Vinegar Rinses

**lady_hero** · August 1st, 2008, 07:55 PM

I would like to do apple cider vinegar rinses. I was wondering if you rinse out the vinegar or if you leave it on your hair. Also, what's a gentle ratio of vinegar to water; like 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of water?

TIA!

**OR Cowgirl** · August 1st, 2008, 09:31 PM

I have always done my ACV rinses (and citric acid rinses) between the shampoo and conditioner. And I probably use 2 - 4 tablespoons to 3 or 4 cups of water so I bet your ratio would be a good place to start.

HTH,
Mariah

**Riot Crrl** · August 1st, 2008, 09:40 PM

Your ratio sounds good.

Some people pour it on and leave it on their hair. I don't do this, but I have heard that it still smells like vinegar while it is drying but then it goes away. I leave it on for a couple minutes then rinse it off again and add more conditioner.

**ohjezebel** · August 1st, 2008, 10:09 PM

A 1:8 ACV:water ratio is about right. So a tablespoon or two to a cup of water. I use a big cup, and eyeball the amounts.

I wash with shampoo bars, put conditioner in through the shower, then do a quick rinse to get most of the conditioner out. Then the ACV rinse. I usually add a squirt of honey to mine. I pour some over my head and soak the length in the cup of it for a bit. Then I do a quick rinse - just enough to get the worst out. Then I put in leave-in conditioner, if I decide to use it.

My hair smells like vinegar while wet/damp, but the smell goes away as it dries.

**Missie** · August 2nd, 2008, 12:42 AM

oh my golly gosh ! I did the ACV wrong.. no wonder I had a bit of a hair raising time.. my hair has been box dyed for it must be at least 40 years and today I did th ACV for the first time after using a shampoo bar.. but I thought you weren't suppose to condition when you used the ACV !! I did the vinegar rinse after washing the shampoo bar out and my hair felt very brittle and fragile. So I dabbed it with the towel and left it for about 15 minutes.. then I very gently put heaps of camilla oil into my damp hair and it revived it very well.. so now I have moderately soft hair, a squeaky clean scalp and very well defined S waves.. Next time I'll condition and THEN rinse with the ACV. Whew !

**lawyermom** · August 2nd, 2008, 05:51 PM

I don't use conditioner after using shampoo bars - I lather up and rinse 3 times, then do an ACV rinse, which I rinse out. I get super soft hair with lots of body that's really easy to comb out.

**Missie** · August 2nd, 2008, 06:41 PM

hi lawyermom,
I presume it was because of the years of highlighting in the past which has fried the length of my hair that I had that reaction... Around the nape of my neck, the hair there was soft after the ACV/no conditioner rinse.. the length though, with the old highlights, was harsh.. Nevertheless, I'm going to persevere with the ACV's but condition first... maybe just once a week.
This morning I used a shampoo bar and condition and my hair is feeling heaps better

**nostalgic** · August 2nd, 2008, 09:33 PM

i use about 1 tbsp acv to 1 1/2 cup water: i do an acv rinse whenever my hair starts to get really icky and if my ends start to feel dry, i put conditioner on them while i shower, rinse, then do an acv rinse. i always wash it out with cool water after massaging it in a little.

**girlcat36** · August 2nd, 2008, 09:51 PM

I use 1/4 cup ACV to 32 oz water, rinse and leave it in. The smell goes away as it dries. Except if I go to the gym---then it starts to smell again as I sweat.

**danacc** · August 2nd, 2008, 10:33 PM

I use 1/4 cup of white vinegar to 4 cups (32 oz.) of warm tap water. I use the diluted vinegar rinse after rinsing out my final application of conditioner. I don't rinse with plain water after the diluted vinegar because I have hard water, and one of the things the vinegar helps with is to minimize deposits on my hair from the hard water. (Slightly off topic, I tried rinsing with distilled water afterwards, but it's too COLD. And I'm too lazy to warm a distilled water rinse since my hair is happy with diluted vinegar as the final rinse. It likes being pickled.)

Vinegar is drying, so it is important to make sure your hair is getting enough moisture. I apply a drop of coconut oil to the length once it is dry. You may need to adjust your routine to make sure your hair is getting enough moisture. It is especially important to do some sort of mild acidic rinse (like diluted vinegar) when you use soap to wash the hair. Just make sure you also adjust for moisture.