This multi-purpose ingredient can do more than just dress salads and make pickles.
You can buy a big bottle of apple cider vinegar for about five bucks. Use it right and it will make your skin clearer, your hair shinier, and maybe even a whole host of other vaguely improbable things. An ancient folk remedy, apple cider is said to help diabetes, cancer, high cholesterol, and weight loss. We're not convinced by that cancer thing, but we do know that apple cider vinegar will make you prettier.
Clears Skin
For a natural, blemish-free glow, pull out that bottle of apple cider vinegar and put it to work. It reduces acne, restore your skin's pH balance, and make your pores less noticeable.
- Make a toner by mixing four parts water to one part apple cider vinegar and applying it with a cotton ball after cleansing. Allow it to dry and then use your regular moisturizer—you'll find that your face cream sinks in better. If you have a sunburn or very sensitive skin, try it on a small area first to see if your skin gets irritated.
- Dab some apple cider vinegar straight onto blemishes before going to bed. It will dry them out while working to fade age spots or acne scars. Works better than any other zit blaster we've tried, even the fancy, pricey ones.
- Put a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water every morning. It has antibacterial properties that help it work on your skin internally as well as externally. Plus, it’s rich in potassium, a mineral most of us are lacking. Potassium helps build muscle, improves heart activity, and prevents hair loss.
Shines Up Hair
Hair products build up and dull shine. To remove product buildup, add shine, and soothe your scalp, make an apple cider vinegar rinse to use one to three times a week.
- For oily or normal hair, mix one part apple cider vinegar with four parts distilled water. For dry hair, use a mix of one part apple cider to five or six parts distilled water.
- Pour the mixture over your head after rinsing out your shampoo and massage into your scalp.
- Rinse once with warm water and then with cool water.
There. Clear skin and hair that’s healthy, shiny, and full of bounce. Not bad for a bottle from a grocery store aisle.
