Apple Cider Vinegar: Why use this magical natural hair conditioner

We have talked about the main problems with conditioners in natural hair care, and mentioned a few times the use of Apple Cider Vinegar as a great conditioner substitute. The hair care industry talks very little of this magical hair ally. Maybe because it's affordability, ease and magic would make many conditioner brands be forgotten. We decided to share all we know about Apple Cider Vinegar here, and hopefully make you help a conscious choice when choosing natural products for your hair.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a great conditioner when using saponified shampoos. It makes the hair soft and shiny, when used correctly. But how does it work?

How does it work?

 Saponified shampoo bars have an alkaline PH. That happens due to the saponification process, which occurs naturally between oils and an alkali. After using a saponified shampoo bar, your hair may feel a bit stiff Immediately after washing hair. This is a normal feeling that should disappear within a couple minutes, as your hair regulates its PH. In order to make this process faster and more efficient, apple cider vinegar comes in as a PH neutralizer and a conditioning agent.

Apple cider vinegar has a naturally acidic PH. When you rinse your hair with it after using shampoo, you neutralize your hair's PH, making it soft and easy to detangle. Because the saponified shampoo bar only gently cleaned your hair without stripping its natural oils, the apple cider vinegar works as a conditioner and there will be no need to use a conventional conditioner (which are usually packed with artificial ingredients or have low biodegradability levels).

Ok, you are sold on the benefits of using ACV. But how to you use it?

How to use:

1. Wash your hair with a saponified shampoo bar. (We have quite a few here and here!) 

2. Fill 1/10 of a jar/cup with ACV and complete the other 9/10 with warm water from your shower. - I use a regular mason jar but any small glass works! My advice is to leave a ACV bottle in the shower next to a cup and pour a small amount on the cup to do the rinse. You can add any temperature of water for this, I like adding shower water because it will be the temperature of your shower and help you avoid a cold rinse! 

3. Pour on hair, from roots to ends. Massage and wait a couple of minutes. Rinse with warm water. Your hair will not smell like ACV after you use it, as long as you rinse with water before leaving the shower. Another tip that I love for the ACV is adding a few drops of orange or rosemary essential oils (or steeping them in the vinegar!) to give your ACV rinse a nice scent.

4. Detangle hair after the shower and seal in moisture with your favorite hair oil or butter. We love our Matcha Serum, which is light and helps improve hair shine and reduce dandruff. For a leave in for defined curls we like using our Calm Cream, which reduces frizz and helps create defined and hydrated curls. 

Not convinced yet? Think about all this positive aspects of ACV and compare that to your conditioned next time you wash your hair!

ACV is...

- Accessible

- plastic free

- biodegradable

- closes + protects hair cuticle, - locks in moisture

- helps detangle hair

- enhances shine.

If you have tried our Body Bars with an apple cider vinegar rinse, leave your thoughts in the comments or email us at hello@circularbodies.com to share your experience :)