Closing the Cuticle

[My Friend]

Hi,

I was wondering if rinsing your hair with ACV and warm water closes the cuticle like a cold water rinses?

Ty

 

[virtuenow]

I guess you mean rinsing hair rather than washing (or at least I have not heard of washing hair w/just acv). ACV is good as a final rins to close the cuticle. Anyway, I think it goes a step above and beyond just "cold water". Maybe you can make your acv rinse cold and take care of that all at once.

 

[BronxMyth]

In my experience, it closes the cuticle way better than cold rinsing. It also left my hair untangled. Some ladies stopped doing ACV because it lightened their dark hair. But I just stopped using it out of laziness. So I guess it good to use in moderation.

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

Acv or regular white vinegar. I think regular vinegar is less drying than acv but I'll need to try it again to be sure. It doesn't need to be cold. Do it as a final rinse although I like to still rinse it out with icy water lol. I don't think all the cold is actually necessary though...

 

[SerenavanderWoodsen]

In my experience, it closes the cuticle way better than cold rinsing. It also left my hair untangled. Some ladies stopped doing ACV because it lightened their dark hair. But I just stopped using it out of laziness. So I guess it good to use in moderation.

I've been using acv every wash and co wash for about a month now. My hair actually does look a tiny bit lighter or more reddish looking since I straightened yesterday. or I may be imagining..hmmmmm....

I just read that acv can darken hair (for light haired people) and leave red tones..but I think some people may experience lightening for other reasons.. who knows. I think I'm going to use white vinegar for now because I have a huge bottle and it seemed to make my hair much more manageable and less dry than the acv... it was really fabulous

 

[My Friend]

Thank you all for the responses. I hate rinsing my hair in cold water...BRRRRRRRRRR.

 

[My Friend]

What other method ensures you are closing the cuticle?

 

[KinkyGenius]

I do a final rinse with Porosity Control conditioner to close my cuticles.

 

[LushLox]

I do a final rinse with Porosity Control conditioner to close my cuticles.

Yep, this is exactly what I do - and it works!

 

[gn1g]

how do you mix the acv?

 

[Nonie]

I am still of the mindset that cold water doesn't close the cuticle and that it is a low pH that does. I've never rinsed my hair with cold water on purpose and when the hot water has ran out while I'm rinsing my hair, my hair hasn't felt good being rinsed with cold water. It actually feels rough and hard as if it's turning into stone fiber or sth. I always use lukewarm water on my hair, even my ACV rinse is warm.

 

[curlycrocheter]

How often do you guys do ACV rinses. I cowash often because my head sweats alot, especially under my satin bonnett at night?

 

[Nonie]

How often do you guys do ACV rinses. I cowash often because my head sweats alot, especially under my satin bonnett at night?

I do ACV rinses at the end of every wash. I wash my hair twice a week. If I throw in a CW in-between, I still end with an ACV rinse.

 

[Vintageglam]

I do ACV rinses at the end of every wash. I wash my hair twice a week. If I throw in a CW in-between, I still end with an ACV rinse.

OT - Nonie how are you finding using shampoo 2x week?

 

[curlycrocheter]

I do ACV rinses at the end of every wash. I wash my hair twice a week. If I throw in a CW in-between, I still end with an ACV rinse.

That is sooo helpful because I just did my first one and thought, "man! I can't wait to do this again!!"

 

[yardyspice]

Forgive me if this question is unbelievably dumb, but how do you if the cuticle is closed?

 

[Lola Laughs]

Twice a week I use mixture of 1 part ACV 2 parts distilled water and rinse with very cold water. This works better for me than Roux PC.

 

[Nonie]

OT - Nonie how are you finding using shampoo 2x week?

Been doing it since 2001 and it works for me. I don't even use products on my hair when I'm in braids or twists and I've been in braids since April 2009, so it's not as if I have a lot of build-up that needs to be shampooed off. But if I go much longer without shampooing, I get a headache--Go figure. I love having a "squeaky clean scalp" and love the massaging that comes from shampooing my hair. My happiest days in the hair journey are wash days.

When I shampoo, I apply undiluted shampoo to my scalp using fingers and massage to my heart's content, then when I start to rinse I squeeze the diluted shampoo through my hair/braids. I love gel-like shampoos for my scalp cleansing but if I DC with a reconstructor, then I usually shampoo my hair with a creamy moisturizing shampoo. In this case I don't apply it to my scalp. I feel creamy shampoos are somewhat "coating" so only use them on my hair not scalp.

 

[Nonie]

Forgive me if this question is unbelievably dumb, but how do you if the cuticle is closed?

By faith.

(OK, bad joke.)

No, seriously, besides the fact that science does tell you that hair cuticle closes under acidic conditions--which is the normal pH for hair anyway--and explains why when relaxing hair, it is necessary to use a product that has a high (alkaline) pH to open the cuticle of your hair strands so that the product can penetrate the strands and break the bond, when the hair cuticle is closed, the hair reflects light better and appears to be shinier. Also it feels smooth to the feel and doesn't tangle easily. When hair cuticles are open, the strands catch on each other and tangling is more likely to occur. Also the hair looks somewhat dull.

Please note that you're better erring on the side of caution, so make your rinse dilute because a very acidic solution could break down the protein of your hair.

You could do an experiment and test a section of your hair by making a solution of baking soda and seeing how your hair feels after being rinsed in it. Then make a dilute solution of ACV and test another section and see how your hair feels.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

By faith.

(OK, bad joke.)

No, seriously, besides the fact that science does tell you that hair cuticle closes under acidic conditions--which is the normal pH for hair anyway--and explains why when relaxing hair, it is necessary to use a product that has a high (alkaline) pH to open the cuticle of your hair strands so that the product can penetrate the strands and break the bond, when the hair cuticle is closed, the hair reflects light better and appears to be shinier. Also it feels smooth to the feel and doesn't tangle easily. When hair cuticles are open, the strands catch on each other and tangling is more likely to occur. Also the hair looks somewhat dull.

Please note that you're better erring on the side of caution, so make your rinse dilute because a very acidic solution could break down the protein of your hair.

You could do an experiment and test a section of your hair by making a solution of baking soda and seeing how your hair feels after being rinsed in it. Then make a dilute solution of ACV and test another section and see how your hair feels.

At what pH is too acidic and should be diluted? I use the French Perm Stabilizer and was thinking of using it after every wash once I finish my Roux Porisity. The French has a pH of 2.5 I think and Roux is like what? 4? or 4.5? Is the French too acidic to be used on a weekly basis?

 

[Tif392002]

Forgive me if this question is unbelievably dumb, but how do you if the cuticle is closed?

i was about to ask.

 

[Nonie]

At what pH is too acidic and should be diluted? I use the French Perm Stabilizer and was thinking of using it after every wash once I finish my Roux Porisity. The French has a pH of 2.5 I think and Roux is like what? 4? or 4.5? Is the French too acidic to be used on a weekly basis?

I would be afraid of the French Perm Stabilizer; to me it's too acidic. It says "Perm Stabilizer" so I would think it should be used immediately after a relaxer which raises your pH to an extremely alkaline one, so you need a strong acid to bring the pH down to a normal acidic one. Normal healthy hair pH is around 4.5 - 5.5; neutral is 7....so I always argue that even a slight acidity in water is good enough. So I usually use a 1/4 cup in 2 gallons of water.

 

[Spiffy]

I have to try this! Thanks Nonie, so helpful!

 

[kiesha8185]

I am still of the mindset that cold water doesn't close the cuticle and that it is a low pH that does. I've never rinsed my hair with cold water on purpose and when the hot water has ran out while I'm rinsing my hair, my hair hasn't felt good being rinsed with cold water. It actually feels rough and hard as if it's turning into stone fiber or sth. I always use lukewarm water on my hair, even my ACV rinse is warm.

I recently tried to rinse with cold water and my hair felt rough, too. I also tried the ACV rinse and my hair felt rough. Porosity control doesn't do much for me either I'm beginning to think that my cuticle is as closed as it should be, because when I try the other things (ACV, cold water) it tangles my hair and makes it really rough