5 Beauty Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar

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Organic apple cider vinegar, complete with “the mother” sediment has earned a reputation as somewhat of a “cure all” in the past decade.  Those who faithfully swear by its numerous health boosting qualities know it as an inexpensive “supplement” to their daily diets.

In addition to the health benefits of ACV, there are also a few ways it can be used as part of your beauty regimen – and can work better than store-bought beauty products!  Raw, unfiltered ACV contains numerous enzymes, antibacterial agents and antifungal agents that can really help with some common beauty complaints.

Porous hair

ACV is immensely helpful for hair that is porous. Porous hair can be the result of damage caused by styling tools, chemical treatments, excessive UV exposure, and even sometimes by nutrition or simply due to genetics.

When your hair is porous, it tends to have less weight, be more prone to frizz in humid weather since it absorbs the moisture in the air more readily, and look dull and lifeless.  ACV’s natural acidity helps to seal the cuticle and “patch up” these pores in the hair, thereby making the hair lie flatter, absorb less moisture, and reflect more light which means more shine. 

It also helps to gently remove styling product buildup and provide a great surface to which your hair conditioner can adhere. In addition, ACV is excellent for scalp health because of its naturally antifungal properties and mildly astringent qualities. It is often recommended to rinse with half water and half ACV to boost scalp health, keep dandruff at bay and help address porosity.

A natural skin toner

ACV works wonderfully as a skin toner or astringent when diluted to about half concentration with water. It helps to gently remove surface sebum which can cause acne and also acts as a natural antibacterial agent to kill acne causing bacteria as well as other unfriendly bacteria. 

ACV is rich in natural alpha hydroxy acids, so it helps to exfoliate dead skin cells, flakes and other buildup that causes skin to look dull.  Since it is also a mild natural skin lightener, it can help to even the skin tone by lightening skin discolorations caused by UV exposure.  It can also help balance the pH of your skin, which helps keep skin healthy and resilient.

Removal of tooth stains

ACV can help to remove stains on your teeth.  Simply swab the stained teeth with a cotton ball soaked in ACV.  Rinse immediately after since ACV is acidic, and over time can cause enamel wear if it is used in excess or not rinsed off quickly enough.

ACV can also help prevent bad breath by swishing with a diluted solution.

The antibacterial qualities of the vinegar help to cause odor causing bacteria in the mouth. Some people have even successfully used ACV as an underarm deodorant.

Natural remedy for psoriasis and eczema

Psoriasis and eczema are two of the most common skin and beauty complaints, not to be surpassed of course by acne which still is the number one problem.  Incidentally, ACV not only helps your skin fight acne, but it also has proven helpful in the treatment of psoriasis and eczema.

Psoriasis and eczema are both inflammatory skin conditions, and both deal with dry, scaly skin.  ACV addresses both of these issues, in addition to any fungal causes that could be adding to the problem since it is both anti-inflammatory and antifungal in nature.

Clear up bruises faster

Soaking bruised skin in a cotton ball soaked with ACV for an hour periodically is a folk remedy to help lessen the blue and black coloring of a bruise.  ACV helps increase the circulation just below the skin’s surface, which may help the blood that has pooled and formed the bruise to break up faster.  Multiple people have reported that this simple remedy works wonders to not only fade bruises faster, but also to help any related pain subside more quickly.

Danna Norek founded AuraSensory.com where you can find a line of natural hair and skin care products including the popular Natural Sulfate Free Shine Enhancing Shampoo (ACV is one of the important ingredients) and Deep Hydration Conditioner.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/bruise.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Danna Norek
Owner, AuraSensory.com at AuraSensory.com
Danna Norek founded AuraSensory, a line of naturally inspired and effective hair, body and skin care products free of harmful chemicals.