Posted May 2, 2018

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Bliss and Vinegar

By Rebecca Monaco

Let’s talk about our scalps – home to those pesky little flakes that appear against our beautiful brown, blonde, black or red hair. Our scalps produce sebum, the natural oil that, when over produced, can cause dry scalp or dandruff.

If you have shoulder snow, you know! The struggle to find a dandruff remedy that works is real. Like me, I am sure you’ve experimented with all sorts of  dandruff remedies only to find your self washing your hair like, 2x a day because otherwise you’re a flaky grease ball. Not cute.

The real problem is that we focus so much money and attention on protecting our actual hair, we forget (or don’t even realize) our scalps need TLC, too. So when we start to notice any type of flakes or build up in our hair, we freak out!

All too often, dry scalp and dandruff are confused for one another. Dandruff is a skin condition called seborrhea, which is redness, itching and flaking of the scalp. While dry scalp can have similar symptoms, dry scalp can be caused from cold air while dandruff is an overproduction of sebum. Dandruff can also be triggered by a fungus called malassezia, which can be a result of hormones, age or stress.

What’s the Fix, Sis?

Most people reach for mass market dandruff remedy shampoos to combat flakes and build up. Now knowing the root cause of dandruff and dry scalp, I wanted to dig deeper into these products and investigate the ingredients.

Let’s take a look at the ingredient deck of the most widely marketing dandruff remedy shampoo:

Active Ingredient: Pyrithione Zinc 1% Inactive Ingredients: Water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycol Distearate, Zinc Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Fragrance, Dimethicone, Sodium Benzoate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Magnesium Carbonate Hydroxide, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Blue 1, Red 33

I don’t know about you, but after reading all of those ingredients I still have no idea what’s inside. Just as with your body, you should be careful of what you put on your hair. I’ve been on organic kick so I wondered if there was a natural way to treat an unhappy scalp. A Google search revealed that Apple Cider Vinegar has been used for centuries to treat these exact conditions.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

• Balances the pH levels of sebum
• Antibacterial and anti-fungal
• Clarifying
• Adds shine

According to naturallivingideas.com (2017),

“Our hair and the natural oil that comes from our scalp, known as sebum, have a pH level of between 4.5 and 5.5. When kept at this acidity level, the scalp is safeguarded against fungal and bacterial growth, ensuring healthy hair and skin.Unfortunately, many shampoos and other hair products disrupt this natural pH which can affect the cuticles of the hair and the condition of the scalp. Apple cider vinegar is naturally high in acetic acid and has a pH level which is close to that of human hair. Regularly rinsing with this vinegar can help bring your scalp and hair to its ideal acidity, especially if you have oily hair.”

Pureology to the Rescue

Imagine my delight when I discovered Pureology launched Vinegar Hair Rinse to address all of my dandruff and dry scalp issues – and more. I read the label and was pleased that the ingredient list is  half the size of typical dandruff shampoo.

Key Pureology Vinegar Hair Rinse ingredients:

 Water, Alcohol Dentant, Vinegar, PEG-60, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Octyldodeceth-16, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-indica Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin

To use, apply Pureology Vinegar Hair Rinse to your scalp after shampooing, massage it in for a couple of minutes, (I like to leave it on while I shave) and then rinse and condition. Pureology Vinegar Hair Rinse removes product build up (most likely the dry shampoo you’ve been using for the past four days) which clarifies the cuticle, enhances shine and most importantly – allows your scalp to get a much needed breath of fresh air.

And I didn’t even have to ransack my pantry!

Pureology Vinegar Hair Rinse is available in all Bubbles Hair Salon locations and online at Cibuforhair.com