Apple cider vinegar (ACV) isn't just a kitchen staple used to make salads and pickles. It is also a fantastic natural remedy in beauty space for centuries. ACV is made by fermenting apples with acids, minerals, and live cultures, giving it a host of health benefits. It is known to have antimicrobial properties that combat hair dandruff. Our studies indicate that, when used as a hair wash, it can also tame frizz, strengthen hair, and add a beautiful shine. 

While there are various DIY methods for ACV rinse, however, our haircare experts recommend using specially formulated apple cider vinegar shampoos to remove buildup, relieve itchiness, and boost hair health. Our team of haircare experts has researched and handpicked some best apple cider vinegar shampoos for you. Our selection caters to diverse hair types and most of them are free from harmful chemicals.

These shampoos with apple cider vinegar tackle scalp problems and give your hair the thorough cleanse it needs. Explore our top picks for healthier hair, which also have shampoo bars and dry shampoos with ACV apart from the regular liquid shampoos.

Apple cider vinegar shampoo is a hair-cleansing product that incorporates apple cider vinegar (ACV) as a key ingredient. ACV is made by fermenting apples and contains natural acids and enzymes. In many store-bought shampoos, you'll find apple cider vinegar (ACV) used for clarifying. This can help clear out any blocked pores on your scalp. 

These shampoos are more convenient than DIY methods because diluting ACV can be tricky, and if not done right, it might irritate your scalp. Ready-to-use shampoos are a safer bet. People love these apple cider shampoos for their deep cleansing and pH-balancing abilities, making them popular in the beauty world.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) shampoo offers a multitude of benefits for your hair, such as:

1. Helps Tame Frizzy Hair:  ACV enhances hair shine and addresses frizz problems. The acidity of ACV, with a pH level of around 3, balances the scalp's pH and seals the hair cuticle (1). Thus, it helps reduce frizz, rough hair, and split ends effectively. Its acetic acid content can restore shine and add that extra volume and bounce to the hair. 

2. Helps Eliminate Product Buildup: It is also a popular clarifying agent that removes excess oils and grime. Thus, it helps clear out grease, product buildup, and impurities. Plus, it's a natural moisturizer, nourishing the scalp and fighting damage with its antioxidants. 

3. Boosts Scalp Health: ACV is a popular remedy for itchy scalps and dandruff. It acts as an antimicrobial agent, combating bacteria and fungi, which can cause scalp issues like dandruff (2). While scientific evidence regarding ACV's effectiveness against dandruff is limited, its antifungal and disinfectant properties make it a popular choice for scalp health.

4. Helps Prevent Scalp Acne: It also treats specific scalp issues like acne by acting as a potent antiseptic, eliminating acne-causing bacteria and excess sebum. When it comes to hair growth, ACV contains acetic acid, which is anecdotally said to block the enzyme linked to hair loss (DHT) and provide nutrients beneficial for hair growth.

Now that we have explored the various benefits of apple cider vinegar shampoo for hair, let us now take a look at the best apple cider vinegar shampoos that improve the overall appearance of the locks. 

• 1
  Best Budget-friendly Shampoo

  Aveeno Apple Cider And Vinegar Blend Shampoo

  BUY ON AMAZON

Aveeno's scalp soothing shampoo with ACV acts as a gentle clarifying shampoo. The presence of apple cider vinegar removes buildup from dirt, sweat, and hair products. It's perfect for all hair types and helps keep your scalp hydrated, reduces frizz, and revitalizes dull hair. Apart from ACV, it is also enriched with colloidal oatmeal that deeply nourishes the hair from the root to the tip. Thus, it strikes a perfect balance between cleansing and soothing. Its clear gel formulation gives a refreshing cleanse without any harshness. Its sulfate-free formula, along with a pleasant apple cider scent, makes it a favorite among haircare enthusiasts.

2

Best for Color-treated Hair

SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo

BUY ON AMAZON

This SheaMoisture Shampoo is perfect for chemically treated, or heat-styled hair. This shampoo harnesses the power of apple cider vinegar for cleansing, peppermint leaf extract for refreshment, and shea butter for soothing the scalp. Plus, it's enriched with Jamaican black castor oil, and aloe leaf juice known for their moisturizing and strengthening effects. When we tested the product, we observed that it works excellently on curly or coily hair. It strikes the right balance in removing build-up and retaining moisture, making it ideal for other hair types, too.

3

Best Lightweight Shampoo

Majestic Pure Cosmeceuticals Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

BUY ON AMAZON

The Majestic Pure Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo stands out as a holy grail product for gentle daily cleansing. It caters to various hair types, including color-treated hair. Its powerful blend includes apple cider vinegar as an active ingredient for deep cleansing and nourishment. The ACV shampoo is free from harsh chemicals like sulfates and is especially beneficial for dry, damaged, and flaky hair.

4

Pacifica Rosemary Apple Cider Scalp Detox Tonic

BUY ON AMAZON

Pacifica is a well-known cruelty-free and vegan hair care brand. Their rosemary and apple cider detox tonic is one of their star products crafted to decongest the scalp and clarify strands. It exfoliates using other hair-nourishing ingredients like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and vegan lactic acid. This tonic removes dirt and washes away pore-clogging debris, leaving hair softer and smoother while reducing frizz without making it greasy. It is also enriched with natural anti-inflammatory rosemary extracts and hair loss-fighting peppermint oil. Its fragrance is entirely natural, derived from these essential oils.

5

Best for Dandruff

dpHUE ACV Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse

BUY ON AMAZON

For a natural and effective hair remedy, consider dpHUE's Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse. This specially formulated rinse utilizes the benefits of apple cider vinegar to restore hair health and shine. It also claims to restore the scalp's pH balance while removing buildups. It is a good regular-use shampoo that has vegetable proteins to enhance the health of brittle hair. It is loaded with soothing ingredients like argan oil, lavender extract, and aloe vera that maintain the natural moisture of the scalp without causing irritation. This gentle formula has no harsh sulfates and suits all hair types.

6

Beauty And The Bees Tasmanian Apple Cider Vinegar & Honey Shampoo Bar

BUY ON AMAZON

This ACV shampoo bar from Beauty And The Bees is your convenient, on-the-go solution for hair issues. Despite its small appearance, this shampoo bar's quantity is more than a regular liquid shampoo bottle. It uses apple cider vinegar to cleanse gently, paired with the soothing benefits of coconut oil, honey, lavender essential oil, and beeswax. Plus, it's free of sulfates, silicones, and parabens, making it suitable for all hair types. Our haircare expert loved the product, as it's handcrafted naturally and is devoid of harsh surfactants that make the hair dry. Being a nature lover, our expert also loved the fact that this shampoo bar comes in plastic-free packaging.

7

Best Vegan Formula

AG Care Balance Apple Cider Vinegar Sulfate-Free Shampoo

BUY ON AMAZON

AG Care Balance Shampoo is a perfect choice for dry, thick, curly, or straight hair. This ACV shampoo has a sulfate-free formulation that delicately cleanses the scalp, removing buildup while retaining your hair's natural moisture. It is enriched with argan oil, which is complemented by the soothing scents of lavender, rosemary, and spearmint oils. These ingredients work together to give smooth and shiny hair. The product is cruelty-free, ensuring both the environment and your hair are treated with care.

8

Best for Boosting Hair Shine

Maple Holistics Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

BUY ON AMAZON

This apple cider vinegar shampoo by Maple Holistics does more than cleanse your hair; it fights flakes and soothes itchy scalps. Apart from ACV, it is also enriched with argan, castor, rosemary, and mint oils. These ingredients team up together to nourish brittle strands, leaving your mane shiny and bouncy. These oils also prevent hair thinning and promote hair growth. This nourishing ACV shampoo is cruelty-free and is also free of endocrine-disrupting chemicals like parabens and sulfates (3). Thus, it is excellent for sensitive scalps in removing buildup.

9

Best for Dry Hair

ACURE Buildup Balancing Hemp & ACV Shampoo

BUY ON AMAZON

ACURE's Hemp & ACV Shampoo is a vegan and irritant-free choice. It is enriched with hemp oil and apple cider vinegar that naturally clarifies and balances hair from harsh buildups. The infusion of aloe and chamomile extracts in this potent formula helps soothe itchy scalp, protects the hair from UV damage, controls greasy hair, prevents split ends, and promotes hair growth. Overall, it nourishes the scalp with its all-natural formula and is perfect for a gentle cleanse. Plus, it's cruelty-free, not tested on animals, ensuring ethical choices for your hair care routine.

10

Biosense Raw Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

BUY ON AMAZON

If you're in search of an apple cider vinegar shampoo enriched with hair-strengthening ingredients, then this is an apt choice for you. This ACV shampoo is enriched with jojoba oil and hydrolyzed wheat protein to boost hair growth and strength. The presence of patchouli and D panthenol in this shampoo works wonders in treating dandruff flakes and boosting hair elasticity. This is one of the best sulfate-free apple cider vinegar shampoos and thus keeps the scalp hydrated. The ingredients in this shampoo are known to promote hair growth, shine and softness in all hair types Furthermore, its clarifying formula removes grease, frizz, and tangles, making it a wholesome product for healthier hair.

11

Best for Itchy Scalp

PURA D'OR Apple Cider Vinegar Thin2Thick Shampoo

BUY ON AMAZON

This PURA D'OR's ACV shampoo is your natural solution for thinning hair. The shampoo is enriched with 15 key active ingredients like biotin, castor oil, and other hair-soothing ingredients that detoxify your hair and scalp. After using the product consistently, our haircare experts found that the regular use of this shampoo can promote thicker, stronger, and shinier hair. Its creamy formula safeguards your hair from heat styling, product damage, and environmental toxins, leaving smooth, full, and lustrous locks. The potent formulation also improves itchy scalp and repairs damaged strands, ensuring a healthy, vibrant mane.

12

Best Fragrance

Phillip Adam Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

BUY ON AMAZON

This vegan shampoo from Phillip Adam is definitely a hit because of its ingredient list. This shampoo aims to give a vibrant, thicker, and smoother hair with its potent formulation. This exfoliating shampoo contains plant-based softeners like ACV, lactic acid, and glycerin that seal moisture into the scalp, leaving it nourished and hydrated. It is also packed with plant-based and botanical extracts that nourish hair strands, repair damaged hair, and make the hair squeaky clean. The shampoo also imparts a natural shine and is suitable for color-treated hair. Plus, it's free from harmful additives, making it safe for all hair types.

13

Best pH Balancing Shampoo

Luseta Beauty Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

BUY ON AMAZON

Luseta's Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo uses the best formulation with hair-safe ingredients to cleanse your scalp. It leaves your hair feeling clean without drying out your hair. It is specially formulated for oily and damaged hair with a pH-balancing formula. It strikes a perfect balance of cleansing and nourishment. The shampoo, with its natural ingredients, stimulates blood circulation, promoting healthy locks. It is also known for its ability to fight dandruff and flakes by removing dead skin cells.

Using apple cider vinegar shampoos can be a fantastic choice for healthier hair, but it's essential to use them in the right amount. Here, we've gathered the best apple cider vinegar shampoos that can transform your hair, making it thicker, smoother, and stronger. If you're dealing with frizz or dryness, pick a shampoo with ingredients tailored to your hair's needs, especially the ones with nourishing ingredients. 

However, not all ACV shampoos are suitable for all hair types. Some might not be for color or chemically-treated hair, and some might specifically be crafted for oily scalps or dry scalps. Thus, go through the labels and consider your specific needs.

If you are new to ACV in your hair care, then it's wise to start with a once-a-week treatment to see how your hair reacts. Our contributor Celestine Gitau, a certified trichologist, says, “If the shampoo is made specifically for daily use then it is appropriate for regular use. The type of hair is also of importance. Curly hair will not do well with daily shampooing.”

The frequency of use depends on your hair type, but avoid overdoing it. Thus, apple cider vinegar shampoos are completely safe if you choose the appropriate product that suits your hair. Let's see some key considerations when looking for an ACV shampoo.

Choosing the right apple cider vinegar shampoo for your hair can be confusing, given the variety available. Here are some handy tips:

1. Ingredients: Look for shampoos with soothing ingredients like argan oil, almond oil, castor oil, or avocado, especially if you have a sensitive scalp. Brands like PURA D'OR, AG Care, and Maple Holistics offer shampoos enriched with these nourishing oils.

2. pH Balance: ACV in its pure form can harm hair due to its low pH. Ready-to-use shampoos are pre-diluted, usually with a pH around 5.5 to 6.5, ensuring safety. For instance, Luseta Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo has the ideal pH balance.

3. Hair Type: Different shampoos cater to oily, dry, curly, or colored hair. Check labels for specific hair types. For colored hair, opt for products like Phillip Adam Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo that are designed not to fade your color.

4. Style: ACV shampoos come in various forms – liquid, bar (like Beauty and the Bees Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo Bar), and even dry shampoos. Explore these styles to find what suits you best.

5. Size: Consider your usage frequency while buying shampoos. ACV shampoos are often used less frequently than regular shampoos. Smaller bottles, like Acure's Buildup Balancing Hemp & ACV Shampoo or budget-friendly Aveeno options, might be sufficient if you use ACV shampoo only occasionally. Choose a size that fits your routine to avoid wastage.

Contributor: Celestine Gitau, Certified Trichologist