About a year ago I started using apple cider vinegar to condition my hair. It worked so well that I started adding chamomile to the vinegar. In the past couple months I have gone one step further and started making kombucha vinegar (by simply allowing some kombucha to sour to vinegar) and then infusing it with chamomile flowers and using this for conditioner. It has worked remarkably well.

My original post, Baking Soda Shampoo, outlines the various things I used for shampoo, like eggs and marshmallow, and finally settled on simply using baking soda. That post also explains how I made my apple cider vinegar hair conditioner.

Apple cider vinegar has a strong vinegar smell to it, which isn’t too bad when your hair is dry. The kombucha vinegar doesn’t have this smell and when you infuse it with chamomile flowers it smells lovely. I use chamomile in my conditioner since they were traditionally used to ‘brighten’ blonde hair, plus I like the smell. If you are dark haired try infusing your vinegar with fresh rosemary instead. Rosemary has an affinity for dark hair. Rosemary also stimulates hair growth, and the vinegar can actually be left in and not rinsed out at all and may be something to try if your hair is thinning as well.

I am hypersensitive to manufactured fragrances and haven’t been able to use most commercial hair products recently and since I am on the GAPS diet I am very careful about what I put on my body or allow into my household and baking soda and vinegar are a couple of my favorite cleaning ingredients.

It is pretty cool to be able to make your own conditioner at home from sugar, black tea and chamomile flowers. Granted the whole process from start to finish takes about a month, but you can always use A.C. vinegar in the meantime.

On another side note, the kombucha vinegar also stings less than the apple cider vinegar and tastes better if it runs down your face and gets in your mouth! I just love kombucha, not only can you drink it and heal your liver and clean up your gut, but you can use it as a cosmetic (it is great for your skin), a conditioner and people are even making coats out of kombucha leather! Gotta love it.

P.S. Are you doing the 30 Day Kombucha Challenge spearheaded by Kombucha Mama? Swap your soda! Get sugar out of your diet and fill your gut with beneficial micro-organisms.

This post was shared on Wildcrafting Wednesday at The Woodwife’s Journal