I have been using this natural “shampoo/conditioner” for almost 4.5 years now! I remember one day I read an article where it promised that if I wash my hair with soda/vinegar for about two weeks my hair will stop getting oily every other day (as it was)! So I gave it a try and ever since, I don’t regret I did! Today, thanks to those few ingredients my hair gets oily only after about 5-6 days now. It stays healthy, polished and shiny!
Ingredients:
- Baking Soda – 2 full teaspoons for 2 cups of water-works as shampoo
- Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) – 1 part of ACV to 4 parts of water-works as conditioner
- Rosemary Essential Oil (optional) – 4-5drops (into ACV solution)
Other items:
- Cups/bottles where to mix vinegar/baking soda
- Shaver-for mixing baking soda with water
How to make it:
I do it the easy way because I’m always in a hurry… I keep a jug of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) either inside the tub/shower or under the bathroom’s sink. I also keep the bag of baking soda in the same bathroom where I always wash my hair, under the sink.
Before hopping in the shower, I grab a cup (that I have in the picture) and throw in 2 full teaspoons of baking soda. While already in the shower, I then fill that cup with warm water, straight out of the shower.
Then I mix it with the handle from the shaver! Apply the solution to my hair starting at the roots and working my way down. After massaging in into the hair for a few minutes, rinse off with warm water. After rinsing soda solution from my hair all the way with water, I then start washing it with a vinegar solution.
I don’t prepare vinegar solution in advance either. I do that while also in the shower. After I rinsed my hair from baking soda solution, I then take that same cup (rinsed), and pour vinegar straight out of the jug without measuring it. So it’s approximately 1 part of vinegar to 4 parts of water. It will not hurt if you will do more or less of it. Then add water straight from the shower as well. No need to mix those two ingredients since the stream of water does that for you!
Optional: Add a few drops of Rosemary Essential Oil to the solution.
Rinse your hair with this solution. Rinse off this vinegar/water/oil solution with warm water and then continue with a brisk cold-water rinse. This will add good circulation to the scalp and help prevent hair from falling out easily.
Optional: Massage Rosemary Essential Oil onto the scalp after washing your hair while it’s still damp.
P.S. Often times I skip the step of putting drops of Rosemary Essential Oil into the vinegar/water solution and go straight into applying the oil onto the scalp while the hair is still damp after getting out of the shower.
Benefits of Rosemary Essential Oil: Stimulate hair growth, prevents baldness, slows graying and treats dandruff as well as dry, itchy scalp. (It also enhance memory when smelling it.)
Benefits of Baking Soda: Reduces oiliness in hair and neutralizes bad smell. Treats rashes, and itchiness.
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV): It contains acetic acid, potassium and enzymes. Because of those qualities, ACV balances the acid base scalp and alkalizes it. Removes dead skin cells from the scalp, cures dandruff, itchiness and split ends. Kills yeast kind fungi and bacteria on your scalp. Gives proper blood circulation that helps to maintain healthy scalp and hair.
Caution:
It is possible to strip your hair and scalp from natural oils (sebum) resulting over production of the grease/oiliness if using too much baking soda in 2 cups of water. Your hair may also get dry and brittle at the ends and heavy at the top for that same reason. So if your did notice that with your hair, gradually minimize the amount of baking soda from 2 teaspoonfuls to 1 or even 1/2 teaspoons in 2 cups of water.
It usually takes about two weeks for your hair to get used to this transition. In the beginning your hair will continue being greasy every other day. After a while you will notice that you only need to wash it once a week!
Additional notes:
It is always a good idea to alternate the soda/vinegar wash once in a while with an egg wash or just simply plain water wash. The egg wash will nourish your hair with proteins taking away grease. Plus it adds body and texture to the hair. Might sound nasty but that is science! It also increases hair growth through vitamins A, D, E, B12, and biotin. Iodine, selenium, and pantothenic acid gets you shiny and healthy hair. All you need to do is whisk a warm egg in a bowl and massage it into your hair thoroughly. Rinse well with warm water. Optional: finish rinsing with cold water to close up the pores.
Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone to try different things! Washing your hair with something other then shampoo/conditioner, bought from the store, might be the best choice to go with if you care about what you put/use in your body!
Lenas Healthy Notes 