lightweight conditioner and rinse until there is no product residue. Your hair should not retain any vinegar smell once dry.

Top Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Products:

Here is a selection of the ACV products available at Cloré Beauty Supply! We offer pure apple cider vinegar, great for your DIY rinses, and ready-formulated apple cider vinegar hair products that will save you time and skip none of the benefits.