A Guide to Apple Cider Vinegar Rinses

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for various ailments. In recent years, it has gained popularity as a hair care solution. An ACV rinse involves diluting apple cider vinegar with water and rinsing your hair with the solution. It can be very beneficial on its own or paired with a natural goat milk shampoo bar.

"As for the Rosemary Mint Shampoo bar, I’ve used it twice, and after rinsing my long hair with a vinegar rinse - a ratio of 1/4 c vinegar to 1 pint warm water, & left on for about 3 minutes- it combs through easily and looks and feels sparkling clean. (And no, you don’t come out smelling like a pickle!) Thank you, I’m so happy I found you!" - Dodee T.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar made from fermented apples. It has a slightly sweet and sour taste and it has a plethora of uses from cooking, cleaning and natural remedies.

Apple Cider Vinegar is made through a two-step fermentation process:

1. Alcoholic Fermentation: Freshly crushed apples are left to ferment, converting the natural sugars in the apples into alcohol
2. Acetic Acid Fermentation: Bacteria is used to convert the alcohol into acetic acid, which is the main component of vinegar.

The resulting liquid is then filtered and pasteurized (or it can be left unpasteurized) and used as ACV.

The cloudy substance consists of strands of proteins, enzymes and bacteria which all offer great health and wellness benefits.

What are the Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar Rinses?

An ACV rinse offers a range of benefits for your hair, here we will take you through some of those benefits:

• pH Balance: Our scalp’s ideal pH level is slightly acidic. Without regular and natural treatments, your scalp’s pH can drift toward a neutral or alkaline; which isn’t healthy. ACV helps to restore this acidic balance, promoting a healthy environment.
• Added Shine: ACV through its natural properties and benefits can help smooth the hair cuticles, resulting in a shinier, more lustrous and luscious appearance in your hair.
• Reduced Dandruff: While apple cider has some natural bacteria, it is healthy bacteria and enables antifungal properties to shine through and pass into your scalp and hair follicles. ACV can help combat dandruff-causing fungi, reducing the appearance of dandruff.
• Stronger Hair: ACV has been proven to help strengthen your hair follicles which will reduce hair breakage, and reduce the appearance of split and dead ends. This is achieved by reinforcing the natural oils that are found in the hair follicles and removing unnatural product build up such as excess oil.

"I have fine thin hair. I tried the coconut oil and honey with cinnamon conditioner. My hair was so greasy. I waited a couple days. I washed it once today, used apple cider vinegar rinse. And left it on. And I used the Tea Tree oil bar. I'm 75... and yes my skin gets dry. But this stuff did NOT hurt my sensitive scalp. My scalp actually shines and is so clean." - Jill P.

How to do an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse?

If you are left now thinking, ‘great I want to try an apple cider vinegar rinse, but how do I do it?’ This section of our blog is really going to help you.

1. Dilute the apple cider vinegar by mixing equal parts of ACV with water in a spray bottle.
2. Once you have shampooed and conditioned your hair, spray the ACV mixture onto your scalp and hair.
3. Gently and methodically massage the ACV mixture into your scalp until you have achieved full coverage.
4. Rinse your hair of the ACV thoroughly with warm water to remove any residue of apple cider vinegar.

Incorporating ACV rinses into your hair routine alongside the use of Goat Milk Shampoo bars, is something that is generally considered to be safe and beneficial.

"Great product! Have tried other shampoo bars from other places. This one (Unscented Shampoo) by far has the best lather, leaving my hair soft & scalp clean. I use an ACV rinse afterwards as a conditioner, which also works very well, especially on my naturally curly hair." - Sherri P.

However, we recommend that you carry out a patch test before using it on your scalp, especially if you have sensitive skin. If you don’t experience any adverse reactions, we’ve no doubt that in no time you will be enjoying healthier, shinier, and more manageable hair.