Daily ACV rinse??

[gi2121]

Hi everyone,

I'm on a journey towards not super long hair like most of you :) (doesn't suit my face shape), but towards slightly longer, healthy hair. In terms of growth I'm hardly at shoulder length, and my goal is around collarbone.

My face and scalp skin are extremely oily and acne-prone. I used to shampoo every other day, but on the second day my hair would already look miserable, flat and oily. So I gave up shampoo and begun CO, with nice results (still have to CO every other day, though). Then I got fascinated by the Water Only thread and gave it a try.

With WO it's been a mess!!! I'd rinse, massage and brush daily but my hair would look horrible, oily and disgusting and flat as can be :(.
I decided yesterday to try an ACV rinse to end a WO rinse. I just gave it a shot, without too much hope since I've read the acv doesn't cut greasiness. But, what a surprise... It did!!! My hair looked clean and quite good! Not shampoo clean, maybe not even CO clean, but clean enough for me to let it be one more day. Then I did it this morning again, and it keeps working! Hair looks good, maybe a bit dry on the ends. I'm now on day 4 after a CO! I never ever thought that would be possible with my very greasy scalp.

Now, my question is: could a daily ACV be harmful in the long run? Maybe dry the hair too much (I notice some crunchyness on the ends), or cause some kind of scalp imbalance due to the acidity? I'm using one generous TS of ACV for about 6,5 oz... is it diluted enough to be safe for a daily use??

Thanks a lot for your help, you are truly the Web Gods of Hair :D!

[countryhopper]

Well, i don't have TOO much experience with this, but I use tea rinses twice a week (same idea as ACV, but vinegar makes my hair greasy), and I haven't had a problem with it, and I've been using it for 4 months now. But I'd think it would be fine to use daily.

[gi2121]

Thanks for your answer!
Well, they say "Too much of a good thing is a bad thing" :), and it's usually pretty accurate for everything in life, so I'll go easy on the ACV rinse, I don't want to mess everything up.
I think I'll CO tomorrow, then wait as many days as possible without looking gross, then do an ACV rinse and see what happens then...

[FrannyG]

I don't WO, I CO, but I do use a very dilute ACV rinse after every CO. It makes my hair shinier and removes some residue. My hair is very happy with it.

[Carolyn]

As long as it's a weak ACV rinse I don't see why it would hurt anything.

[gi2121]

Carolyn, do you think the ratio I'm using is ok? (1 tablespoon for 6,5 oz)
Thanks for the answers!

[FrannyG]

That sounds like a fairly strong solution for every day. You might want to do that dilution only once in a while.

For everyday use, I only use two tablespoons of ACV in an 8 cup pitcher of water. It is still somewhat acidic, but not too much. It took me a while to figure out this ratio, and it's been working for years.

Of course everyone's hair has different likes and dislikes. I would experiment with more diluted solutions though.

[Centelleo]

I use 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons for 2 cups (16 oz) of water and that's still a smidge too strong for my length (close to ASL). However, I only use the rinse every 5 to 6 days so I can't tell you if frequent usage will lead to dryness or scalp oil imbalance. Everything in moderation, especially when it's a new step in your hair care routine. :)

[gi2121]

Yes, I also think I have to be careful... and I'll also try to dilute it more if I happen to use the ACV rinses frequently.
Why is it so difficult for me to have both clean AND healthy hair?? :confused: