Apple Cider Vinegar for Your Hair

Every morning, as you're lathering up with an expensive, chemically complex, and synthetic shampoo, you're actually stripping away your scalp's natural oils-beneficial oils that can condition your hair and give it shine when in proper balance. Then you replace these oils with conditioner.

Try the much simpler approach of making friends with your scalp's natural oils. Managed properly using very basic ingredients, your hair will be clean, shiny, and easy to care for. Many who stop using shampoo in favor of natural alternatives report that their hair now has more body and is easier to style.

For most people, the two basic ingredients needed are apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Fill a squeeze bottle with half apple cider vinegar, half water. Fill a shaker bottle with baking soda. A flip-top water bottle works fine, too.

Here's the basic procedure for cleaning your hair in this eco-friendly way:

- Shake a small amount of baking soda into the palm of your hand. Add just enough water to make a paste.

- Massage the baking soda paste directly into your scalp.

- Squirt small amounts of apple cider vinegar on your scalp, massage in, and squeeze through to the ends of your hair.

- Rinse.

Everyone's hair is unique, so you may need to fiddle with this procedure a bit. Some people find the baking soda entirely too drying and difficult to rinse, so they just massage the apple cider vinegar into the scalp, squeeze through to the ends, and rinse. Others find the baking soda more effective if they use a solution of one tablespoon baking soda dissolved in one cup of warm water.

Expect an adjustment period as your scalp and hair respond to this new treatment. At first, you may experience a lot of tangles, especially with fine hair. This is easily solved by rubbing a very small amount of coconut oil on a detangling comb before use, reapplying as necessary. As your scalp starts producing its own oils in a more balanced way, you may notice that you no longer need this detangling boost.

Some apple cider vinegar devotees experience best results with a step-down approach, gradually weaning themselves off shampoo and related products. Over time, many people who use baking soda and apple cider vinegar to wash their hair discover that daily washing is unnecessary because their hair retains its natural bounce and clean appearance over multiple days.

What have you got to lose? Chemicals you can't pronounce, hair care products that make you need other hair care products, a continual drain on your finances, and significant daily time spent in making your hair look presentable. If you try the "no poo" method, you may be pleasantly surprised at the thick, glossy hair you get for less money and less fuss. Add to that the environmental and health benefits of leaving chemical stews behind, and you've got a recipe for success.