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11 Best Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoos

apple cider vinegar shampoos

Pure by Rachelle Parker

We’ve searched out the best apple cider vinegar shampoos to find a selection of products that target specific hair concerns. Some enhance growth, while others are focused on scalp irritations. These shampoos almost unanimously enhance shine and bounce, volumize, and create more defined curls. And because vinegar is naturally antimicrobial, similar to some anti-dandruff shampoos, it can keep scalp irritations eczema to psoriasis at bay.

Whether you’re looking to lather up, or you’re happier with a gentle cleansing rinse, these ACV shampoos will make your hair the apple of everyone’s eye.

These Are the Best Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoos

apple cider vinegar shampoo Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Top pick
  • Fights dandruff
  • Detangles
Price: $16.95 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
yellow shampoo bottle Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Promotes growth
  • Adds shine
  • Increases volume
Price: $22.85 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
apple cider vinegar shampoo Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Detoxifying
  • Clarifying
  • Promotes growth
Price: $7.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
R+Co Acid Wash Rinse Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Trusted brand
  • Removes build-up
  • Makes hair soft and shiny
Price: $34.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
apple cider vinegar cleansing hair rinse Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Cleansing rinse and conditioner
  • Non-stripping
  • Good for color treated hair
Price: $35.70 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
apple cider vinegar shampoo and conditioner set Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Shampoo and conditioner duo
  • Fights dandruff
  • Helps with hair loss
Price: $15.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
apple cider vinegar shampoo and conditioner set Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Reduces breakage
  • Makes hair shiny
  • Defines curls
Price: $27.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
apple cider vinegar rinse cleanser Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Growth boosting
  • Anti-dandruff
  • Scalp soothing
Price: $34.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
oatmeal and apple cider vinegar shampoo Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Very affordable
  • Scalp calming
  • Adds shine
Price: $8.12 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
organic apple cider vinegar shampoo Amazon Customer Reviews
  • EWG Certified
  • Vegan and organic
  • Boosts hair growth
Price: $68.86 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
salon size apple cider vinegar shampoo Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Two sizes
  • Natural formula
  • Good for color treated hair
Price: $69.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Our Unbiased Reviews
  1. 1. EDITOR’S CHOICE: WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

    Pros:
    • Fights frizz
    • Available as set with conditioner
    • Fights dandruff and restores pH balance
    • Effectively removes product buildup
    Cons:
    • Kind of expensive
    • Can be somewhat drying if used daily
    • Harder than some to rinse out
    • Results vary from head to head

    If you’re looking to restore your dull, lifeless hair back into a mane of beauty, and you want to do it with a vegan product, WOW ACV Shampoo is an ideal way to do it. With luscious lather, this shampoo tackles a huge list of hair issues and it leaves your hair detangled, silky soft and smooth and it makes hair a whole lot less frizzy as well. That’s good news for those with wavy and curly hair, who blow dry regularly.

    How does it work? Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is the biggie here, because it clarifies, fights dandruff, and removes nasty product buildup. If it sounds a little harsh, don’t worry because it isn’t. While it’s not an everyday shampoo for most people, twice a week use will have you seeing real results that could even include enhanced hair growth. And because it’s naturally antimicrobial, it will help minimize scalp irritation according to medical experts.

    This shampoo promises to add volume and shine, plus it helps to restore your scalp’s natural pH balance for an overall healthier head of hair. This formula has argan oil to moisturize, repair hair and improve elasticity, as well as almond oil to add strength and sheen. Another positive side note – it also makes your hair smell so completely amazing that people around you will take notice. 

    Add to the ACV treatment with WOW Coconut & Avocado Oil Hair Conditioner that also fights frizz and helps to restore dry and damaged hair. If you want to try both products without investing in 16.9 ounce bottles of each, you could opt to order this shampoo and conditioner duo that gives you smaller size tubes that will give you a sense if these are the perfect products for your hair.

     

  2. 2. Maple Holistics Vegan Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

    Pros:
    • Minimizes hair loss
    • Increases scalp circulation
    • Fights dandruff and itching
    • Adds volume and shine
    Cons:
    • Can be drying
    • Scent isn't everyone's favorite
    • More expensive than some

    Maple Holistics, a company we love for their deliciously scented and effective shampoos and conditioners, has come up with a new formula to promote hair growth and minimize hair loss. This apple cider vinegar shampoo is made from 98 percent natural ingredients, and if you’re picky about such things, that’s really reassuring. It’s sulfate, paraben, and silicone-free. 

    This formula uses a DHT blocker to help prevent balding. It also improves volume and promotes new hair growth. This shampoo is clarifying, removing product buildup that can also clog follicles and inhibit hair growth. It helps to balance your scalp’s natural pH, and adds shine and curl definition. It helps to tame frizz, and even calms eczema and psoriasis on the scalp.

    Essential oils like rosemary and mint boost circulation and infuse antioxidants and vitamins into your strands. Rosemary oil helps to calm your itchy scalp and naturally fights dandruff, as does the ACV. Sunflower, argan, castor and jojoba oils add hydration and condition your hair so you end of with soft and smooth locks.

    Their Cowash Apple Cider Conditioner the perfect pairing with the ACV shampoo. It’s literally filled with conditioning and nourishing natural ingredients to leave your hair silky and smooth without building up. We’d also recommend Maple Holistics Silk 18 Conditioner, which uses eighteen different silk amino acids to soften and add shine, plus it will leave your hair smelling like pancakes. Yum.

    I’ve personally used their Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner while researching dry scalp treatments and rebought them several times.

  3. 3. Hawaiian Silky Charcoal Activated Cider Vinegar Shampoo

    Pros:
    • Charcoal helps to detoxify
    • ACV cleanses and conditions
    • Herbal extracts and antioxidants
    • Helps to reduce hair loss
    Cons:
    • Doesn't fight frizz as well as others
    • Can be too drying
    • Doesn't detangle well

    When it comes to healthy hair, it all starts with a healthy scalp. Product buildup can cause your follicles to get clogged, and that can inhibit hair growth. That’s why we like this ACV shampoo from Hawaiian Silky. It uses Hawaiian black charcoal to detoxify and deeply cleanse both your scalp and hair. It gently draws out impurities without stripping moisture.

    Apple cider vinegar helps to calm irritation and naturally balances pH levels. It adds shine and luster to your hair, along with cleansing away product buildup as well. Free of sulfates, parabens, and alcohol, this shampoo moisturizes with castor seed oil and oatmeal extract. A host of other herbal oils and extracts make for a refreshing shampooing experience, that infuses your hair with antioxidants and vitamins.

    Hawaiian Silky Static-Free Apple Cider Vinegar Leave-in Conditioner adds black castor oil to encourage hair growth and can be used on days between washes to fight frizz and static. For conditioning on wash days, we like the Hawaiian Silky Apple Cider Vinegar Hair So Soft Conditioner which is also infused with black castor oil. For men and women with serious hair thinning problems, Hawaiian Silky Apple Cider Vinegar Bald Spot Hair Growth Serum feeds follicles with a growth-stimulating formula.

  4. 4. R+Co Acid Wash Apple Cider Vinegar Cleansing Rinse,

    Pros:
    • Gentle enough for daily use
    • Removes dry shampoo build-up
    • Moisturizes with aloe and tamanu oil
    • Luxury brand
    Cons:
    • Doesn't really lather
    • Doesn't replace shampoo for everyone
    • Can be somewhat drying
    • Pricier

    If heavy build-up and dull hair are among your key complaints, R+Co’s Acid Wash Apple Cider Vinegar Cleansing Rinse can tackle those tough issues fast. Have you maybe gone a little too long relying on the power of dry shampoo and hair spray now your hair feels like death? This rinse is designed to remove all that gunk and leave you with softer, shinier hair.

    The creamy rinse, while not particularly lathering, soothes your scalp with the natural anti-inflammatory powers of ACV and can help with itchiness. Aloe vera soothes irritation while cranesbill extract reduces inflammation. It improves the health of hair follicles to stimulate growth, while gently cleansing away dandruff flakes and soothing irritation. Tamanu seed oil restores moisture to your scalp and a high shine to your hair. 

    Plus, you’ve got to give them points for the punny product name and packaging. 

     

     

  5. 5. Dphue Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse

    Pros:
    • Antioxidant formula
    • Soothes and heals irritated scalp
    • Fights dandruff
    • Adds shine and bounce
    Cons:
    • Very watery
    • Irritating if it gets in your eyes
    • Needs a lot of product per use
    • Expensive for a small bottle

    If you’re not wed to lather, and you’re game to try a formula that’s both a cleanser and conditioner, the dpHUE ACV rinse might be exactly what you’re after. It cleans without stripping and is the ideal solution for those days when you’re not planning to do the full shampoo and conditioner routine. This cleansing rinse uses apple cider vinegar to cleanse and reduce scalp irritation, along with other antimicrobial and antibacterial botanicals to fight dandruff and scaly scalp.

    Aloe vera soothes and moisturizes your hair, along with macadamia oil and argan oil which encourages hair growth. Lavender calms and adds a nice bit of aromatherapy to the experience, and dandelion leaf extract gives your hair a potent dose of antioxidant power to fight off free radical damage from the sun and environmental aggressors. 

    This cleansing rinse is safe for color-treated hair, and brings shine and bounce back to lifeless and frizzy hair. To enhance your color, and deeply exfoliate your scalp, dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Scalp Scrub uses ACV and Himalayan Pink Salt to cleanse and remove product buildup. A scalp massager brush is a great aid in using scalp scrubs like this.

     

     

  6. 6. Pure Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo & Conditioner Set

    Pros:
    • Shampoo and conditioner set
    • Helps stop scalp itch and dandruff
    • Lessens hair loss with DHT blockers
    • Organic and natural formula
    Cons:
    • Can't get the shampoo on its own
    • Can be too drying for some hair types
    • Isn't effective for every user

    Are you looking for a natural shampoo and conditioner pairing that fights dandruff, restores shine and actually helps to increase hair growth? This Cider Vinegar Set from Pure by Rachelle Parker is a great choice for you. As you know, ACV is an age-old natural remedy for shinier hair with fewer tangles and less frizz. It clarifies and removes dirt, oil, and product buildup. 

    What’s unique in this formula is the addition of DHT blocking coconut oil that naturally conditions, fights bacteria, and can help to reduce hair loss. In fact, DHT blockers are used in all the most effective hair growth shampoos. Coconut oil also helps to nourish your hair and reduce breakage which can make it seem like you’re losing hair. Because both ACV and coconut oil are naturally antibacterial, this shampoo is good for fighting itchy scalp and dandruff too.

    This natural formula also uses sweet almond oil to nourish and strengthen your strands, along with vitamin E and hydrating argan nut oil. You’ll also love that it froths up into a wicked lather. The companion conditioner adds avocado oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil to add strength, shine, and luster, leaving your hair super soft and silky. 

     

  7. 7. Luseta Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo & Conditioner Set

    Pros:
    • Leaves your curls glossy
    • Makes hair soft and shiny
    • Fights dandruff and itchy scalp
    • Smells like fresh apple
    Cons:
    • Fairly expensive
    • Might actually be drying
    • Conditioner can be a bit heavy

    If you want to give a kick to your curls and have hair that’s glossy and healthy, this ACV shampoo and its companion conditioner are a step in the direction of more healthy hair. This salon-inspired shampoo can add body and volume to your mane, while it strips away product residues that can weigh down your hair. 

    It also fights dandruff and helps to eliminate your annoying itchy head, restoring your scalp’s natural pH balance. The natural properties of apple cider vinegar help to make natural curls pop and look more defined with less frizz. Great for those with oily hair, it deeply cleanses without stripping your hair. 

    With a light and refreshing apple scent, these paraben-free formulas will leave your hair nicely detangled too – a big help when it comes to reducing split ends. 

     

  8. 8. Just Nutritive Vinegar Nutritive Rinse Cleanser

    Pros:
    • Gentle cleansing rinse
    • Clarifies and removes buildup
    • Helps promote growth
    • Dozens of botanical extracts
    Cons:
    • Smells more like vinegar than most
    • May leave hair feeling dry
    • Quite spendy

    If you don’t need lots of lather to feel like your hair is cleansed and healthy, a vinegar rinse cleanser like this one from Just Nutritive could be an answer to heavy buildup and healthier looking hair. This growth-boosting formula effectively clarifies and clears clogged follicles that might be inhibiting new hair growth. 

    The natural acids and enzymes in apple cider vinegar help to fend off fungus and bacteria, leaving your scalp and hair feeling clean and refreshed. Aloe vera adds natural moisture and soothes irritation along with comfrey extract. But this formula contains more than two dozen scalp and hair loving botanical extracts and oils along with other natural ingredients to fight dandruff and promote growth. 

    This long list of botanicals is topped by sea buckthorn which is loaded with essential fatty acids and vitamin A to increase circulation and promote a healthy scalp. Andiroba oil is also rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and naturally helps to fight dandruff, eczema, and psoriasis. It also promotes increased hair growth. Citrus oils, including orange and grapefruit, naturally stimulate circulation and help to control sebum production, often a culprit when it comes to itchy scalp and dandruff. 

    If you want to break up your ACV cleansing with a more traditional hair growth shampoo and conditioner, you might like Just Nutritive Hair Loss Therapy Shampoo and Hair Therapy Conditioner.

  9. 9. Aveeno Scalp Soothing Apple Cider Vinegar Blend Shampoo

    Pros:
    • Great fresh scent
    • Very affordable
    • Adds volume and shine
    Cons:
    • Not as many benefits
    • Doesn't detangle
    • Scent is off-putting to some

    Aveeno is well known for its skin calming colloidal oatmeal formulas, and this apple cider vinegar blend shampoo holds true to that thinking with this scalp soothing shampoo. It works to gently clarify, removing product buildup as well as dirt, oil, and flakes, while adding shine to dull lifeless hair. This volumizing shampoo will make your head and your hair look and feel more healthy.

    Colloidal oatmeal is naturally soothing and moisturizing, and that’s a benefit of this ACV shampoo because it won’t dry or strip your hair. That means you’ll get softer, shinier hair. While this shampoo is excellent for oily and regular scalps, it may be a bit drying if you have fine, thin, or limp hair. It also works well for color-treated hair, helping to preserve both color and shine.

    Another bonus is the fresh smell, which is popular with users, along with the fact that it’s sulfate and paraben-free. But perhaps the thing that will most appeal to you is the affordability of this shampoo compared to many others. Aveeno Apple Cider Vinegar Conditioner is a good companion to moisturize and detangle, and between washes, you can gently cleanse and clarify with Aveeno Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse.

     

  10. 10. Avalon Organics Smooth Shine Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

    Pros:
    • EWG Certified
    • Natural ingredients fight hair loss
    • Clarifies without stripping moisture
    • Fights scalp irritation and dandruff
    Cons:
    • Seriously spendy
    • Not as deeply cleansing as some
    • Works best with conditioner

    When you’re the kind of person who insists on organic and vegan beauty products, the search to find them isn’t always easy because lots of products that claim to be natural really aren’t. No worries. You can count on purity with this cider vinegar shampoo from Avalon Organics that’s both vegan and truly organic. In fact, it has even been certified by the Environmental Working Group, so you know it’s safe.

    Raw apple cider vinegar which includes the mother helps to renew and naturally restore pH balance. It works in concert with nettle extract, argan oil, and babussa oil, which is similar to coconut oil, to help restore hair and leave it feeling renewed and silky smooth. It cleanses and clarifies, but doesn’t strip your hair of natural moisture, which can be a problem with other apple cider vinegar shampoos.

    Argan oil helps to condition and promote growth, while nettle leaf stops hair loss and helps to promote growth. This shampoo also stimulates circulation with a vibrant mix of herbal oils and extracts.

    This shampoo is made with non-GMO ingredients and no parabens, harsh preservatives, synthetic colors or fragrances, phthalates, or sulfates. It is also vegan and never tested on animals. If dandruff is your main issue, you might want to consider Avalon Organics Scalp Treatment Tea Tree Shampoo instead.

     

  11. 11. AG Hair Natural Balance Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo

    Pros:
    • 98 percent plant based
    • Formulated for salon use
    • Gently cleanses all hair types
    • Lovely aroma
    Cons:
    • Expensive
    • Too strongly scented for some
    • Quite a few shipping issues reported

    If you’re a professional stylist looking for a cider vinegar shampoo to use on your clients, this big 33.8 ounce pump bottle of shampoo was created with you in mind. AG Hair Natural Balance gently cleanses away oils and hair products, while leaving it soft, shiny and smelling lovely. That touch of aromatherapy, thanks to a blend of rosemary, lavender, lemongrass, and clary sage essential oils, makes for a more glamorous client experience during their haircut and style session. 

    This gentle shampoo is formulated with 98 percent plant-based and naturally derived ingredients. Organic apple cider vinegar leaves hair smooth and shiny because it closes the hair cuticle. Antioxidant-rich organic argan oil helps to moisturize, protect and smooth strands, while aloe vera soothes itch and irritation while adding even more hair hydration. 

    This shampoo is ideal for color-treated hair as well as all other hair types. You can also get that same size pump bottle of the AG Hair Natural Boost Care Apple Cider Vinegar Conditioner to help detangle and add more shine and smoothness.

    If that’s a little too big, it’s also available as a smaller 12-ounce bottle.

     

What Are the Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for Hair?

Apple cider vinegar for hair contains more than 30 beneficial enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, as well as probiotics if the vinegar product is raw.

In ACV shampoos, this ingredient balances your scalp pH, clarifies, and gets rid of buildup from your hair products that can clog follicles and reduce hair growth.

But the goodness doesn't stop there. It also stimulates those follicles to produce more hair while it exfoliates dead skin cells from your scalp.

The slip of the vinegar detangles fights frizz, and adds shine.

Whether you're drinking it, defeating dandruff, or adding shine to your hair, apple cider vinegar (ACV) is one of nature's natural wonders that's been used throughout history to restore pH balance to your body in many ways.

Will I Smell Like Vinegar All Day?

Nope. Vinegar is great for removing smells, and not just by hiding them. You add white vinegar to your laundry to help remove smells and your clothes don't end up smelling like vinegar.

It's normal to be intimidated by the strong smell at first, but as long as you rinse well, you'll leave your shower smelling clean and fresh and not like vinegar. 

Can I Just Dump Vinegar on My Hair?

Technically, you can do whatever you want. And sure you can use plain ACV on your hair if you want, but you're running the risk of using too strong of a concentration of acid which can damage your hair and upset your skin. Not to mention the pain of getting vinegar in your eyes because vinegar is just going to pour down your head and onto your face and body. It won't be as easy to apply to only your hair like a balanced product containing ACV.

If you're pinching pennies, maybe try a diluted ACV rinse on your own to see if you like how your hair feels, and if you like it you can invest in a proper ACV shampoo.