Apple cider vinegar is a confusing, but rather helpful ingredient/product for wavy hair. First of all, how do you use it? Will your hair smell like salad? Does it burn your scalp?
tip 1: use raw apple cider vinegar
This is sooooo important, but the apple cider vinegar needs to be raw “with the mother” ACV. The part that is “unfiltered” contains the good stuff for your hair. It also doesn’t have to be expensive. Many grocery stores now carry raw ACV. This 32oz bottle is only about $6.
tip 2: dilute in the shower (how to use acv)
Okay, so I’m going to admit something that will probably sound silly to some of you, and would make perfect sense to others of you.
You need to dilute ACV, otherwise it is WAY too acidic and can harm your scalp. But what I used to do was dilute it before getting into the shower, then leaving the cup on my bathtub ledge, or the floor of my shower. This would result in the diluted mixture getting more water in it and overflowing…..I’m not sure how many times I did this before realizing there was an easy solution. Now you don’t have to feel silly!
Only put the ACV in a cup. Use 2tbsp in a 16oz cup. Use something that won’t break please. I’m going to feel bad if you get a cut. Please use stainless steel, or plastic or something that won’t shatter.
Then once you’re ready to use the ACV (we’ll get to when, don’t worry!), just fill the cup the rest of the way IN THE SHOWER, and use.
tip 3: pour & dip
This tip depends on hair length. The way I use the ACV dilution is to LOOK UP (you really don’t want this in your eyes), and pour about 1/3 of the mixture over my scalp. Then, I dip the ends of my hair into the cup. Then I alternate (pour some over, dip the ends, pour some over, dip the ends…..) until the mixture is gone.
Another way to apply ACV/water is with a dispenser bottle at the scalp. I personally haven’t tried this method but it seems like it would be really easy!
tip 4: use After shampoo & conditioner, or before. or whatever.
My favorite time to use an ACV dilution is after I’ve shampooed and conditioned (with a normal rinse out conditioner)….I’ve also skipped conditioner, deep conditioned, etc. None of them seemed much better or worse, but I’ve found it easy to keep a routine by doing shampoo and conditioner, ACV rinse, let it sit a few minutes (take this time to shave or whatever), then rinse out completely. Then I add my in-shower styler , then put up in a microfiber turbie twist.
tip 5: don’t acv often (when to do an ACV rinse)
I’ve played with “how often” to do an ACV rinse, and my frequency is about 4 times a year. There isn’t a set schedule, it’s typically “wow, my hair feels really awful, is inexplicably frizzy when it’s previously loved these products” etc. Basically, if everything has been going good, and now isn’t (not because of weather), I do an ACV rinse.
When I first did an ACV rinse, my hair looked AWESOME. So I did one a week later. And then again, and again. But it didn’t take long to actually making my hair look dull and feel dry. So that’s when I cut down the frequency!
tip 6: the worst that can happen is you have a new pantry ingredient
Really, it’s about a $6 investment and can be used for cooking. So give it a try, and let me know how it goes!
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