Hello I am new to this website & I have a Major Question. What does Vinger & water do to your hair? My mother has done it  for yrs. & the reason was if it was good enough for Shirley Temple then it couldn't hurt anyone elses hair. I now have a 7 yr. old that hates it so if anyone has a clue why I should or shouldn't use it...... please email me.....

Hunebear2002  :-*

Vinegar is used as a rinse to clarify your hair.  I was taught to use 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water and pour it through the hair after shampooing.  This will remove any residue from the shampoo and leave your hair soft and shiny.  You can then use your conditioner after the vinegar rinse.

If you have light brown or blonde hair, you can use a lemon juice rinse for the same purpose.  The lemon juice will help bring out the blonde highlights.

I would think lemon juice would be rather harsh to the hair.

i used lemon a few times (i never tried vinegar, i am just too afraid even the slightest smell will stay). i'd say it's milder than vinegar. the recipes i found with lemon had to stay way longer in the hair (like 15 minutes for one lemon squized into big glass of water) and this could be done twice a month (for vinegar they advise just a couple of minutes of reaction time and just once a month). i don't leave it this long but it works. lemon smell lingers though, but i don't mind.

styg, there's really nothing to worry about as far as vinegar leaving a scent on your hair. I was worried about it at first too, but as long as you rinse well enough afterwards it won't be a problem, and if you condition after using the vinegar that will more than eliminate the smell as well.

I'm hardly an expert, but based on what I've learned from my own reading and research I can tell you that vinegar has been used by women for centuries for clarifying hair (I even read a novel set in medieval England once which mentioned using vinegar to clean hair). You don't need a whole lot; personal experience has shown that a 3:1 ratio of water to vinegar is quite effective without being overpowering. I have read that using too much vinegar can upset your scalp's pH palance, however.

Some people like to use a vinegar rinse with each washing, while others only use it every couple weeks or however often it's needed to eliminate buildup from conditioner, oil, and other products.

And then of course there's the variety of vinegars to choose from...my personal choice is apple cider vinegar, which according to various online resources also helps remedy dandruff and scalp itchiness. Some vinegars are milder or harsher than others, but I couldn't tell you which is which.

Anyway, I hope that helps some. Once you figure out how to best utilize it according to your own needs, vinegar is a very effective (and inexpensive!) addition to any haircare routine. :)

P.S. -- Welcome to LongLocks!  ;D

I haven't actually done a vinegar rinse in about a hundred years. I want to get back into it, so I looked in my cupboard and the only type of vinegar I have is Malt Vinegar.

Does anyone think that would ok to use? (It's great on fish and chips - so why not hair, right?  ;))

wrote on Nov 17^th, 2004 at 3:50am:

styg, there's really nothing to worry about as far as vinegar leaving a scent on your hair. I was worried about it at first too, but as long as you rinse well enough afterwards it won't be a problem, and if you condition after using the vinegar that will more than eliminate the smell as well.

yeah, i know, but my bf looks already very scared when i just even glance over at the vinegar hehe. i would have to try it without him knowing it or he'll bitch anyway on how much i smell!

wrote on Nov 17^th, 2004 at 3:50am:

You don't need a whole lot; personal experience has shown that a 3:1 ratio of water to vinegar is quite effective without being overpowering. I have read that using too much vinegar can upset your scalp's pH palance, however.

is that ratio for an 8% solution or 12% (i think both are sold). not that it would make an awful difference of course.
about the scalp, you can fo course not rinse it at all. it's what i would do. actually i am not scared of the vinegar staying in my hair, but rather on the skin cuze i know from experience (cleaning of fridge with 4% solution) that it tends to really stay in the skin easily. on top of that it burnt tiny holes into my fingers (ok, admittedly i was kinda stupid not to use gloves cuze it took quite a while to clean that fridge).
some people say vinegar is the best against lice (for sure, did it as well as a kid) and even dandruff (that i don't know). others say it will upset your scalp and hence worsen the condition.

i think i'll try wine or apple cider vinegar but just on the lengths!

I use red wine vinegar, hoping it will enhance the red in my hair.  I don't know if it does or not, but it looks pretty and comes in a pretty bottle.

I use a very small amount in a bottle and then fill with distilled water and rinse afterwards.  I want to try what Bikerbraid said about using the vinegar rinse after the shampoo and then rinse I guess, and then conditioning.

strawberryfine

Red vinegar?

.... never seen it before...

Is it hard to find?

Red Vinegar...thats a really good idea...

Why didn't I think of that? I have some in my fridge and I completely forgot! Well, I used the malt vinegar in the end on my hair last night and it did the trick.

I'll defo try the red next time though.

Anais, you can buy it virtually in any shop that sells various vinegars. I got mine in the Asia Market. The one I got is called Red Wine Vinegar.

Great for salad dressings too!  ;)

i am not a red wine vinegar fan (tastes too much like bad wine hihi), but it's deffo good with oisters: make a 1:1 mixture with lemon juice and add a freshly chopped shallot.

and it's supposed to be nice on dark hair  :-*