A few months ago I shared with you my love for washing my hair with homemade shampoo bars! Today I want to follow up that post with my conditioning herbal vinegar rinse in order to round out my family’s natural hair care routine and hopfully give you a little inspiration.
Simply put…we use vinegar and herbs to condition our hair.
Using vinegar as part of your natural hair care routine will restore it’s natural shine and leave the hair follicle full of life! Here’s how it works…the acidity from the vinegar removes build-up, residue, and all of the nasty gunk left on our hair from commercially-prepared conditioners. Vinegar closes the cuticle of the hair — which opens when we shampoo — and when the cuticle is tightly closed off, light is easily reflected making your hair shine.
Vinegar also acts to improve circulation in the smallest capillaries of the bloodstream — this helps bring the blood supply, along with all of the nutrients and oxygen, to the scalp.
Rosemary is an excellent hair cleanser and stimulates hair growth. Likewise, peppermint aids against thinning of the hair.
The Recipe
Gather the ingredients:
-1 part organic apple cider vinegar
-3 parts water
-a handful of fresh rosemary (use dried if that’s what you have)
-5 drops essential oils of rosemary (per 8 ounces of rinse)
-5 drops essential oils of peppermint (per 8 ounces of rinse)
Directions:
1. Coarsely chop fresh rosemary.
2. Bring water to boil and add rosemary.
3. Reduce heat to low and steep rosemary for 45 minutes. Be sure the pot is covered so as not to loose any of the vital properties of the herb in the steam.
4. Strain infusion through a fine mesh sieve.
5. Allow to cool.
6. Add vinegar and essential oils to the infusion.
7. Stir well to combine.
8. Load into spray bottles.
9. I have always kept this in the shower without ill effect.
How to use this Conditioning Herbal Vinegar Hair Rinse
- After shampooing and rinsing your hair, spray the herbal rinse on your hair and massage into your scalp.
- Avoid the eyes!
- Rinse the rinse or…
- To extract the maximum conditioning benefits, just leave it in and towel dry the hair.
- Don’t worry, the smell of vinegar dissipates as your hair dries.
Notes
-I follow this hair care routine — i.e. shampoo and conditioning rinse — once every 2 or 3 days. I do not wash my hair everyday. This routine has proven to restore my hair’s natural vitality.
-This vinegar rinse is not recommended for color-treated or processed hair.
-Rosemary and mint are excellent for darker hair.
-Variations include:
- Chamomile-infused water and essential oils of lemongrass and grapefruit to bring out the natural highlights in lighter colored hair.
- An infusion of nettle leaf and essential oils of lavender to treat problems of the scalp.
What does your natural hair care routine look like?
Shared on: New Nostalgia, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Simple Lives, Your Green Resource
This is so interesting! I am new to the whole “natural products” thing and I have never heard of using natural hair care products let alone homemade! So interesting, thanks for sharing! I am “pinning” this for future reference. I can’t wait to read more on your blog, this is my first time here. I’m off to discover more natural things I didn’t know existed
Welcome Jami and thank you very much for pinning this post
I’ve read that rosemary is good for dandruff, so I’m sure it would be a healthy addition to a hair rinse, even for those without dandruff! I imagine the scent would be relaxing too :0)
Excellent point Naomi! Yes, rosemary is really good for dandruff as is calendula I believe.
Thank you so much for this rinse. I think I really need to use it as I have a lot of build-up and my hair feels very sticky. But I have color treated hair – (Using most natural color treated I can buy.) Why should you not use this rinse on color treated hair?
Thanks so much!
Well…let me just be honest Linda:) I have read conflicting reports about using the vinegar rinse on colored hair. Most people say that it is okay to use the acv rinse on colored-treated and some say that over prolonged use the vinegar may dull the color? I just wanted to err on the side of caution
I don’t want to be responsible for anyone’s hair color fading!
I’m going to try it. Just love your site and all the info! Thanks!!!
Thank you Linda:)
I use something very similar in an old plastic cup, but never thought about using the spray bottles. Where did you find those nice bottles?
I order them online from Specialty Bottle. I think they have the best selection and prices
Thank you for this recipe. I have been washing my long, thick, white hair using a paste of baking soda and rinsing with apple cider vinegar mixed with water. My hair does not get yellow from the well water, nor do I have any dandruff. It’s quite easy and I believe uses less water.
Don’t you just love it Ellen!
I certainly do, Andrea. I love your website!! Thank you.
I know this is probably a terrible question, but what if you’re one of those prolonging the aging process and color your hair? Can you use the shampoo bars and what about conditioner? I try to only color every 3 months at this point…and that’s beginning to stretch it…..but I try to be as natural as possible in every other area of my life. Just curious if you knew what I could do.
Thanks.
It’s not terrible
Yes you can use the shampoo bars. As as said to Linda in a previous comment…I have read conflicting reports about using the vinegar rinse on colored hair. Most people say that it is okay to use the acv rinse on colored-treated and some say that over prolonged use the vinegar may dull the color (just like most commerical products do)? In the post, I simply wanted to err on the side of caution 
I don’t want to be responsible for anyone’s hair color fading! That said, I do know people who use this rinse without any trouble. You could always spot test it.
Thanks so much!! I appreciate your help and completely understand your caution…Nobody wants to walk around with orange hair.
I use Henna (Lush.com) to cover up the grey in my hair. Do you think the rinse will fade the henna? I wash my hair 2-3 times a week.
That is a great question Kathy! I need to do a bit more research on that…
I contacted Lush.com and this was their response (can’t believe how quickly they responded!!)
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for writing to Lush!
Anything acidic will likely cause the henna in your hair to fade a bit. How much henna is stripped will vary: depending on your hair type, how much vinegar you use, how long the vinegar is in your hair, and so on. So basically, the vinegar will speed up the fading of your hair colour, but it will probably do so gradually.
So, if you want to keep your hennaed hair as bold hair, I’d suggest using a vinegar rinse only occasionally!
If you have anymore questions, just let me know!
Kind regards,
Kiran
Wow! That was quick!
That’s exactly what I have read about using vinegar rinse on color-treated hair…so it’s good to know that they say the same:) Thank you very much for posting that for us!
Yes!!! Where did you find those bottles?
I haven’t used any herbs, but we’ve been using just ACV with water and it detangles like a pro! Way better than any commercial product I’ve ever bought, and I’ve tried ‘em all! Time to go a little deeper and try the herbs too!
Do you have any suggestions/recipes for color-treated hair?
If you were to use this rinse only a few times a week, I think it would be okay. But as for recipes specifically for color-treated hair…I need to do a bit more research
Enjoying your blog and looking forward to trying some of your recipes for natural products!
Is it important to use organic acv? I already have non-organic, is that okay to use?
Thanks!
I always use non-organic, and it works wonderfully.
Hi Kendra! By all means, use what you have
Non-organic will be fine.
We have 5 in our family with mid back to waist length hair! My twins are 13, one is 12, and the other is 10. We have been using the baking soda wash but not as a paste. We mix with enough water to make more of a slurry and add a little more water as we wash. I tried some homemade soap we bought off ebay but didn’t care for the results. We also use ACV rinse. I’d love to try the herbs and essential oils in our rinse. Seems like I remember that rosemary releases some oil. If so, that would be good for dry hair. I have one who has a dandruff problem in the winter. Do you make your soap hot process? I finally bought lye and need to get my oils. I really don’t want to do cold process because of the cure time. That crock pot method looks worth trying! Thanks for the informative post.
I am going to try this! I had been doing a baking soda wash and an ACV rinse, but then it came around to my time of the month and my hair became extremely greasy and I couldn’t get rid of it! Have you heard of this happening? Perhaps using the right type of herbs will help this? Any suggestions?
Love this..I will be trying this herbal conditioner out.
Great post! I have been going back and forth on make soaps at home. I can’t wait to try this! Have you posted on or have seen any sources for homemade no-tears baby shampoo/body wash?
None yet!
I follow a very similar hair care routine. I shampoo with either my bar soap that I make or a homemade shampoo and then do an herbal vinegar rinse. I play around with the herbs depending on what I have on hand. As someone who always had hair that was very prone to tangle – I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the rinse’s ability to detangle my hair.
This is a fantastic DIY recipe. Thank you
You said that a vinegar rinse is not recommended for color-treated hair. Why? My hair is color-treated but with a natural dye from Whole Foods, called Naturtint. It’s spendy, but fabulous!!!
I’ve never tried shampoo bars, but I’m trying a combination of the “no shampoo” method and natural shampoo..oh, that’s pure vanity, because I would be mortified if I walked into church with a greasy head of hair
It seems to be working great…and I”ve noticed that my hair is doing better, ieven with this 50-50 method 
Apple cider vinegar and water has been the BEST detangler on my hair…for sure
Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather
I use the acv also but have been rinsing it out I never thought to leave it in I’ll have to try that. I use 1 T acv to 1 cup water in an old contact solution bottle. I have thought about doing a peppermint tea for the water but will have to try the fresh herbs steeped. Thanks for the ideas.
Do you have any recipes for color treated hair??
Not specifically at this time. I have read and heard from others who have color-treated hair that use a vinegar rinse 2-3 times per week without any ill effects.
I have highlights, and I have used a water/vinegar rinse once or twice a week with no problem. People comment on my hair color, and shine often..
Should i keep them in the refrigerator or they can stay outside? how long can it stay good for? I am about to try it this weekend = )
Hi Andrea! I love your site and am learning so much, which I greatly appreciate. Thank you! I’m curious about what size the bottles are?
So I tried the vinegar rinse this morning along with the shampoo bar and my hair feels really heavy. Could this be due to old build up? I also have really thick so I am not sure that just spritzing the vinegar on my hair was enough. Do you have any advice?
Hi fellow eco-hippies (phrase coined by my super supportive hubby)! Here’s my hair care routine:
I make a paste with baking soda and water, massage into my scalp and then rinse. I do this every 5 or 6 days (more often if I get really sweaty from gardening), but that’s it! My hair is nearly to my waist, and I never have to use conditioner or anything else. I just comb it and let it air dry.. My hair feels a thousand times better than it ever did using commercial products! (Ditch the ‘poo!)
any notes or suggestions about grey hair? I’m too cheap & too lazy to color – lol!
I see alot of articles about using vinegar and baking soda for hair spray build up. I use alot of hairspray and wash my hair every other day even after I wash it when I use the curling iron it feels almost crunchy.Its awful ! does the baking soda and vinegar strip your color out? Should I mix the baking soda w/warm water or w/shampoo, I’ve read both opinions., and if I use baking soda do I use vinegar the same day? (at the same time? Please help.