Conditioner Bars with ACV or Citric Acid?

[Summermoonsoapery]

Hi everyone! I’ve been doing some research trying to figure out how to make a natural hair conditioner bar. Currently I am making my shampoo bars using cold process soap and so I want to figure out how to make a conditioner bar that is more acidic. Essentially, I want the conditioner bar to be like a solid form of the apple cider vinegar rinse you are to do after using soap on your hair has anyone tried this before? I’m wondering if you can add citric acid powder to the mixture before hardening, or adding apple cider vinegar in a bar emulsion (is that a thing? Haha)… I’m pretty new to this, so any direction would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[AliOop]

You cannot reduce the pH of soap in any meaningful amount, for two reasons:

1. The acid in both vinegar and citric acid with react with NaOH, and thus be neutralized.

2. If you were able to reduce the pH of soap, it would cease to be soap, and would break into free fatty acids.

Bottom line, you are better off either making an acidic rinse solution with ACV or citric acid, OR making a conditioner bar with ingredients that actually condition hair - or both.

 

[Summermoonsoapery]

Hi thank

You cannot reduce the pH of soap in any meaningful amount, for two reasons:

1. The acid in both vinegar and citric acid with react with NaOH, and thus be neutralized.

2. If you were able to reduce the pH of soap, it would cease to be soap, and would break into free fatty acids.

Bottom line, you are better off either making an acidic rinse solution with ACV or citric acid, OR making a conditioner bar with ingredients that actually condition hair - or both.

thank you for your response! Okay that makes sense…so i will try to make a conditioner bar..can I add ACV to the conditioner bar? And are you saying that if the conditioner bar is very conditioning it will neutralize the PH of the scalp?

 

[AliOop]

I've never added ACV to my conditioner bars, so I can't say if, or how well (or poorly) that might work. Because I no longer use soap bars to wash my hair, I no longer need a post-shampoo ACV or CA rinse at all. The combination of syndet shampoo bars and conditioner bars keeps my hair soft, and my scalp very happy. Everything is way less dry and frizzy, and no more flaking at all.

You can find some good recipes for conditioner bars online, like this one from Humblebee & Me.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Essentially, I want the conditioner bar to be like a solid form of the apple cider vinegar rinse you are to do after using soap on your hair has anyone tried this before?

A solid form of ACV? Hmm. I can't even imagine such a thing.

I’m wondering if you can add citric acid powder to the mixture before hardening,

Citric acid is used in soap and bath bombs. I'm not sure how one would incorporate it into an anhydrous conditioner bar. Check out @DeeAnna 's Soapy Stuff to see what she has to say about Citric Acid Use

or adding apple cider vinegar in a bar emulsion (is that a thing? Haha)

I assume the "shampoo bar" you make is lye-based CP or HP. Yes? So, keeping within the bounds of soap making, you might consider making your shampoo bar more conditioning by adding ACV & citric acid to that. I think it is @cmzaha that uses 100% ACV to replace the water to make the lye solution for one of her soaps. Adding citric acid to the bar may be worth a try as well. Just a thought.

a natural hair conditioner bar

That would be similar to a lotion bar which is anhydrous (no water) -- no ACV or Citric Acid either. Keep it simple to start with. Just use whatever oils/butters that appeal to you, perhaps herbs and or essential oils known to be beneficial to hair and BTMS a Conditioning Emulsifying wax

BTMS is used in many hair care products as a mild moisturizer, detangler and conditioner. This multipurpose beauty ingredient is often found in shampoos, conditioners, and deep conditioners. This ingredient is often used to moisturize, condition and detangle the hair.

Google DIY Hair Conditioner Bar for recipes and ideas. Start with small 100g batches and tweak to your heart's delight until you arrive at something that works for you.

Have fun and good luck!

 

[artemis]

A solid form of ACV? Hmm. I can't even imagine such a thing.

Amazon has several brands

MB Herbals Apple Cider Vinegar Powder | 227G (8 oz/Half Pound) | 75 Servings | Spray Dried | Gluten Free | No Preservatives https://a.co/d/5yzZ5T5

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

Amazon has several brands

MB Herbals Apple Cider Vinegar Powder | 227G (8 oz/Half Pound) | 75 Servings | Spray Dried | Gluten Free | No Preservatives https://a.co/d/5yzZ5T5

Hooray @artemis on sharing ACV powder link! This particular ACV powder contains 10% maltodextrin, which is a starch composed of several sugars. It might be a second benefit when added to soap or conditioner.