How to correct your hair’s pH naturally? #53

These are the 5 steps you need to follow:

• Assess your hair
• Read the labels and test your products
• Choose carefully
• Try natural homemade recipes
• Use a ph regulated product as the last layer

Assess your hair:

If it is too alkaline it will be dull, dry, brittle and your scalp will be flaky. If it is too acidic products will sit on top of your hair strands and hair will take longer to get wet just like low porosity hair (cuticle lays shut on hair shaft).

Read the labels and test your products:

This will save you a lot of “hair” aches (pun intended!), so make sure to read labels to check if a product is likely to work for your hair depending on its pH. Products with a pH value of 4 to 7 usually work well on all hair types and states.

Choose carefully:

Try shampoos with a lower pH range of 6-7 than your conventional formulas if your hair is too alkaline and stick to the middle range shampoos with pH of 7-8 if your hair is too acidic. Avoid extremes as this can also damage your hair in the long run. Anything lower than 6 or higher than 8 is most likely damaging.

Try natural homemade recipes:

Some people like to wash their hair with baking soda, but this isn’t a good idea. Baking soda is very alkaline with a pH of 9 and can dry out and damage your hair, so it’s better to pick a pH-balanced shampoo instead. After using the pH-balanced shampoo and conditioner, rinse your hair. This will set your hair at a neutral pH level, and not an acidic one. Water has a pH level of 7, which makes it more alkaline than your hair. Aloe vera juice/gel is good to use since the pH of aloe vera is slightly acidic. Pour the juice into a bottle and mist it over your hair. When using the gel, apply neatly to your strands, as a styling gel or mix it with water in a 1:2 ratio (1 part of aloe vera gel to 2 parts of water). This will also close the cuticle and remove frizz. Apple cider vinegar is another good natural solution. It has a pH level of about 3. It should be mixed up with water until it has a pH level of 4 in a 1:3 ratio (1 part apple cider vinegar to 3 parts of water) Many people prefer aloe vera gel/juice because they think the vinegar smell is too strong. You can use either.

Use a ph regulated product as the last layer:

Your hair will adopt the ph of the last substance that touches it. So whenever you rinse your hair with water it will most likely end up with a pH of 7. A way to correct this is by using a product like a leave-in conditioner, hair mist, or any other water-based product with your desired pH sealed with an oil.