I've been using apple cider vinegar in my regimen since I started this hair care journey. I also get questions about how to incorporate apple cider vinegar into a regimen. Based on my personal experience, there are 5 ways you can use apple cider vinegar on relaxed hair.
After neutralizing shampoo: When you use apple cider vinegar after using a neutralizing shampoo, you are basically using it to lower the pH of the hair. The pH is a measure used to determine the acidity and alkalinity of a substance. The scale is represented by numbers ranging from 0 to 14 where 7 is neutral. Greater than 7 on the pH scale is more alkaline and less than 7 is more acidic. The pH of hair ranges between 4.5 – 5.5. Lye relaxers range from 12 – 14 and no-lye relaxers range from 9 – 11. (source: Design essentials) That means you need to use a neutralizing shampoo to bring down the alkaline levels toward a more neutral level. Apple cider vinegar is acidic and therefore, helps to bring up the acidic levels. All this brohaha simply says for your hair to be back to pH of 4.5 – 5.5, use apple cider vinegar to help achieve that.
- Final Rinse: Again, apple cider vinegar can be used as a final rinse after rinsing out all your wash day products. The purpose is to reduce itching scalp as well as again, balance pH of the hair.
- During and After braiding/ weaving: This will relieve your scalp of itches and dandruff. The acidity of apple cider vinegar helps to reduce inflammations and irritations on the scalp as a result of the weaves or braids installation process.
- During relaxer preparation: Use apple cider vinegar to help keep the pH level of the hair in balance, ensure a healthy scalp and heal irritated scalp to make your relaxer application go smoothly.
- After colour treatment: colouring your hair is almost like relaxing your hair. The hair dyes, especially, permanent ones like what I use [see here] raise the pH level of the hair during application. Using apple cider vinegar will work to lower it just as in the case of relaxer application. This would reduce the tendency to suffer breakage and dryness from the dye.
I have never used ACV in my hair. Maybe I will soon. Informative post.
ReplyDeletei use ACV to clarify my hair instead of shampoo
ReplyDeleteHi! i am detangling my hair with ACV, i want to relax is straight after detangling, should rinse out the ACV first? thanks
ReplyDelete