Using vinegar as part of your hair cleansing routine will leave your hair shinier, and maybe even bouncier! The acidity from the vinegar will remove build-up of any residual conditioner and all of the gunk that we use in our hair. It also closes the cuticle which opens when we shampoo our hair. When the layers of the cuticle are tightly knit together, the light is able to reflect off the cuticle, making your hair shine. Finally, vinegar has a tonic action that promotes blood circulation in the small capillaries- helping bring nutrients and oxygen to the scalp.

To further enhance the action of this rinse, we have some herbal suggestions for you to consider. This is a very simply recipes that can be prepared in less than ¾ of an hour.

Preparation of Herbal Vinegar

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup of herb(s) of choice- dried
• 2 cups of boiling water
• Glass jar(s) that contain 20 ounces of liquid

NOTE: If you have jars of sufficient size and enough room in your fridge, you could increase the quantity.

Directions

1. Boil slightly more than 2 cups of water in a tea kettle or a small saucepan (compensates for evaporation).
2. Add the herbs and the vinegar.
3. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil.
4. Simmer on the stove for 15 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and allow the infusion to steep for 30 minutes.
6. Allow your infusion to cool.
7. Strain and pour the liquid into the clean jar.
8. Close the lid.
9. Refrigerate for later use.

How to Use a Vinegar Hair Rinse

1. On the day of use, it is a good idea to put the rinse into an empty shampoo bottle with a dish detergent type lid. This makes it easier to apply the rinse evenly without getting it everywhere. We don't recommend storing the rinse in the plastic however- just remove what you need from the glass jar in the refrigerator.
2. When you have finished rinsing the shampoo and conditioner out of your hair, pour the rinse on your hair and massage your scalp.
3. Avoid getting the rinse in your eyes- it stings!
4. Rinse it out with fresh water or......
5. Alternatively, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave it in and towel dry hair. The vinegar smell disappears as your hair dries.
6. Make sure you rinse out the shower afterwards, as some herbs can stain. Also be careful with towels.
7. Do not use the rinse more than twice a week as it may over-dry your hair if used too often.
8. This rinse in not recommended for color-treated or processed hair, as acetic acid can interfere with the treatments.

Herb Selection

You can tailor your herbal rinse based upon your hair type. You can use one, or even multiple herbs - just adjust the quantity if using multiple herbs.

Thin and/or Dry Hair

• Burdock
• Calendula
• Catnip
• Chamomile
• Horsetail
• Nettle
• Peppermint
• Saw Palmetto

Oily Hair

• Lavender
• Thyme
• Yarrow

Color-Enhancing Herbs

Some herbs may have a very slight color-changing effect on your hair's natural highlights:

• Chamomile: lightens
• Rosemary: darkens
• Calendula: lightens