How to balance the pH of your hair

Video: How to balance the PH level of hair?

Content

Steps
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a medium. The pH is measured in the range from 0 to 14. A value from 0 to 6.9 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and 7.1-14 is alkaline. The acidity of the hair and sebum has an acidity of 4.5-5.5. This acidity of the hair prevents the growth of fungus and bacteria on the scalp and hair, and also keeps the cuticle closed. A large number of hair products that we use upset the normal acidity of the hair. Alkaline solutions help to open the hair cuticle, too acidic products help to shorten the cuticle. This article will guide you through easy ways to balance the acidity of your hair.

Steps

1 Assess the condition of your hair. There are a number of factors that can affect the pH of the hair. It is important to establish an overall pH before you decide to change the balance to a healthy level.
- If you have fungal or bacterial infections on your scalp, it is likely that your scalp and hair have become too alkaline. This means that you are using hair care products with a pH higher than 7, and as a result, more favorable conditions for the growth of bacteria are created.
- If you constantly color your hair, then during the procedure the hair is exposed to an alkaline solution, which opens the cuticle. After that, the alkaline medium is neutralized with an acidic dye. This is a process that damages the hair, therefore it is necessary to maintain the normal acidity of the hair with slightly acidic hair products.
- If you have curly hair, this means that the hair cuticle is already open all the time. For such people, it is especially important to maintain the acidity of the hair at the level of 4.5-5.5.
- If you have straight hair, you should use a pH-balanced treatment that does not require additional treatment, as the sebum of the hair normalizes the acidity in sufficient quantities.
2 Read the label on your hair care products. If the pH value is not written on the products, then you can check it empirically. If the product has a pH value of 4 to 7, then it is a good hair product.
- Buy test strips online or at a store. Pour the care product into the glass, dip the test strip into the glass for the required time, which is usually indicated in the instructions. Remove the strip and compare it to the chart on the test strip label to determine the pH of the product. Do not use products with a pH of less than 4 or more than 7.
3 Wash your hair with pH balanced shampoos and conditioners. Rinse your hair well. Water has a neutral medium, therefore it is somewhat alkaline for the hair.
4 Use natural acids to acidify your hair if you have oily hair. Pour aloe vera juice into a bottle and spray it onto your hair. This helps to shrink the cuticle and reduce frizziness.
- You can also use apple cider vinegar. It has a pH of about 3. Dilute it with water to a pH of 4. Many people prefer aloe vera gel because the vinegar smells unpleasant. Rinse hair after using acid - water will neutralize acid.
5 Apply leave-in conditioner to damp hair to restore hair acidity 4.5 - 5.5 if you have dry or damaged hair. Make your own hair conditioner using the following recipe:
- Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of silicone free conditioner, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of whole aloe vera leaf juice, and 2 tsp into a bowl. (10 ml) jojoba oil. Mix well with a spoon and dip the test strip to ensure the pH is above 4.5.
- Apply the mixture to damp, washed hair. Let it dry and comb your hair.

Tips

The leave-in conditioner will last for several days. Reapply conditioner every time you wash your hair.
If your hair is very dry and curly, you can add 2 tsp. (10 ml) castor or almond oil in a leave-in conditioner.
Aloe vera juice and jojoba oil are available over the counter. Jojoba oil has natural anti-fungal properties.
Not all types of vinegar have the same acidity. Apple cider vinegar is less acidic than distilled white vinegar. You can use test strips to determine the acidity of household vinegars.