Body & Soul: Herbal Vinegar for Skin and Hair

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8 Herbal Vinegar Beauty Recipes: 

• Mint-Vinegar Skin Toner 
• Vin Aigre Bath 
• Purifying Facial Mask 
• After-Bath Splash
• Soothing Foot Soak 
• No-Dandruff Rinse 
• Hair Softening Rinse 
• Herbal Vinegar Bath 

Beauty Tips: 7 Quick and Easy Ways to Use Herval Vinegars 

Try These: Get Gorgeous Skin and Hair with our Product Guide 

Vinegar is one of the oldest known fermented food products. The word vinegar comes from the French vin aigre, which means “sour wine.” When air is exposed to fermented liquid, bacterial activity occurs and the result is acetic acid or sour vinegar. When fruit juice ferments it also turns to vinegar. Vinegars are known for their high acid content (due to acetic acid) and sharp odors. In cosmetic products, vinegar is used to remove alkaline, or soap residue, from the skin and hair. You should never apply straight vinegar to your skin or hair; instead, dilute the vinegar with water (at a ratio of one part vinegar to eight parts water). See the links above for our favorite vinegars; or you can easily make your own by leaving a bottle of wine or fruit juice uncorked for several days. 

Herbal vinegars are also simple to create and a great way to use fresh and dried herbs from your garden. Simply fill a clean jar with apple cider or white vinegar and add your favorite herbs. Let sit for two weeks and you will have a vinegar that can be used for cosmetic purposes.

The restorative powers of vinegar have been renowned since ancient times. Ancient mythology recounts that Helen of Troy took vinegar baths, adding a cup or two to her bathwater to cleanse and soothe her skin. Vinegar is also a classic remedy for sunburn, bad breath and dandruff. Here are a few more herbal vinegar recipes for you to enjoy.

Janice Cox is the author of Natural Beauty at Home (Holt Paperbacks, 2002).  For more recipes and ideas or to contact Janice, visit her website at www.janicecox.com.