Hair rinses – what are they?
Acidic hair rinses are natural conditioners, that help you achieve soft, glossy, smooth hair without the use of synthetic ingredients. If you want to care for your hair and scalp with organic products that are good for you and the earth, acidic hair rinses are the perfect thing for you. The most well-known hair rinse consists of apple cider vinegar and water. If you live in an area where you have hard water, the calcium and magnesium in the water supply can create a film on your hair, resulting in dry hair and dandruff. Acidic hair rinses remove hair product and water mineral build-up and are suitable for all hair types, but work exceptionally well for those with dry hair.
Hair rinses can be easily made with ingredients almost everybody has at home. To make your own hair rinse you need 1 litre of cold water (distilled water is best) and 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Apple Cider Vinegar works particularly well, as it contains numerous
minerals and antioxidants that nourish your hair intensely.
When creating your homemade hair rinse, the relation of apple cider to water is 1:2; this means 100ml apple cider vinegar would ideally be mixed with 200ml of cold water. If you’d like to use less vinegar, you can do so, and the hair rinse will still work. The first few times you apply your own DIY acidic hair rinse it may be better to use less apple cider vinegar; after your hair gets used to the treatment you can slowly increase the amount of vinegar you use.
Why should you be using acidic hair rinses?
Every day your hair is exposed to harmful UV radiation, heat, chemicals, environmental pollutants, and hard water. When you first make the switch to natural organic hair care you may realise that your hair is not as happy as usual. It’s possible that after using silicone-free products your hair seems dry, brittle and less shiny. This may be the case because the hair is not as protected; you can recognise this when your hair looks dull, is difficult to manage, and your scalp is itchy.
Hair rinses neutralise the pH level of natural hair care products and protect the outer hair cuticles. Acidic hair rinses are especially beneficial if you use natural hair soaps, as they remove any traces of soap and nourish hair, leading it to look healthy and strong again.
Hair rinses neutralise the pH level of natural hair care products and protect the outer hair cuticles. Acidic hair rinses are especially beneficial if you use natural hair soaps, as they remove any traces of soap and nourish hair, leading it to look healthy and strong again.
Acidic rinses also help clean your scalp. This means you’re less likely to suffer from dandruff, and your hair becomes softer and less tangled. The vinegar surrounds your hair cuticles like a protective layer, making hair shinier and easier to comb through.
Acidic hair wash application
An acidic rinse is used as a leave-in conditioner. After washing your hair, pour the homemade rinse over your head, massaging it lightly into your hair and scalp. Acidic hair rinses don’t need to be washed out. While the strong vinegar smell may at first make you uncomfortable – don't worry! As soon as your hair dries, the smell will evaporate. You can use hair rinses as often as you’d like.
To ensure your hair stays shiny we recommend applying an acidic rinse at least once a week.
But be careful if you have coloured hair!
If you’ve dyed your hair at home with colour that contains high levels of ammonia or silicone, you should be particularly careful: when using acidic rinses, the hair colour may be washed away. It could be that the colour stays in certain areas, or that generally the colour washes out faster than usual. On the other hand, acidic rinses are great if you’re looking to get your natural hair colour back, as they gently and naturally remove colour from hair.
Acidic hair rinses don’t affect the colour created by natural hair dyes, such as henna dyes. If silicone-free products are used, it isn’t a problem for acidic rinses to be used too, as they will not remove colour from hair. Acidic hair rinses can also help remove silicone from hair; when used regularly, all silicone residue should disappear within six months.
When using apple cider vinegar or other acidic hair rinses, it’s super important that the hair rinse is cold. When warm, it is significantly less effective. Also please note that hair rinses should be freshly made each time before being used on your hair.
Hair rinse recipes and alternatives
The basic formula for creating your own DIY hair rinse is to mix 1 litre of cold water with 2-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. While other types of vinegar can be used, the vinegar should have low acidity, as apple cider vinegar does. We recommend using vinegar with an acidity of 5-8%.
Instead of using apple cider vinegar, you can create a hair rinse with lemon juice, citric acid, or tea. For 1 litre of water, it’s best to use 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice. When using citric acid, it’s important to not use too much, we recommend one teaspoon for 1 litre of water. If you regularly use lemon juice or citric acid hair rinses, your hair may become lighter in the sunlight.
Rinsing your hair with tea, applying a so-called tea-rinse, is best for those with coloured hair. A rinse made with chamomile tea is recommended for blondes, whereas black tea increases colour and shine for those with dark hair. For ideal results, you should let the teabags seep for 4-5 hours, and then place your DIY hair rinse in the fridge for a couple of hours to ensure it is cold before applying.
Did you know it’s best to rinse your hair with cold water? If you’re in a hurry or do not have any vinegar handy, rinsing your hair with cold water is still recommended. Using cold water helps your hair look shinier and healthier.