Cider Vinegar is a Beauty Bargain in a Bottle

They say, you are what you eat. They also say, beauty is only skin deep. Nature’s answer to both of these adages is cider vinegar. Cider vinegar takes weight off, makes hair shiny, and clears up problem skin. Almost any beauty trauma you could come up with can be solved or soothed by this cheap, easy to find, beauty bargain in a bottle. ,That’s right and I’m going to say it again so you know just how important this cost-effective sour little gem is-cider vinegar is a beauty bargain in a bottle. Say it with me now…okay, okay; I’ll save the chanting for after you’ve tried out my sour little secret.

Incase you haven’t picked up a bottle of cider vinegar for household cleaning or some cooking use, let me tell you – it is cost effective. Averaging about $1.50 a bottle, cider vinegar is much cheaper than a bottle of face toner, clarifying/deep cleaning shampoo, hair shine and highlighting products, or digestive aids. Cider vinegar is the one beauty bargain you should keep well-stocked in your house.

Alright, so I’ve been raving about it but I haven’t told you all the ways you can use cider vinegar. Well, there are three that I know of off the top of my head but I’m sure there are even more out there that some creative Martha Stewart beauty fanatic type has come up with. In short, cider vinegar treats your insides and your outsides-your digestive system, hair and skin.

Cider Vinegar Drink : A Weight Loss, Digestive, and Skin Clearing Beauty Rescue Remedy
Lets begin with a little beauty cocktail. This one takes some getting used to and even a little nose holding and quick guzzling to get down. Place a teaspoon of cider vinegar (just a dab’ll do ya) in a glass and add cold water, now drink up. I will not sugar coat it, there will be some cringing and unpleasantness at first, but it does lessen over time. Ideally, you should be drinking this mixture three times a day, after each big meal. If you can only muster one drink a day you’re still working wonders on your digestion and your skin. Please remember to brush your teeth afterwards though because it is awful smelling and will stain and ruin your teeth. So, what exactly does this drink do for you-it balances the ph levels in your body which helps you to digest more quickly and effectively, not to mention helps you lose weight. It’s also filled with potassium and vitamins. Check around, there are cider vinegar diets being marketed because this stuff really works, but I can assure you they will find a way to make it cost much more than the $1.50 bottle you can get from your local grocery store. Drinking cider vinegar also helps keep skin clear because it moves food and toxins through the body, preventing them from getting trapped there. So drink up. A word of note though: people with ulcers or acid reflux might want to avoid this beauty cocktail.

Cider Vinegar Skin Toner
To get an even bigger skin benefit from cider vinegar, use it as a face toner. Much cheaper than that Clinique or even drugstore brand toner you are using, and I can assure you-better. Start out by washing your face with whatever cleanser you typically use and then, put about 1/4 cup of the cider vinegar in your sink (well cleaned of course) or a bowl, and add very warm water. Now splash away, a good 20 times or so, to tone the skin. You will see immediate results-your skin will feel warm and look a little pink with a slight glow. Over time this natural toner will even out your complexion and prevent breakouts.

Cider Vinegar For Your Hair
Cider Vinegar can clean the gunk and residue off of your hair and scalp and provide natural highlights and shine. No need to buy three and four products anymore, cider vinegar will suit all of these hair needs. You can use it in two ways: Mixed into your shampoo, or as an after conditioner rinse. I prefer to do the rinse because it seems to make my hair shinier and bring out it’s natural highlights better, and I don’t like my shampoo watered down, I like lots of suds.

Okay, on with the show. To use in your shampoo, just add about 1/4 cup (or your chosen amount) of the cider vinegar to your shampoo, shake it up, and apply. Always make a point to massage your scalp well when lathering up, the added bonus of the cider vinegar will double the benefits.

To use as a post wash rinse: shampoo, condition, and rinse your hair, then put a few drops in a pitcher, add warm water, and pour over your head. There is no need to rinse the vinegar out of your hair unless you want to. You will notice that your hair looks much thicker when it dries, this is because all of the gels, sprays, and environmental elements are no longer weighing the hair down. This will give you volume and invigorate your scalp.

If you don’t have time to use cider vinegar every time you shower at least do it every two weeks to deep-clean your hair and scalp.

The Tradition of Cider Vinegar Passed Down
All of these cider vinegar beauty recipes were passed down to me from my mother and she got them from a fabulous beauty book written in the 70’s, called The Natural Way to Super Beauty by Mary Ann Crenshaw. This book is really worth owning, there are lots of tips in there that you won’t hear anywhere else. These cider vinegar recipes have become beauty routines for me and they really work. Most of these cider vinegar beauty recipes give instant results and will continue to improve with consistent use over time. Give these tips a try and leave me a comment at the bottom of this article on how they worked for you.