Apple cider vinegar is all the buzz right now, and for good reason. Apple cider vinegar is one of those multitasking ingredients that has a million and one uses. I used it when I was pregnant to fight off my heartburn, I use it on my face as a natural toner, and I use it to help fight off my dry scalp woes among other things.
I use apple cider vinegar on an almost daily basis as a toner for my skin. I use a Korean toner in the morning and ACV as a toner for my skin at night. Apple cider vinegar is a natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. As someone that has struggled with acne since my pre-teen years, apple cider vinegar is a MUST for my skin care routine. I first suds up with the Dr. Dennis Gross cleanser, use jojoba oil to remove my makeup, then I soak a cotton pad in my ACV toner and gently run the cotton pad over my face and neck, lastly I use a heavy moisturizer (I use drunk elephant) and slather on more oil. (Side note, I know using oil for acne prone skin sounds crazy, but jojoba oil is non-comedogenic and my skin loves it.)
Okay, back on track. To make the ACV toner, I simply do one part purified water (boil the water, then let it cool) and one part apple cider vinegar. Ohh & make sure you’re using an ACV that reads “with the mother”. (You can get it at your local grocery store or here online.) All you need to do is throw your 1/2 ACV, 1/2 purified water mixture into a glass bottle (I re-purposed a kombucha bottle) with an opening good for soaking a cotton pad, and you’re good to go!
I’ve seen a real improvement in the tone and texture of my skin as well as a reduction in the number of breakouts I get since subbing in ACV as my nighttime toner. IT’S SOOOO CHEAP too! I will say that the smell takes a little bit to get used to, but it subsides for the most part once the toner dries. & After using it a few times, you don’t notice the scent nearly as much. Definitely worth a try!
I also really love to use apple cider vinegar in my favorite facemask. You can find this Indian Healing Clay Mask here. I like to use this mask on a weekly basis or whenever my skin has a little flare up. Mixing equal parts ACV and dried clay gives the mask a little extra oomph! Again, the mask is super cheap, the ACV is also really cheap, so this is a super affordable skincare solution. Another excellent use of apple cider vinegar to check out.
I also love using apple cider vinegar in a homemade hair rinse. I struggle with psoriasis, and if you know a thing or two about psoriasis, it does really unpleasant things to your scalp. I use this apple cider vinegar rinse 1-2 times per week when I wash my hair. At it’s simplest, to make the rinse, you use 1 part apple cider vinegar and 3 parts purified water. I like to add 6 drops of tea tree essential oil, 6 drops of lavender essential oil, and 1 tsp of jojoba oil to give it a little extra pizazz. (You can add more or less ACV to the wash based on how your hair/scalp responds.) Add all that to a large spray bottle or squeeze bottle, shake it up and you’re all set.
You can swap out your shampoo with this rinse once a week or use it after shampooing whenever the mood strikes. I find this really helps with the condition of my scalp, and it also makes my hair crazy soft. To use the rinse, create little parts in your hair, and spray/squirt the mixture onto your hair + scalp until fully saturated. Once fully saturated, let it sit in your hair for 3-5 minutes before rinsing. Your hair may smell a bit like apple cider vinegar, but don’t fret! Once your hair dries, the smell dissipates. Give it a try, and let me know what you think!
These are 3 of my favorite uses for apple cider vinegar. There are about a million more that we can get into at another time. In the meantime, got heartburn?? Mix a little ACV with some water and knock it back. Maybe rub a little diluted ACV on your armpits as an all natural deodorant?? I haven’t tried that one yet, but I sure will!
Enjoy your Sunday, or whatever day it is that you’re reading this! Thanks for stopping by.
-Claudine
somethingslate[at]gmail[dot]com
Learned something new today. Thanks for the info! 😎