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Why Vinegar?
The use of vinegar with a variety of
plants or essential oils for cosmetic purposes
can be traced back to the Romans and was fashionable
during
the nineteenth century as vinegar de toilette.
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The outer layer of the hair, the
cuticle, covers the hair shaft and protects it like the
bark on a tree. The cuticle is made of overlapping
layers of long scales that lie along the surface of the
hair like shingles on a roof. It is the condition
of the cuticle scales that determines whether you are
going to have a bad hair day. When the cuticle is in
good shape, is unbroken, and lies flat, your hair has a smooth appearance.
When the layers of the cuticle are tightly knit
together, the light is able to reflect off the cuticle.
This is what makes hair shine! The cuticle opens
when we shampoo our hair. When the cuticle layers
are open and not knit together, the hair will feel
rough, coarse and brittle. The hair will absorb
the light rather than reflect it, which gives the
appearance of dull and lifeless hair.
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A Bad Hair Day! |
Vinegar removes
scaly build-up and residue from hair shafts
and closes the cuticles. Since residue coats
the hair causing it to look dull, removing residue gives
your hair more shine. By closing the cuticles, the
hair slides more easily and there will be fewer tangles.
Vinegar has a tonic action that promotes blood
circulation in the small capillaries that irrigate
the skin.
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The cuticle, covers the hair shaft and protects it
like the bark on a tree.
If the cuticle scales are laying flat, the hair will
look shiny, and a comb or brush will glide smoothly. |
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If the cuticle stays open it can start a tear in the
hair shaft that ultimately leads to breakage of the
hair shaft. |
What Kind of Vinegar Should
I Use?
Although plain
white vinegar will work
just fine, Apple Cider Vinegar seems to be the favorite
hair care vinegar.
Simple Recipe
A
good amount to make for long hair is 1/2 tablespoon of
vinegar to 1 cup of water. If you want to get
fancy,
create a vinegar rinse
tailored to your hair by adding herbs and/or natural
essential oils.
I have included an herb and vinegar rinse and an
essential oil vinegar rinse that I use below.
How
Do I Use The Vinegar Hair Rinse?
After shampooing apply the
vinegar rinse.
Now you have a few choices. You may rinse it all
out if you want, or
leave the rinse on your
hair. I rinse a little--one quick spray of water.
Leaving the vinegar rinse on your hair helps prevent
tangles in long hair. Since the vinegar restores
natural pH it also helps prevent an itchy scalp.
As your hair is drying you will smell vinegar, but once
your hair dries, no smell. I was skeptical at
first--but this really works!
How
Often Can I Use The Vinegar Hair Rinse?
Since everyone's
hair is different
you
should use your own judgment on this.
Some
say that vinegar rinses may
be drying if used every day and it is best to
restrict use to two times per week. I used a
vinegar rinse every other day for the first few
weeks--until my hair adjusted to the new shampoo--now
once or twice a week keeps my hair healthy and shiny.
Many customers have found this regimen to work, but do some experimenting!
Some
Helpful Hints
Pouring cold vinegar rinse on your hair in the shower
may be a more invigorating experience than you would
like.
(Although if you're feeling brave, the cold water will give your hair added shine.)
Keep
a small plastic container of vinegar in your shower.
Next, recycle a small clear plastic bottle with a squirt
top (your old shampoo bottle may work). Choose the
amount of rinse you will need to make for your hair.
Mark the vinegar line and water line on your bottle.
Now you can pour in the vinegar and add warm water from
your shower and squirt the rinse on your hair!
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Beauty Secret Facial Toners
Toner #1: Use one teaspoon
of cider vinegar and two tablespoons of water.
Toner #2:
Use one part apple cider vinegar to three parts
witch hazel or rosewater for a gentle toner
suitable for all skin types.
Toner #3:
1
cup water (rain, distilled, or spring)
1 heaping tablespoon dried
Peppermint or Sage leaves (or 1/4 cup fresh)
3 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar (if skin is oily
use 2 more teaspoons)
To make an infusion of the peppermint or sage
leaves,
heat water until boiling. Remove from heat and add
herbs. Cover and steep for 20 minutes.
Strain out plant material.
Add
vinegar and stir well.
Pour into a clean bottle and label. Shake well to
ensure the mix. Store in refrigerator for best
results and use within 3 weeks. Use toner
after cleansing.
Use a natural
cotton pad to apply the toner to your facial area.
Note: Add a drop or two of lavender or tea tree
essential oil to your toner
to fight against blemishes and bacteria. |
Fancy Herb & Vinegar Hair Rinse
Rinsing your hair with vinegar after shampooing leaves
it shining. Certain herbs can highlight or enhance
your hair color, as well as condition it.
For example, rosemary and parsley are good for dark
hair, sage will darken graying hair, chamomile will
highlight blonde or light brown hair, calendula
conditions, lavender and lemon verbena add fragrance,
linden is good for frequently shampooed hair, and
nettles will control dandruff.
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This rinse is made from the herbs themselves, not
essential oils.
You can use either fresh or dried herbs.
If you have a rosemary bush handy, use a sprig or
two-- each about 5 inches long. For dried
rosemary use about a tablespoon. Rosemary is
one of the best herbs for hair.
Fresh lavender is also
nice to use. Most of the herbs you can
grow in your garden will probably be useful in
some way or other. Fresh herbs are wonderful to
use, but do remember to rinse them if they have
been sprayed with anything.
Cut fresh herbs in the morning after the dew has
dried.
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If using dried herbs, you can
use them either loose, tied up in cheesecloth or muslin
fabric, or in teabag form (like one chamomile teabag).
If use using loose herbs, you will need to strain
your "tea" prior to use (I use a coffee filter)--you
don't want to have bits of herb caught in your hair
afterwards!
Although there is no need to sterilize equipment, since
this is not going to be a food product, clean all
equipment thoroughly before starting. Wash in hot, soapy
water and rinse well in hot water.
Herb & Vinegar Hair Rinse Recipe #1:
This is a quick recipe for one application
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon of cider
vinegar
- herbs of choice (see below)
- about 2 cups of boiling
water
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Directions:
1) Boil the water in a small
saucepan.
2) Add the herbs and vinegar.
Cover and allow the "tea" to steep for at least 15
minutes. If you want a stronger herbal infusion,
add more herbs, cover and simmer on the stove for 15
minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow to steep
for 30 minutes.
3) Allow your infusion to cool.
It should be used that day or refrigerated for later
use. You may also double or triple the recipe.
Just be sure to refrigerate the unused portion.
4) When you have finished
rinsing the shampoo out of your hair, pour the rinse on
your hair and massage your scalp. If you have very
long hair, as I do, you can dip your hair into the jug
before pouring its contents over your head. Avoid
getting the rinse in your eyes, particularly if you have
used essential oils. Also make sure the
temperature of your rinse is just right for you.
5)
Rinse it out with fresh
water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave it
in and towel dry hair. The vinegar scent will
disappear as your hair dries.
6) Make sure you rinse out the
shower afterwards, as some herbs can leave it looking
slightly tea stained; similarly, watch out for your
towels. The staining is only temporary and washes out
very easily; it is more likely to occur with extra
strong infusions.
Herb & Vinegar Hair Rinse Recipe #2:
This recipe makes a larger batch and takes longer to
prepare
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cider vinegar
- 1 cup chopped herbs of
choice (see below)
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Directions:
1. Place
approximately 1 cup of chopped herbs in a glass jar.
2. Cover with 2 cups of vinegar.
3. "Steep" this mixture in a tightly closed jar or
bottle in the refrigerator or in a dark, cool place
for two weeks.
4. Strain steeped vinegar from herbs through
cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a fresh, clean
bottle.
5. Refrigerate up to 6 months. (I always leave
about a weeks worth in my shower!)
Tip:
If you
don't want to wait two weeks, speed up infusion by
heating the vinegar before pouring over herbs.
"Steep" for a few days!
When ready to
use:
dilute 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of the herbal vinegar in 1 cup
of water.
Rinse through wet
hair after shampooing.
Rinse it out with fresh
water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just
leave it in and towel dry hair. The vinegar
scent will disappear as your hair dries.
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Rose Vinegar:
3/4 cup vinegar
One tablespoon fresh dried rose flowers
One cup distilled water
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Heat the rose flowers with the
vinegar and water. Bring to a boil and
steep for 30 minutes. After cooling , place mixture
in a jar with a tight fitting lid and let sit for 2
weeks. Strain the rose flowers from the
vinegar and use the liquid for your hair rinse.
Beauty Secret Vinegar
Facial Soak:
Heat the rose vinegar slowly
until it is a comfortable temperature to apply to
the skin. Soak a clean warm wash cloth in
vinegar and lay over the face for five minutes.
Repeat this procedure four times, each time
re-dipping the washcloth to reapply. For best
results, keep the washcloth on the skin for a total
of 20 minutes. This facial soak is an excellent
exfoliant and skin stimulant. |
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Useful
HAIR Herbs
Burdock:
great for thinning hair, dry, irritated scalp,
dandruff, and seborrhea
Calendula:
conditions
Catnip:
Promotes healthy
hair growth
Chamomile: a healing and soothing herb to soften hair,
soothe the scalp,
lighten, condition, and stimulate growth
Horsetail: Helps brittle hair due to its
high silica content
Lavender: useful for all hair types it
stimulates
hair growth, and degreases |
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Marigold: lightens hair color
Nettle: conditions,
improves
color and texture, helps with dandruff, irritated
scalp, and dry scalp
Parsley: enriches hair color and gives a nice
luster
Plantain:
great for dry, irritated scalp, dandruff, and
seborrhea
Peppermint: stimulates the scalp
Red Clover:
Rosemary: excellent for all hair types and
problems it acts as a
tonic and
conditioner, one of the best herbs to use, gives
luster and body, stimulates growth, helps with
dandruff, and brings out dark highlights in the
hair |
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Sage: traditionally used to restore color
to graying hair, excellent for week hair
Saw Palmetto:
good for hair
thinning and hair loss
Thyme: good for oily hair, dandruff,
and
mild hair
loss
Witch
Hazel: leaves and bark are astringent and cleanse oily hair
Yarrow: for oily hair
Yucca: Navajos swear
by yucca root to prevent hair loss and to cure
dandruff. |
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Essential Oils:
You
may add essential oils to the recipe above (I would
suggest adding up to 10 drops of lavender or 5 drops of
rosemary essential oil) or use the essential oil hair
rinse recipe below. Some words of CAUTION:
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There are many wonderful essential oils that
could be used but you MUST do some research.
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Essential oils are very strong and many can be skin
irritants if not used correctly. Lavender is one
of a very few essential oils that can be used directly
on skin. Others like clove or thyme essential oil
WILL irritate your skin if used full strength.
Even though the oils are diluted in this recipe--you
must be knowledgeable about the amount of essential
oil to use in your dilution.
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Essential oils are expensive. But do NOT use the
cheaper fragrance oils
or "nature identical" oils.
These are synthetic, can cause skin irritation and
provide none of the benefits of natural botanical
essential oils.
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If you are interested in using essential oils
click here
for some
helpful information.
Essential Oil Hair Cleaning Vinegar Rinse
Ingredients:
(This makes a large batch that you can
use as needed)
- 2 cups of cider vinegar
- 10 drops of essential oil
(suggestions: lavender, rosemary, clary sage, rose
geranium, lemon, or patchouli)
Directions:
- Mix vinegar and
essential oils. This mixture should be stored in
a glass bottle since the essential oils may react with
plastic.
- This mixture can be
used right away, but if you allow it to sit for a day
or two the "flavors" will blend.
- When ready to
use: dilute 1/2 tablespoon of the vinegar/essential
oil mixture in 1cup of water.
- Rinse through wet
hair after shampooing.
Rinse it out with fresh
water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave
it in and towel dry hair.
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Beauty Secret Cocoa Butter Dry Ends Cream
Although nothing mends split ends once they form, use
our Three Butter Lotion
Bar to temporarily seal
split ends and discourage hair from splitting further.
To use, rub a small amount of the lotion bar between the
fingertips and apply sparingly to dry ends between
shampoos. |
Click link
to read disclaimer
concerning health information.
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