How to Make Hair Shiny with Vinegar

Centuries ago, people discovered that vinegar can make hair shiny. A simple mixture of vinegar and water has the ability to smooth the hair cuticle and clean the hair. Using white vinegar or apple cider vinegar after washing your hair is a great way to give your hair a boost.

Table of Contents

Use a regular vinegar solution

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Mix vinegar and water. Pure vinegar is often too strong to use on hair, so it is important to dilute the vinegar before using it. Using 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup water is enough for one wash.

If your hair is quite oily, you can add a tablespoon of vinegar. If your hair is dry or has dandruff, add a tablespoon of water.
You need to dilute the mixture more to treat curly and dyed or permed hair, with 2 to 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar.
Distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar are both effective. Many people like to use apple cider vinegar to wash their hair because it does not have a strong smell. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Wash your hair as usual. Just wash your hair with regular shampoo. If possible, use warm or cold water to wash your hair. Hot water can make hair frizzy and lifeless. Cold water will flatten the hair shaft and make it more shiny.

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Skip the conditioner. Since you will be using vinegar to rinse your hair, there is no need to use conditioner after shampooing. The vinegar mixture will make the hair shiny.

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Pour the vinegar mixture over your hair. Slowly pour the mixture over the scalp and try to make the hair on the top of the head evenly wet. Use your fingers to massage the mixture into the scalp and work from the roots to the ends.

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Wait 5 to 10 minutes. This time allows the mixture to penetrate deeply into the hair. You can take a shower while you wait.

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Rinse hair with cold water. You just need to rinse quickly with water to remove the vinegar left on your hair. There is no need to rinse your hair for too long, as the vinegar smell will go away as the hair dries.

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Dry your hair as usual. You can blow-dry your hair or blow-dry it. When finished, your hair will become shiny. The vinegar smell will also be gone.

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Repeat once or twice per week. Surely you really like your hair after washing with vinegar, so every time you wash it, you want to apply this method. However, vinegar can dry out your hair if used too often. You should only use it once or twice per week to clean hair and maintain shine. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Laura Martin

Licensed Esthetician

Laura Martin is a licensed esthetician in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin
Licensed Esthetician

Maybe you don’t know? Vinegar solutions are effective for maintaining frizz and reducing tangles because the acid in the vinegar balances the pH of your hair. Doing this once a week will help keep your scalp pH optimal and hair smooth.

Mix vinegar solution with other ingredients

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Try adding a tablespoon of honey. Honey has cleansing and moisturizing properties that are great for adding to vinegar solutions. This is extremely helpful if your hair seems a bit dry. Honey also has a very pleasant smell, which can beat the smell of vinegar when you wash your hair. If you want to add honey, you can do the following:

Mix the vinegar solution with warm water to dissolve the honey. Next, you pour water into a jar with a lid.
Stir in 1 tablespoon of honey.
Cap the vial and shake well before use.

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Use egg whites to add shine to your hair. Similar to vinegar, egg whites have the ability to clean and make hair shiny. You already have vinegar, why not try adding an egg? You can also use egg whites instead of vinegar if you have to go out after washing your hair. Here’s how to wash your hair with egg whites:

Mix vinegar in the usual way. Then pour the mixture into a jar with a lid.
Separate an egg, letting the whites flow into the jar with the vinegar mixture. If your hair is dry, you can apply egg yolks to the ends of your hair for extra moisture.
Cap the vial and shake well before use.

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Add a little oil to moisturize the hair. If your hair is quite dry, you can massage a little oil into the ends of your hair before rinsing with vinegar. You can try:

1/2 to 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon olive oil

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Make vinegar scented with herbs. If you find it uncomfortable to use this shampoo because you don’t like the smell of vinegar, you can use herbs to create a fragrance. The herb produces a gentle aroma that drowns out the vinegar and provides a pleasant feeling when applied. You can do the following: ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Mix the vinegar solution in the usual way and pour it into a small saucepan.
Add a tablespoon of your favorite dry herb, such as lavender, rosehip, sage, mint, or rosemary.
Bring the water mixture to a simmer and let the herbs sit in the pot for about 10 minutes.
Strain the herbs from the water and wait for the water to cool before using.

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Add essential oils. Using essential oils is the simplest way to overpower the vinegar smell and make your shampoo smell nice. Some essential oils are also very beneficial for hair. Just make the vinegar solution in the usual way and stir in 5 to 10 drops of an essential oil of one of the following:

Lavender. This type has soothing properties and is often used in skin and hair products.
Tea tree oil. This is an oil that helps fight dandruff and often has a strong herbal smell.
Lemongrass. This herb has a refreshing smell that helps mask the smell of vinegar.

Advice

Place a spray bottle containing one of the above mixtures in the bathroom. Use this spray to clean hair and remove soap from bathroom walls.

Warning

Do not let the vinegar mixture get into your eyes as it can cause a burning sensation.
Make sure the vinegar is mixed with water.

Things you need

White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
Water
Some ingredients combine like honey, egg whites, oils, herbs and essential oils

Steps

Use a regular vinegar solution

Mix vinegar solution with other ingredients

Advice

Warning

Things you need

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