You’ve been doing everything right and your hair was looking amazing, but now it’s lost its luster. What happened?

There’s a good chance that your hair has collected a build-up of “gunk” that is weighing it down and making it look less than luxurious. This is not such a bad thing, because we can fix it pretty easily with a hair detox.

Sometimes, even after you’ve used your regular shampoo, your hair just doesn’t have the light, clean, and fresh feeling it did before. Parts of your scalp can collect sweat, oils, unrinsed shampoo and conditioner, hair products, and even the minerals in your tap water. This can build up quicker than you’d expect, and it drags down your locks. 

If your skin is sensitive, the build-up can also make you itch, which can then cause your scalp to get red, inflamed, and to start flaking. 

This homemade hair cleanser is a great detox for your scalp and hair and gets rid of all of those things you don’t want weighing your hair down and holding back your glorious mane. It’s safe to use and a great addition to your bi-weekly or monthly hair care regimen. 

While you can buy a clarifying hair rinse, you can also make one. Since we love a good DIY project, we decided to try making them. This is by far our favorite of the bunch.

Clarifying hair detox rinse

Ingredients:

1/3 cup baking soda

Natural, raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

A few drops essential oil (pick the one with your favorite characteristics)

Directions:

In a medium-sized Tupperware container add the baking soda and then slowly pour in the apple cider vinegar. This is going to make you feel like a mad scientist for a little while as there will be a lot of fizzing. Be careful not to pour it in too fast as it can make a mess.

Pour enough vinegar in to make a paste. Then add a few drops of essential oil.

Massage the cleansing paste onto your scalp. Give yourself a good 3-5 minute scalp massage to really get your scalp invigorated and to work the detox. 

Last, rinse thoroughly, skip your normal shampoo, and condition like always.

Alternate directions:

If you have really oily hair and want a deeper cleanse, you can use the same ingredients in a different way.

Mix about a cup of apple cider vinegar together with a few drops of your chosen essential oil. 

Pour that onto your scalp. Try to get your entire scalp wet with the vinegar. Then sprinkle baking soda directly on your scalp, like a dry shampoo, and work it in with a massage. 

This time you’ll get the fun fizzy reaction on your scalp where it lifts up dirt and oil and fights the gunky buildup.

Why apple cider vinegar is good 

While both vinegar and baking soda are great cleansers, apple cider vinegar has a lot of benefits for your scalp and hair. This makes it an ideal choice for those times when you need a detox. Here's what apple cider vinegar can do for you:

Restores pH

Your hair’s natural oils have an acidity level of 4.5 to 5.5, which is perfect for protecting your scalp from bacteria and fungal infections. But the hair products you use can disrupt your pH, leaving you vulnerable. Apple cider vinegar has a pH close to that of your hair, so a good rinse can set things right back to where they’re supposed to be.

Cleans and clarifies

This is why we’re turning to apple cider vinegar in the first place, it’s an excellent way to remove buildup in your hair and bring it back to life.

Reduces hair porosity

Do you have porous hair? If so, you might benefit from using apple cider vinegar as a rinse regularly to reduce the porosity of your hair and help it maintain moisture.

Final thoughts

If you’re doing everything right but your hair is just not responding, it could be because you have build-up. Even the best natural haircare regimen can leave your hair limp and unresponsive over time.

A scalp detox is just what you need to revive your roots and restore the locks that you love. What really makes this an effective clarifying rinse is the use of apple cider vinegar, which is great for your scalp and hair. It’s also packed with health benefits if you consume it, which of course leads us to a fun recipe you can try with the leftover vinegar.

Try this Kale Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette recipe if you want a healthy meal that makes you feel fantastic all over. Replace the rice wine vinegar in the original recipe’s dressing ingredients with apple cider vinegar, and you’ve got it. This salad is packed with ingredients that are terrific for your hair health.