The truth is that Apple Cider Vinegar is only slightly acidic–not nearly enough to strip hair color. Whew! The only thing you do need to know about using Apple Cider Vinegar on your hair is this: don't use it too often. Like any clarifying shampoo, it is meant to be used every few weeks to refresh hair.
Our experts agree that apple cider vinegar is safe for all hair types, including color-treated tresses. It's especially beneficial for those with major product buildup, whether that's from hairsprays, dry shampoo, braids, or excess grease.
Apple cider vinegar to lighten hair
For lightening, mix one-part apple cider vinegar with six-part waters and spray across the hair. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before washing it out. You may have to repeat a few times until you see results.
Many people use vinegar as a scalp cleanser, but it can also remove hair dye, so use caution if that's not your intent. If it is, you can mix white vinegar with warm water and apply it to your hair to remove hair color. Allow it to sit for ten to fifteen minutes, then rinse.
Science supports the use of apple cider vinegar as a hair rinse. It could help strengthen hair and improve luster by lowering hair and scalp pH. It may also keep pesky scalp infections and itchiness at bay.
You can also leave it in your hair overnight! If you leave it in, it will help prevent tangles. Since it restores your scalp's pH level, it will also help and prevent an itchy scalp.
The vinegar actually helps the hair dye to remain bonded to the hair, according to my awesome stylist Viviane of Marina Beach Hair. Shout out to Viv, woot! 3. After using hair dye, wait 72 hours before washing.
“So, when it comes to doing a color service, we use agents that bring the pH up to an alkaline state,” Cody says. “By using a product like a vinegar rinse, you can bring the pH down to its 5.5 to 6.5, which leaves the hair in a healthier state, so the cuticle lining looks shinier and feels healthier.”
If your hair tends to be dry, you may want to use the rinse less often; if your hair and scalp are more on the oily side, you may want to do it more frequently. Generally speaking, though, you'll want to rinse your hair with an apple cider vinegar solution a couple times a week.
The truth is that Apple Cider Vinegar is only slightly acidic–not nearly enough to strip hair color. Whew! The only thing you do need to know about using Apple Cider Vinegar on your hair is this: don't use it too often. Like any clarifying shampoo, it is meant to be used every few weeks to refresh hair.
Know that natural washes are fine
In fact, according to Davis, apple cider vinegar (as long as it's diluted with water) can help you “remove stubborn hair products, deep clean your hair and scalp, and even reduce mild scalp inflammation caused by dandruff.”
Allow the solution to remain on your hair for 2-3 minutes. Rinse the ACV mixture out of your hair with cool water. (Cooler water helps to polish the cuticle of the hair.) Apply a lightweight conditioner for your hair type and work the product from root to tips.
What Is the No-Poo Method? The no-poo method is a hair-cleansing technique that removes shampoo from the equation, says Geeta Yadav, MD, a dermatologist in Toronto. Instead of using shampoo, followers of the practice use alternatives such as apple cider vinegar, a cleansing conditioner, or just plain water.
Narrator: After six months to a year, all that gunk can clog up your hair follicles, which can prevent new hair from growing and, over time, ultimately lead to hair thinning or even hair loss. There's also a risk of your scalp getting infected from all the bacterial buildup.
First, mix three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 3/4 cups of water. If you have more oily hair or scalp issues like dandruff, go ahead and use four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. (Head's up: four tablespoons is 1/4 cup, so that makes the measurements easy!)
Although the effects are gentle, ACV on its own is too harsh to apply directly to hair, so make sure you dilute it before applying onto the scalp. Not diluting it could irritate the scalp or even lead to mild burns, says Philip B.
Going a long time without washing your hair can cause a buildup of a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia on your scalp. Over time, this leads to a layer of dead skin cells that shed from your head in the form of oily, yellow-ish dandruff flakes. Dandruff can also make your scalp red, scaly, and itchy.
Feisal shares that “washing with water alone is like taking a shower without soap—great as a quick refresh, but probably not ideal for most of us to do all of the time. Water will only help rinse the hair's surface of dust and debris, but will not do much else and especially won't 'wash' your hair.”
She rarely washed her hair, as the process was involved and not terribly pleasant. Women were advised to dilute pure ammonia in warm water and then massage it through the scalp and hair, like modern shampoo.
How often should you wash your hair with the No poo method? This is down to personal preference, but most newbie 'No Pooers' usually leave it every ten to fourteen days before washing it9 – sans shampoo of course.
How Much Should You Wash? For the average person, every other day, or every 2 to 3 days, without washing is generally fine. “There is no blanket recommendation. If hair is visibly oily, scalp is itching, or there's flaking due to dirt,” those are signs it's time to shampoo, Goh says.
White vinegar is also missing many of the nourishing vitamins and minerals that we get with apple cider vinegar. Our verdict? White vinegar works in a pinch, but apple cider vinegar hair-care products and rinses offer the most benefit for your hair and scalp.
Gently work the vinegar into your hair with your fingers. It should be diluted enough that it shouldn't burn your scalp. Let the vinegar mixture sit for three to five minutes. Rinse your hair and scalp with cool water.