Many beauty hacks and tips mention baking soda as being a wonder ingredients for the hair and skin. Gray hair has different needs when it comes to washing, tone, texture and your hair’s overall condition, and you don’t want to make your hair more porous or damaged by trying something that might not work.
What Does Baking Soda Do To Gray Hair?
Baking soda can’t reverse your gray hair, but it can change how your grays look/feel.
It can be an abrasive and alkaline cleanser that will lift any product buildup, smoke residue and hard-water minerals that can leave your grays looking dull or yellow.
If you use baking soda sparingly, it can give you brighter, cleaner looking hair with more slip at the roots.
Baking soda has a high pH level which can roughen your hair’s cuticle, and frequent use can make your grays look wiry, frizzy or dry, especially if your hair is already porous to start with, so use baking soda as a clarifying treatment, but not a daily shampoo.
Always use a small amount, rinse it out well, and follow-up with a gentle conditioner formula.
What Does Baking Soda And Apple Cider Vinegar To Do Gray Hair?
If you use baking soda and apple cider vinegar, it can work as a gray hair reset, with the baking soda loosening stubborn build-up and yellowing residue, and the vinegar helps to rebalance the pH level, and smooth your hair’s cuticle so your strands look brighter and feel softer.
Use them sparingly, as the clarifying rinse will lift dulling minerals from hair water and product film that can make grays look brassy.
The apple cider vinegar can flatten raised cuticles, so light reflects more evenly and your silvers appear crisper and brighter.
If you get flakes or itchiness with your scalp, a baking soda and apple cider vinegar can improve your scalp’s health, but just make sure you don’t overdo it leave your hair and scalp stripped and uncomfortable.
Hair Care After Using Baking Soda On Your Hair
Baking soda can leave your hair feeling squeaky clean, and it can strip oils from your hair, so you need to ensure you’re restoring the moisture and balance.
Rinse thoroughly, and follow up with an acidic conditioner or diluted apple cider vinegar to smooth the cuticle and support color maintenance, since gray can yellow and look dull when the cuticle is rough.
Use a rich, fragrance-free conditioner or hair mask, leaving it on your hair for several minutes to improve your hair’s moisture retention. If you ends feel a little wiry, seal them with a light hair oil or a silicone hair serum, as that’ll help reduce friction and reduce breakage.
Keep your scalp healthy by using a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo for your next wash, and don’t use baking soda too often, as you could end up triggering scalp irritation.