You probably use it on a daily basis to spice up your salad and marinade, but did you ever try using vinegar in other ways? It has proven to be very useful outside of kitchen too, in the first place for housekeeping and cosmetic purposes. Even the people of ancient Babylon and Egypt were familiar with various health and beauty benefits of this multi-purpose liquid. So if beautiful Cleopatra used it as a tonic for treating her gentle skin, why wouldn’t you?
Facial Toner
Many soap cleansers are alkaline (with pH higher than 7) and the natural pH of our skin is lower, which means that only by using the acidic tonic we can set our face skin on a perfect pH level. Since the main ingredient of vinegar is acetic acid, it has high acidic properties which make it an ideal natural remedy for balancing the pH of the skin. The best of all is that you’ll need only two ingredients for making this facial toner - vinegar and water. Just mix one tablespoon of vinegar with one or two cups of water (depending on how sensitive your skin is) and the perfect homemade toner is finished! Apply it to your face with cotton wool and in a matter of days, you’ll see the beneficial effect of vinegar on your skin.
On top of being good for balancing our skin pH, vinegar (especially apple cider vinegar) also has great antiseptic (good for fighting bacteria-caused skin conditions) and antifungal properties.
Vinegar can be used for sunburn relief too. Just soak a washcloth in a mixture of 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 4 cups of water and apply it to damaged skin.
Scalp and hair remedy
Our scalp is filled with oils with a pH level of 4.5 – 5-5. This particular acidity level keeps the scalp safe against fungal and bacterial threats. The natural pH of the scalp tends to be disrupted by shampoos and many hair products that badly affect the condition of the scalp. Apple cider vinegar has a similar pH level as our scalp does. So, in order to bring your hair to ideal acidity, make sure you rinse it with vinegar on a regular basis, even once a week is enough to see the difference.
Another benefit of the vinegar for the hair is its antimicrobial property which provides the natural protection against bacteria and fungus, which are the main reason for dandruff and hair loss appearance. As mentioned above, it will help you get rid of flaking in a natural way, without harsh chemicals.
Furthermore, Apple cider vinegar may help you with detangling the hair and with reducing the frizz. It smooths the cuticle – the outer layer of the hair – which covers and protects the hair shaft.
USE – apply the vinegar to wet hair after shampooing. Massage it into the hair and scalp and plenty on the ends and let it sit for a couple minutes. After that, you may wash it all out, but it’s okay even if you let some rinse on the hair. It helps untangle the hair and prevents an itchy scalp. Don’t worry about the smell, after you dry the hair, it’s all gone!
Nessie L.B.