by MaryO

Created on: August 15, 2008

With so many hair products on the market it is easy to spend countless dollars trying to find a shampoo or conditioner that suits your hair type and needs. We read the labels and buy a product hoping it will live up to fulfilling those promises with results. Sometimes they do but often times they just don't quite measure up! A simple alternative, and one that is inexpensive, gentle, free of chemicals and unfamilar three syllable words, is apple cider vinegar!

Healthy hair begins with Restoring the scalps natural ph balance. This starts with removing build up from shampoos, conditioners, chemicals and other hair products. One way to achieve this at minimual cost and with excellent results is by using vinegar. Preferably apple cider, but, plain vinegar can be used as well. Using products free of additives and those that are pure and simple go a long way in helping to maintain a healthy scalp and beautiful, managagable, hair.

Many of us might be concerned that vinegar is harsh and might dry or make hair brittle. Contrary to what you might think regarding vinegar, (due to its acidic nature), it actually works to neutralize the ph balance of your scalp and hair. In doing so it conditions the hair by restoring its balance.

Using vinegar as a hair rinse is an excellent way to thoroughly cleanse and stimulate the scalp and hair folicles while neutralizing (balancing) the ph of your scalp and hair. Try following shampooing with a rinse of vinegar insted of conditioner.

Using a solution of a quarter (1/4) cup of vinegar diluted in a cup of water, pour over scalp and hair and massage into scalp. Keep pouring the solution until it is gone massaging it into the scalp each time. Then rinse completely with lukewarm water.

Vinegar is not only an excellent cleanser and deodorizer, but it adds sheen and shine to your hair and leaves it soft and managable. It will enhance highlights in hair giving it an extra shine. Use it weekly to keep the scalp build up free.

You can add other ingredients to a vinegar rinse such as a tea made of fresh rosemary, nettles, or chamomile. Gather the fresh herbs and place in a cup of freshly boiled water, cover and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Add a quarter cup of the tea to your vinegar solution, reducing the water by 1/4 cup.

Rosemary is a very powerful cleansing agent and helps if you have excessive build up or oily hair. Nettles are great if you have an itchy scalp or problem with dandruff. Chamomile is healing and brings out highlights in blonde hair.

Following the use of any hair product be sure to always rinse hair with lukewarm to cool water, throughly. When using vinegar always dilute it in warm water first and rinse competely.

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