(Organic) Apple Cider Vinegar and (Organic) Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Get familiar with these two items, because they will make your life better. Cancer and life-threatening illnesses aside, there is pretty much no human bodily condition that cannot be improved by these two products.
Using them for the first time may be uncomfortable and take getting used to, but you will learn quickly how to use the right amount for what you need and be very impressed with the results. Yes, ACV smells. You'll get used to it. Yes, olive oil is oily. You'll get used to it. These products are natural, perfume-free, hypoallergenic and just better for you than most chemical products.
As they say, if you're not willing to eat it, why put it on your skin?
Dry, Damaged Hair?
Massage 1/4 (less for short hair) cup olive oil into your scalp from root to tip. Use a comb to move it through your hair. You can warm it up for 20 seconds in the microwave if you feel like it. Put a towel or plastic bag on your head and go watch a movie. Rinse clean with shampoo and conditioner
How It Works: Olive Oil will smooth out and nourish the broken and damaged hair and protect it from further moisture loss and heat damage.
Dull, Oily hair?
With a paper towel or some easier way to get it on, work 1/4 cup ACV into your scalp full strength from root to tip or until all hair is wet. Yes, it stinks. Wrap your hair up and go watch a movie. Rinse with water, no shampoo or conditioner.
How it works: The acidic vitamin C removes and neutralizes built up alkaline hair products and helps shed dead cells from hair. Potassium helps encourage new growth of hair.
Frizzy Hair?
Two drops of olive oil onto dry hair will tame frizz and form curls. Use a tiny amount. Too much and your hair will just be oily.
How it works: Adds moisture and neutralizes static. Helps form curls in thick hair.
Want Red Hair?
Like using lemon juice, Doing an ACV rinse every day for a while will bring out slight red tones in your hair.
How it works: The acid very mildly bleaches the hair. This process takes a while to see any effect at all.
Dandruff?
Switch between ACV rinses and Olive Oil conditioning treatment and watch dandruff vanish!
How it works: proper moisture and removal of irrutating alkaline products will resture the scalp to its natural ph balance and self-protecting oils.
Or Worse, Head Lice?
Comb as much olive oil as you can thoroughly through the hair. Leave on several hours. Use a lice come to remove lice and eggs. After rinse and wash hair. Repeat until lice are gone.
How it works: Olive oil chokes the lice. They cannot breathe and live in it.
Smelly Underarms but No Time for a Shower?
Use a cotton pad or bit of paper to dab / wipe full strength ACV onto your underarms and “chickenflap” to make them dry.
How it works: The acidity will kill the bacteria and neutralize the smell. (also helps with ingrown hairs from shaving)
Ugly Wart?
Soak a cotton ball with ACV and cover the wart with it with a bandage or tape at night before bed. Replace it every 24 hours with a new one and keep in on for 1 month or more. Peel off the layers of dead skin as needed.
How it works: Kills the skin around the wart that the wart feeds on, while also killing the wart itself. Even after you think the wart is dead, keep replacing the bandage. Warts are stubborn but they can be beaten.
Low Energy? Getting sick?
Every morning, drink 1-2 tablespoons of ACV. Can be easily hidden in orange juice.
You will notice you have more energy all day within the week. Also boots immune system.
How it works: ACV is high in vitamin C and potassium, which increase energy and fight off illness.
Trying to Lose Weight?
15 minutes before you eat a meal, eat a small piece of whole grain bread soaked in olive oil.
How it Works: Olive oil is not very high in calories (40 cal per tablespoon, compared to 80 for a tablespoon of ranch dressing) If you eat this un-appetizer it will help stabilize your blood sugar, and it makes you feel full and satisfied, allowing you to eat smaller portions of your main meal. Can also be eaten as a snack between meals to keep you from crashing or snacking on junk food.
Make-up Remover
With a cotton pad, wipe olive oil onto your face until no more make-up comes off. Especially good for eye makeup, as it won't sting if you get it in your eyes. Continue with face regimen.
How it works: Most makeup is more readily soluble in oil rather than water. (waterproof mascara, duh) You will find that you need a lot less Olive oil to remove even heavy makeup than most cleansers or make-up removal solutions. Olive oil also doubles as a moisturizer, protecting your skin rather than drying it out.
Want Long, Luscious Eyelashes?
Massage a fingertip of olive oil into lashes before bed every night.
This works, I promise. I have done it.
How it works: Gentle conditioner and anti-oxidants strengthen the lashes for longer, stronger, darker lashes.
Difficult Acne Spot?
Hold a tissue with full-strength ACV to the spot for a minute. It will help with swelling and itching. Repeated application will help the spot come to the surface and heal faster.
How it works: Acidity kills the bacteria while anti-oxidants help heal the skin and prevent scarring.
Oily skin? Clogged Pores and Blackheads?
Soak a cotton pad with ACV, then dilute it with water. Use it 50% strength or less, depending on how sensitive your skin is.
How it works: ACV helps loosed dead skin, and helps to break down and soften the keratin in blackheads so they will naturally be removed more easily.
Exfoliation?
Immediately after showering, while skin is still wet, soak a cotton pad with full-strength ACV and gently wipe face. Dead skin will just roll off. When done, rinse thoroughly with water and moisturize. Don't use cleanser, the alkalinity will stop the effect and irritate your skin
How it works: mild acidity helps wet dead skin fall off easily without scratching or harming living skin cells underneath.
Dry skin?
With a cotton pad, wipe olive oil onto the face. With another cotton pad, soak with ACV and dilute to your needs (50% or less) use this cotton pad to remove the olive oil until you have a balance of moisture to toner left. Every face is different, and even the same face is different during the seasons, so this will take practice. Too much oil will clog pores, while too much acid will leave skin dry. The right combo will give you healthy, glowing skin.
Night Time Lip Protection?
Fingertip of olive oil spread on the lips
Although both of these items are considered extremely safe, healthy and hypoallergenic, it is always possible to be sensitive, irritated or allergic to both or either of these products. Obviously if you are having an allergic reaction, don't use them.
