How to: a simple ACV rinse.

[daredevil14]

So my wavy/curly hair has been more frizzy lately, the curls are losing their S-definitions once they air-dry. I think that I should consider changing the products which I use. Please note that I don't use any leave-in, I just seal with coconut oil and sometimes put some tiny amount of the CO-wash conditioner on the length.

Yesterday, I decided to try ACV for the first time but on a few strands, I mixed the way I did it so I dont know what worked and what didn't. I wet the strand, messaged it with a drop of ACV bottle (shouldn't I have mixed it with water instead?), then comb it and wet it again. That's it. Other times I'd reuse the conditioner on the strand.

The results were definitely positive, the parts which I used the ACV on (again, I can't judge since it was chaotic and random) were defined and soft.

My question: how do I do a full-blown, yet simple ACV rinse?

My routine: Wet, CO-wash, condition (with the same CO-wash product), comb while wet with conditioner also, [optional: sometimes seal with coconut oil, sometimes not], rinse the hair of the conditioner, recondition some rough parts and I am ready for air-drying. Most of the times I will get S-curls but not fully defined and with lots of frizz and "small hair" jumping from the main strand (if this is how I can exactly describe it)

Thanks!

[Jumper]

I have an 8 oz spray bottle without the sprayer head in my shower and a pint size bottle of ACV. I just pour the ACV in the spray bottle, eyeballing it (its somewhere between 1-2 tablespoons I think). Then I hold it under the shower and it fills up with water, and I dump it over my head. I mix it/keep the ACV in the shower to cut down on the vinegar smell in the bathroom.

Anyway, dump it over my head (usually I mix/pour over my head twice, because my hair is so thick), let it sit a minute or two, and then I rinse it well. Easiest way I've come up with to rinse and not have your whole bathroom smell like ACV or have the water be really cold from mixing it up before you get in the shower.

I was so skeptical when I first read about ACV (you want me to do what with vinegar? Pour it on y hair?!) but I'm a total convert and love how soft it makes my hair.

Now I do it every time I wash my hair... Except I am not going to this week because I am going on a family vacation that involves sharing a hotel room and I really don't feel like explaining myself :(

[Rio040113]

Personally I put a 'splash' (around 1 tablespoon) in a pint jug, dilute it with cool water and pour that over my head as my final rinse. Sometimes I rinse out the ACV with plain cool/cold water, sometimes I don't. I think I get slightly better results not rinsing the ACV out but YMMV :)

[Valkyriejae]

I mix 4cups of water with about 1/4 cup of white vinegar (I don't use acv cause it might tint my hair redish) - I pour it slowly over my hair from the scalp and sometimes kinda dip my hair into the measuring cup so it gets fully saturated, then I wait maybe 20seconds, then I rinse in cold water.

[Indigo Girl]

I use a higher ratio of ACV to water than is typically recommended, but it works well for me. I keep it in a water bottle that has a pull-top; the ratio is about 1/3 ACV, 2/3 water.

My routine is shampoo, condition, ACV, cold water rinse.

[Kimberly]

I splash some ACV into the old 20 ounce plastic cup I sacrificed for the purpose. Probably a tablespoon or two -- I put in more or less depending on how my hair feels and how sloppy I get with the pouring. In the shower, after I use my shampoo bar and rinse it out, I hold the cup under the spray until it is full. Then I gather my hair into one hand and dunk the ends in as far as I can get them, flip the hair to the other side and do the same thing, and then carefully pour the rest over my head, trying to be sure to get the nape area, down deep. If I used soap on my face, I make sure to get some ACV on there, too. Then I rinse really well without letting it sit.

Oh yeah, and I rinse with cold water -- I'm not sure I can tell the difference, but I like it anyway.

[April2000]

Sorry, but what is AVC? Is it vinegar?

[MeganE]

.... I keep a jug of straight distilled vinegar and a jug of distilled water in the bathroom. I splash the vinegar over my head, full strength, wait about a minute, then do a rinse with distilled H20.

Works for me. :shrug:

[Kimberly]

Sorry, but what is AVC? Is it vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar. Some people use white distilled vinegar, because in some cases it can cost less, and because some people find that after a while the ACV can make their hair a bit redder. I only notice reddening at the ends, maybe because my hair is weaker and more absorbent there -- but I haven't found the color to be permanent, or very noticeable on my dark (with plenty of sparklies) hair.

[daredevil14]

Thank you all for the valuable replies.

So I've done yesterday my first full-blown ACV rinse, I can say that I really really like the results; less frizz, less tangles, more curl and s-definitions.

I, however, have 2 concerns:

1) The ACV got in my eyes (and nose), it burns so much so I washed them immediately, is it dangerous? I have to find a way to not let it enter my eyes completely!

2) Will be harmful to keep doing ACV rinses on a bi-weekly basis? I mean, is it safe in general? (I have read that too much acidity can destroy hair on the long term)

Thanks!

[Bombadillo]

1) The ACV got in my eyes (and nose), it burns so much so I washed them immediately, is it dangerous? I have to find a way to not let it enter my eyes completely!

2) Will be harmful to keep doing ACV rinses on a bi-weekly basis? I mean, is it safe in general? (I have read that too much acidity can destroy hair on the long term)

Thanks!

I'm sorry that you got it in your eyes…I can really sympathize, though there seems to have been not acute damage. Keeping the eyes shut to the almost painfully cramped level seems to work for me.

As far as frequency goes, I have been wondering the same thing. There were some posts above that talked about a super diluted rinse with every wash. I did a rinse with 50/50 acv/water one week ago and was wondering if it was too soon to do it again. Or maybe I should thin it out a little more and wait for the two week mark.

[Shorty89]

Personally I put a 'splash' (around 1 tablespoon) in a pint jug, dilute it with cool water and pour that over my head as my final rinse. Sometimes I rinse out the ACV with plain cool/cold water, sometimes I don't. I think I get slightly better results not rinsing the ACV out but YMMV :)

I do this except with warm water. I sometimes find that doing it at the beginning of my shower, putting my hair up, and then doing a small rinse with water after is more effective. I also tend to use white vinegar too, but both work for me.

[Bombadillo]

It is interesting to see the variety of warm/cool/cold rinsers. There is no mention of hot water rinses here! Not that I do that specifically but I have found that if the water is too cool/cold that my hair stops growing from the shock of it.

[ExpectoPatronum]

I'm a shampoo bar user and use ACV rinses every time I wash (2-3 times per week). I use a ratio of 1 tablespoon ACV to 1 cup of hot or warm water (I usually have a little over 2 cups of rinse). Since I make it up before I shower, even if I start off with hot water, it's usually just pleasantly warm when I use it. I like to dip my ends in the cup first and swish them around in it, then pour the rest carefully onto my head. I tilt my head back and use my hand to keep too much from running into my face. I do little pours at a time for better control. I also let it sit in my hair for a minute or two before I rinse it out. For that, the shower is either warm or cool, depending on if I'm hot or cold pretty much lol. Hope you find something that works!