Our dressing tables are lined up with olive oil, essential oils and coconut oils so that we can reach out to them whenever we need. But there are also certain ingredients from our kitchen that are multitaskers. Vinegar is one such ingredient that is useful in the kitchen as well as for skin care. Vinegar is proven to make skin better. Vinegar has so many benefits when used in your hair care routine as well.
Vinegar is made by converting sugars into alcohol and alcohols into acids. This process gives it antibacterial properties. Apple cider vinegar is one of the most used beauty hacks. Its vitamins and nutrients making it antibacterial and antifungal. With a lengthy list of ways it can be used, no wonder ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) continues to be the most used ingredient in natural remedies and DIYs.
Here are a few ways ACV can be used in your beauty regime:
Face Mask For Cystic Acne
Cystic acne is normally caused by excessive oil glands or bacteria. This kind of acne can be felt under the skin even before they are spotted on the face. Apple cider vinegar can be effectively used to treat the cystic acne and also be used to lighten the spots that the acne leaves behind.
Rather than applying the apple cider vinegar directly on the spot, a facial mask is found to be more effective. Here’s the recipe for DIY facial mask:
Take a tablespoon of ACV and add 2 to 3 tablespoon raw honey that can act as an exfoliant but at the same time not irritate the skin, then add half a tablespoon of organic turmeric powder which has soothing and healing properties, add a teaspoon of baking soda which is powerful enough to treat the cystic acne then lastly add raw oat powder so that it can help in healing and treat the dryness and irritation of the skin. Blend it in the blender and apply it. After cleaning it, follow up with applying moisturizer to prevent the dryness.
Sunburn Spray
Rather unheard of, isn’t it? It might actually seem strange that something acidic might be helpful in curing the inflamed, itchy skin. But apple cider vinegar is very helpful in treating the blistering heat. Even though apple cider vinegar can be used to treat the sunburn that doesn’t mean you need to stop using SPF creams. You’ve to always use the SPF creams before you go out in the sun. But if you still have sunburns than you can give it a go. But note that it may or may not suit your skin type hence you should probably do the patch test first.
DIY Sunburn spray : Take a teabag and add lavender buds and chamomile flowers to it and brew it in about ounces of water. Once the tea is brewn and it reaches room temperature add four and a half tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to it. Take a spray bottle and pour it in the bottle. Use this spray on the affected areas but avoid the open split skin areas for safety. Both the flowers will help in soothing and they have anti-inflammatory properties.
For Soothing Foot Soak
Soaking your feet in a warm water after a long day at a work is the most relaxing thing ever. If you struggle with toxins and skin issues then you must try this DIY foot soak. Why because our feet have large pores which can help in absorbing products more easily. That is why natural foot detox is more popular now. Apple cider vinegar also has antibacterial properties. But it also makes the skin dry that’s why you have to mix up different products. Try this DIY salt foot soak:
Add 1/4 th cup of Epsom salt or sea salt, 1/3rd cup of ACV and a few drops of your favorite essential oil (lavender or peppermint oil) to warm water and soak your feet for at least 30 minutes and even scrub it if needed.
Hair Rinse Using ACV
As said already apple cider vinegar has antibacterial and disinfectant properties, it can be used in cleaning the scalp. Another thing to be noted about ACV is that it doesn’t strip off the oils in the hair that are necessary for the growth of hair. It can be used as an alternative shampoo once in a week and what’s the plus point is that it can be used on all types of hair and particularly for those who have dandruff issues.
Mix 2 – 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a cup of water and pour in a few drops of lavender oil to it. Store it in a bottle and use it to rinse your hair once in a week. Apply it all over your scalp but avoid any contact with your eyes. You can even infuse it with tea or roses as well. Rinse thoroughly and then condition your hair.
ACV Body Cleansing Tea
If you are a DIY beauty and organic lover then you’ll love reading this recipe. You’ll be surprised to know that ACV not only treats open wounds but also has many anecdotal properties that can be helpful in cleansing the body as well. But one thing you need to remember is that you need to buy organic ACV that has nutritional fact in it. You can brew body tea at home itself. Simply brew a nourishing tea with apple cider vinegar which is rich in skin benefits and a tablespoon of honey. Do not add sugar to it. It is necessary to add honey to it. Store it in a bottle and add it to the shelf in your washroom or you can even store it in the fridge to increase its shelf life. This body tea helps in removing dead cells and helps reduce irritation.
ACV Toner Spray
Apple cider vinegar is known to reduce the pores on the face. It is also true that there is no way we can totally shrink the pores from the face but we can try to reduce them considerably to minimum (reducing them to their normal size)
If you do not know then let me tell you ACV acts as an astringent. It has the ability to act as a toner and to tighten the skin while cleaning the pores. You can use either of these two DIY toners. Apply rose water as a base on the face, followed by the combination of ACV and vodka as a toner. You can also mix ACV with distilled water and apply it with the use of cotton pads. Then apply moisturizer to compensate for the dryness.
Remove The Stains On The Nails
The most common reason for the yellow color stains on the nails is due to the lack of oxygen or due to the non-application of base coat on the nails. The yellow stain is nothing but the fungal infection. As apple cider vinegar is well known for its anti-fungal properties it is an apt product for the stained nails. You do not need to do any DIY for this, you can directly use the ACV on the nails. Your nails are free of fungal infection in no time.
To Clean Jewelry
Yeah, you read it right. ACV is a very good cleanser and that’s why it can be used to clean jewelry. ACV can be used to clean metals as it has various anti-bacterial and antiseptic qualities. But it is always safe to use a cloth to clean the jewelry instead of applying ACV directly or no matter what method you use. Also, do not use ACV on stones, just stick to metals.
Well, I m sure now you will always have apple cider vinegar on your shelf and will always keep it in stock.
