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TKC: (ACV) Apple Cider Vinegar, Hibiscus & Honey Rinse Preserve

25 Mar

By Kelly

I don’t know about you, but I love my ACV rinse.  It leaves my hair feeling so soft and, well, the texture it should be.  The thing about ACV rinsing is that it takes care of what most commercial hair products don’t.

Nadia makes good points about ACV in her blog, but I will re-iterate for the cause…

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What does pH mean to hair?

pH stands for potential hydrogen, or the acidity or alkalinity of a product. 7 is the neutral spot for pH but anything between 6.5 to 7.5 is considered to be a neutral range. Anything above 7 is alkaline and anything below 7 is acid.

Hair is on the mildly acidic side of the pH scale and has an ideal pH of 4.0 to 5.5, which is close to that of an apple cider vinegar rinse (pH 2.9.)

The surface of a strand of hair is covered with overlapping sheets, somewhat like the scales on a fish, or the shingles on a house. This surface is called the cuticle.

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Alkaline solutions raise these scales, so they stand up. This makes the hair rougher, makes it look dull, and makes the hair shafts stick together due to the rough texture.  Many of the hair care products we use, such as soap-based shampoos, bleaches, hair colours, and permanents are strongly alkaline.

The shampoos that are made slightly acidic, keep the cuticle smooth and lying flat on the hair shaft. Ingredients like citric acid are added to acidify the shampoo.  However, to make a shampoo pH balanced manufacturers often put chemical acid called triethanolamine (TEA), which may be contaminated with nitrosamines that have been known to cause cancer.

Also, as shampoo mixes with the water in the shower or bath, or mixes with dirt on the hair, it can become less acidic as the acids mix with alkaline water or dirt. A compound (usually sodium citrate) that releases more acidifying ions when the acidity gets low, or absorbs acid when the acidity gets too high, is called a buffer.

The question is, how many acidifying ions in the shampoo will remain to release acidifying ions after applying and rinsing off conditioners and other treatments if the shampoo was only slightly acidic to being with?  Is shampooing with a slightly acidic shampoo enough for your hair?

 

How does ACV Help?

For the pH level of the hair to remain at or near 4.0, it’s best for it to be the last or near the last process to avoid dilution. For this reason, I use my ACV rinse AFTER all my shampoo and conditioning treatments.  Otherwise, adding ACV to your Leave-in conditioner, Deep Conditioner or Spritz is recommended.  Whatever you choose, you now know that the pH balance is an essential part of keeping your hair in good health

Rinsing with Apple Cider Vinegar will bring the pH level of your hair to approx. 4.0 which is just what the hair needs. Rinsing will close the numerous cuticle scales which cover and protect the surface of each hair shaft. This imparts a smoother surface which reflects more light and as a result leaves your hair shinier, smoother and easier to manage.

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The ACV mix is made as a concentrate and stored in the fridge.  The honey contained serves as so it’s ok to keep for about 1 month. 

 

 

Ingredients:

500ml Water

500ml Apple Cider Vinegar – contains more than 30 nutrients. From pectin to minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium, apple cider vinegar is a rich natural source of vitamins. Its antiseptic properties arrests growth of harmful germs that cause myriad infections

5 Tbsp. Hibiscus (Sorrel to the West Indians) – Prevents hair loss, Enhances growth of hair, Discourages split ends, Thickens hair, Prevents premature greying of hair, Prevent dandruff, Gives a soapy quality to Shikakai.

3 Tbsp. Honey  – Serves as preservative which would enable the mixture to keep for about a month in the fridge.  It is also a humectant which naturally attracts and promotes retention of moisture.

 

Directions:

1. Bring water to the boil and add Hibiscus.  Simmer for 20 mins.  Allow to cool.

2. Sieve out Hibiscus and add ACV and honey.

3. Pour into an airtight container and keep in fridge

 

IMPORTANT:

When needed, pour out only 200ml and dilute with water up to 1 litre.

 

It takes the hassle out of my treatments.

As mentioned before, I prefer to pour over my hair when I have finished my other treatments and processes.  I pour over my hair, leave for 5 mins and rinse off.

I would then use my leave-in, seal and protective style as usual.

 

Did you try it?  Let me know how you get on…can’t wait..


 
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Posted by on March 25, 2011 in Hair Care

 

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Wash Day – All About The Hair

30 Nov

After focusing on my scalp last week i was looking forward to spending a bit of time on my hair this week. I was due a shampoo so got out my Aubrey Organics Desert Herb Shampoo, which is an all natural sls free shampoo. I wanted to make sure my hair was loved up and glowing by the end of the session so here is what i did:

  1. Hot Oil Treatment – I sectioned my hair into four and applied Avocado oil to each section and then twisted the section. Put on a plastic bag and left it for about an hour.
  2. Shampooed – Once only, focusing on my scalp and making sure it was clean. I always wash my hair in sections because it stops it from tangling and that’s why i start off with twisted sections right at the beginning, for this purpose.
  3. Detangled – Using a cheapie conditioner (Vo5 Silk Elixir). One section at a time applied conditioner, untwisted  and detangled, first using a wide tooth comb and then followed with a Denman Brush. Rinsed and re-twisted each section before moving on to the next.
  4. ACV Rinse – I didn’t want the cheaper conditioner coating my hair strands and reducing the effect of the deep conditioner. It’s sole purpose was to aid detangling so i wanted to make sure i got it out whilst also giving my scalp a subtle kiss and saying i haven’t forgotten about you ;-p. I used about 1/8 – 1/4 cup acv to about 1 litre water and poured over my hair, massaging my scalp for a few seconds before rinsing.
  5. Deep Conditioned – Using J/A/S/O/N’s Sea Kelp conditioner, honey and macadamia nut oil. Untwisted, applied conditioner and re-twisted. Put a plastic bag over my head and then sat under my dryer hood for about 20 mins (was way too tired to go any longer). Then i let it cool down to body temperature before rinsing.
  6. Rinsed – with cool water without taking down the twists to ensure hair stays detangled.
  7. One section at a time, untwisted, applied leave-in conditioner, Shea Pomade and hair oil to my ends and then oiled my scalp with the Shea pomade massaging it in well before cornrowing. So i end up with four cornrows ready to air dry.

One thing i did notice today was how my hair felt after shampooing. I’ve been co-washing mostly and using other cleansing methods such as the Indian herb powders so this is my first shampooing in a month. My hair felt quite squeaky and dry after shampooing which i’m not sure about. Aubrey’s is definitely a good brand to use so am not questioning that. I guess that i’m now seeing how my hair reacts to different things which is really interesting. If i had shampooed every week i’m sure i would not know how it’s really making my hair feel as that’s all i would know. Now i have deviated and tried something new i can see what effects it really has on my hair. I will definitely leave the shampooing to once a month and co-washing and cleansing with herbs the rest of the month as my hair felt good after each session. However my hair was beautifully clean after shampooing and ACV rinsing so i know my DC really penetrated deep into my hair without any obstacles. I will never shampoo without doing a DC, as I think they go hand in hand. A rinse out conditioner just won’t cut it.

My hair feels smooth, soft and well moisturised and i’m well pleased. 

 
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Posted by on November 30, 2009 in Apple Cider Vinegar, Deep Condition, Hair Care, Hot Oil Treatment, Shampoo

 

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Serious Scalp Loving

22 Nov

I decided today to focus on my scalp as it’s still slightly irritated. So i got out my Aloe Vera Gel and castor oil for a pre-poo treatment before co-washing.

Here’s what i did:

  • sectioned my hair into four and applied Aloe Vera Gel liberally to my scalp and massaged it in running my hands over my strands to pull the gel down into my hair.
  • Applied Castor oil to my ends and covered my hair with a plastic bag.
  • After an hour i rinsed and co-washed with herbal essence hello hydration and detangled each section with a wide tooth comb, re-twisting each section.
  • Final rinsed with ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) 1/4 cup to 1 litre water and rinsed out with cool water.
  • Then took down each twist, spritzed with the spritz mix, applied my homemade Shea pomade and finished by applying my hair oil mix onto my ends.
  • Used the Shea pomade to ‘grease’ my scalp and then braided each section into a cornrow to air dry.

The aloe vera gel made my scalp tingle so i think it was working well. I left the ACV on my hair and massaged my scalp for a minute or so before rinsing. I’m tired of the oily neck, ears and forehead i get when i oil my scalp with the oil mix, so i used the pomade instead. I’ve found it works better for my scalp. It’s extremely dry (my scalp that is) so the heaviness of the pomade lasts longer on my scalp and really seals it preventing dryness for a few days. But what i’ve noticed by doing this is that my hair strands feel less moisturised without the oil. It seems to have kept in all the moisture from the spritz and pomade. So now i apply that to my hair alone.

Next time i’ll make a few changes to this by doing the following.

  • Use a different oil to treat my hair instead of the castor oil. Castor oil is so thick that people use it to seal the moisture in. It didn’t penetrate my hair shaft as it’s so thick, so it left my hair feeling no different at the end of the pre-poo treatment. I’ll probably use either Avocado oil or olive oil.
  • I’ll do a deep conditioning treatment after the ACV rinse as it left my hair a little stripped. ACV is good for treating the scalp but it is also a natural clarifier so it will take off all the product on your hair. So i will need to re-condition my hair after to put back all that moisture.

I must admit now that my hair has dried it feels soft and moisturised so i guess no harm done. Even so, next time i’ll definitely deep condition.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

  • Cider vinegar contains alpha-hydroxy acids, is an antiseptic and balances pH
  • It closes the hair cuticle preventing product build-up and leaves the hair shiny and smooth
  • You should use a cap full or one tablespoon mixed into two cups of lukewarm water as an after shampoo clarifying rinse
  • Its also good as an in-between wash rinse to get rid of itchiness.
  • It discourages the overgrowth of yeast-like fungus known as malassezia furfur that sets off dandruff.

I’ve already listed the benefits of Aloe Vera in a previous blog. I bought my Aloe Vera Gel from Holland and Barratt.

 
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Posted by on November 22, 2009 in Aloe Vera, Apple Cider Vinegar, Hair Care, Pre-Poo, Scalp Issues, The Benefits Of...

 

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