Ladies who use ACV to neutralize hair after relaxing

[*Muffin*]

Is it still necessary to use the neutralizing shampoo? My plan is to rinse the relaxer out of my hair thoroughly, cleanse any residue left with one of my shampoo bars, then mix an equal portion of ACV and conditioner together and let it sit on my hair for 5 minutes. Will this be enough to neutralize my hair? TIA.

[jetbeauty09]

[taz007]

Is there a reason why you do not want to use a neutralizing shampoo?

I use ACV with a neutralizer and with Joico cuticle sealer to ensure that I get all of the relaxer out.

[LongiLox]

I always use the neutralizing shampoo, even when I use ACV.

[IDareT'sHair]

Is there a reason why you do not want to use a neutralizing shampoo?

I use ACV with a neutralizer and with Joico cuticle sealer to ensure that I get all of the relaxer out.

I'd also like to know why you are thinking about eliminating the Neutralizing Shampoo.

Wouldn't you incorporate your ACV Rinse after your light/med protein treatment? And before you proceed with your DC? Do you think the shampoo bar will be able to fully bring the PH level down enough? Isn't the point of the shampoo, to bring the PH Level down to a low level?

[taz007]

I'd also like to know why you are thinking about eliminating the Neutralizing Shampoo.

Wouldn't you incorporate your ACV Rinse after your light/med protein treatment? And before you proceed with your DC? Do you think the shampoo bar will be able to fully bring the PH level down enough? Isn't the point of the shampoo, to bring the PH Level down to a low level?

I actually use the protein > neutralizer > ACV > neutralizer > ACV > neutralizer > cuticle sealer > protein > moisturizer

[IDareT'sHair]

I actually use the protein > neutralizer > ACV > neutralizer > ACV > neutralizer > cuticle sealer > protein > moisturizer

I have my steps jotted down as such: Rinse Relaxer out /w Water, Light/Med Protein Cond/Rinse out w/Water, Neutralize Poo, Several times, Rinse w/water, ACV Rinse, DC, Rinse w/Water, PC Control/ Rinse w/Water.

I am still concerned with how/why you would skip the Neutralizing Shampoo.

[msa]

I'd also like to know why you are thinking about eliminating the Neutralizing Shampoo.

Wouldn't you incorporate your ACV Rinse after your light/med protein treatment? And before you proceed with your DC? Do you think the shampoo bar will be able to fully bring the PH level down enough? Isn't the point of the shampoo, to bring the PH Level down to a low level?

I'm not relaxed, but I've read a few threads here where the hair gurus weighed in and the consensus was you technically don't need a "neutralizing" shampoo because most everything has a lower ph than a relaxer. Basically, you could use a regular shampoo (like a clarifier) a few times and/or let it sit and that would work. And then following with conditioner will lower the ph as well.

If I can find the threads I'll post a link.

[imaccami]

I'm just curious, why you don't you want to use the neutralizing shampoo?

I think that it's probably possible to neutralize in the way that you described, but why push your luck if you don't have to?

[CAPlush]

I like using the shampoo with color alarm because then you can be sure when the process has stopped. It takes me much longer than 5 min. Neutralizing shampoo is pretty cheap I would add the ACV rinse to help the process along but I wouldn't skip it.

[Lovelylife]

You do it in intervals.
I am SO glad for the ACV because without it, I doubt that the shampoo would have stopped being pink.
This is what I did ( i relaxed myself for the first time and still have hair so i guess it worked)
My neutralizing process took about an hour, but I did my hair in sections, so yeah. Plus I am impatient, so I keep repeating steps.
Protein (2-5min)
Neutralizer (5 min)
ACV- I just put in out my hair and rubbed it through a couple of times, left it in for 1 min
Neutralizer- 10 min
ACV- rubbed in through, 1min
Neutralizer- 2 min
ACV- rubbed in through, 1 min
Neutralizer-20 min
ACV- rubbed in through
Neutralizer -5min
Neutralizer-2 min

[MummysGirl]

I'd suggest you use a neutralizing shampoo, I love my hair and scalp too much to use any other suggestions.

A neutralizing shampoo is manufactured specifically for relaxers, and as a relaxer is a chemical, I'd be too scared to NOT use one.

[Honi]

Don't skip the neutralizing poo. Don't do it!

Even though I don't use commercial shampoos anymore I still use the neutralizing poo when I relax and resume use of the shampoo bar the following week.

You can still use ACV rinse afterwards to remove the poo residue if you wish.

[prospurr4]

I would not skip the neutralizing shampoo...for the reasons that the other ladies have already given. Then, I follow with a ACV rinse.

[*Muffin*]

I just feel it's an unnecessary step. ACV is an acid and has a pH of 2. Acids neutralize bases (and relaxers are bases), and relaxers have a pH of around 13 or 14. So if I could skip the shampoo that would be lovely, because it leaves my hair feeling very dry. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. But now that you ladies put the fear of God in me I think that I'll still use the neutralizing poo in conjunction .

[newflowers]

I've learned that many hair processes work - ones I'd never dreamed of before coming to this board; however, the importance of completely rinsing and washing the relaxer from hair and scalp is mandatory. I use acv rinse after the first neutralizing shampoo, and it gets me right to white suds, but i still wash more than once. My concern is not the number of steps but the complete removal of relaxer from my hair. My horrible hair past had more than one instance of not doing so.

I think your hair is too beautiful to take the chance, the consequences of a failed experiment are, in this instance, too severe to contemplate.

[prospurr4]

I just feel it's an unnecessary step. ACV is an acid and has a pH of 2. Acids neutralize bases (and relaxers are bases), and relaxers have a pH of around 13 or 14. So if I could skip the shampoo that would be lovely, because it leaves my hair feeling very dry. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. But now that you ladies put the fear of God in me I think that I'll still use the neutralizing poo in conjunction .

I didn't mean to scare you, and your reasoning makes sense to me. However, when it comes to chemicals in my hair, I will overkill in a minute...just to be safe.

[IDareT'sHair]

I've learned that many hair processes work - ones I'd never dreamed of before coming to this board; however, the importance of completely rinsing and washing the relaxer from hair and scalp is mandatory. I use acv rinse after the first neutralizing shampoo, and it gets me right to white suds, but i still wash more than once. My concern is not the number of steps but the complete removal of relaxer from my hair. My horrible hair past had more than one instance of not doing so.

I think your hair is too beautiful to take the chance, the consequences of a failed experiment are, in this instance, too severe to contemplate.

Newflowers: Thank you very much for the painstaking effort you put into a previous Self Relaxers Support Thread especially during the neutralization process. I've incorporated your steps into my program. I also wanted to tell you that the time you took to explain the importance of PC has also been added to my Deep Conditioning Regimen. After every DC w/Heat, I always follow up with PC to close the cuticle and my hair has been feeling much better.

[locabouthair]

I just feel it's an unnecessary step. ACV is an acid and has a pH of 2. Acids neutralize bases (and relaxers are bases), and relaxers have a pH of around 13 or 14. So if I could skip the shampoo that would be lovely, because it leaves my hair feeling very dry. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. But now that you ladies put the fear of God in me I think that I'll still use the neutralizing poo in conjunction .

It leaves my hair feeling very dry as well but I rather dry hair than bald spots

I've had many setbacks from stylists not neutralizing well..

[VirtuousGal]

I like using the shampoo with color alarm because then you can be sure when the process has stopped. It takes me much longer than 5 min. Neutralizing shampoo is pretty cheap I would add the ACV rinse to help the process along but I wouldn't skip it.

You can in fact neutralize your hair with ACV but i always like to use neutralizer after. It is wonderful though, most times after I use ACV, I hardly, if ever, see any pink suds, it speeds up the neutralizing process dramatically. So to me, regular neutralizing shampoo is more of a safety guard, its not neccessary, just as long as something is bringing down the Ph levels, like the profectiv relaxer that uses a neutralizing mousse instead. Shampoo isn't always the best route, I remember one relaxer I neutralized many times with shampoo and a week later, I happened to wash w/ neutralizing shampoo and I still had pink suds even though they appeared to be over with before. After using acv, I never experience that, so I would never neutralize without it.