The Learning Center

ACIDIC HAIR RINSES: Why Your Hair Needs One

3/1/2024

You may be thinking "Me? I need one?", "How could that benefit my hair & why?", or even "I don't want to smell like a salad!" Safe to say, there is a lot of confusion & mis-information floating around out there -- So let's jump in & explore this subject in depth. Read on to learn about acidic rinses, your hair's needs, & even how to make your own rinse & use it properly!

THE WHY: Have you ever wondered why it is that we even have special ‘soap’ for our hair & don’t simply use the same cleansers we use on our bodies? The answer is quite simple really: Your Hair & Scalp need an acidic environment.
By ‘acidic’ I am talking about the natural pH, or Potential of Hydrogen, of the hair & scalp. This natural acidic pH of human hair, generally between 4.5 & 5.5 on the pH scale, prevents the growth of bacteria & fungi, & it also keeps the hair cuticle closed & the scalp healthy. This is how “Shampoo” came to be & it is also why using an acidic rinse on your hair provides such amazing benefits.

It seems like an acidic rinse would dry out & weaken hair, but the opposite is true! By closing down the cuticles, an acidic rinse strengthens & protects hair strands. The outer layer of each strand or hair shaft is composed of layers of overlapping scales, similar to snake skin. These scales are known as the cuticle. Your scalp & hair are protected by a thin acidic film called the acid mantle, which plays a very important role in caring for your hair.

The acid mantle causes the cuticle scales to lay flat, locking in moisture, making each strand stronger, & causing each strand to be more reflective. [flat cuticle = SHINY hair] Everytime you wash your hair, you disrupt your acid mantle, causing the cuticle scales to peel up on their ends & also leaving your scalp unprotected.

With open, raised cuticles, your hair cannot lock moisture in & is weakened, causing the strands to break more easily. Additionally, if you have hard water [Hello! New England!] you will find that the minerals in your water stick to those raised ends of cuticle, creating build up. The results are pretty tragic – an itchy, dry scalp & dull, dry, lifeless looking hair that breaks easily – while your body works to rebuild & fortify your acid mantle. And this happens every single time you wash your hair! THIS is where an acidic rinse comes in like a hero to save the day! Using an acidic rinse will reset your pH & acid mantle, remove build-up from hair, close your cuticle strengthening hair shafts, & add beautiful shine, easily fixing every single one of those issues!

Those using traditional shampoos & conditioners should use an acidic rinse once a week to clarify their hair, remove mineral buildup, & fortify their acid mantles. For those of us using SLS-Free Shampoo Bars, you will ABSOLUTELY have the best results if you follow washing with an acidic rinseEVERY TIME and this is why–

Good-quality, natural Shampoo Bars are formulated specifically for hair with pH in mind. When produced properly, natural shampoo bars will have as low a pH as possible. For example, our Du Jardin Shampoo Bars are super-fatted & have salt water added to lower their pH. This helps significantly, but the bars are still soap & therefore still mildly basic/alkaline in pH.
Since healthy hair must be slightly acidic in order to protect the scalp & keep the cuticle closed, following your cleansing with ANY natural shampoo bar with an acidic rinse is the best way to close the cuticle, balance your pH, & restore your acid mantle.

When discussing switching to natural Shampoo Bars, you may have heard of the dreaded “Transition Period” as a deterrent to changing over. However, use of an acidic rinse basically negates this awkward hair phase.
Traditional [toxin-laden] surfactants like SLS generally overstrip the hair, which causes your body to produce more & more sebum in an attempt to replace what you keep taking away. Most people find that their bodies stop over producing sebum pretty quickly once SLS is removed from use – especially when a regular Acidic Rinse is used.
Once you quit over stripping your natural sebum & begin to fortify your acid mantle, you will find your hair & scalp are MUCH happier. Many find their hair looks cleaner longer, is softer, & is much more manageable. The scalp stops being itchy & flaky.

Almost every one of our SLS-Free Shampoo Bar customers tells us that they need to wash their hair much less frequently & find it to be much less dry once they have used natural bars for a bit! Again, using an acidic rinse will reset your pH & acid mantle, remove build-up from hair, close your cuticle strengthening hair shafts, & add beautiful shine.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF RINSES: There are many options & types of acidic rinses, some are shelf stable & some you can make yourself each week for your own use. Most Acidic Hair Rinses use one of 3 things to acidulate them: ACV or Apple Cider Vinegar, Citric Acid, or Lemon Juice.
You can easily & inexpensively make your own rinse by keeping a bottle with 1 or 2 TBS of lemon juice per 1 cup of water at hand. That ratio is slightly different if you want to use citric acid or apple cider vinegar instead of lemon : 2 TBS : 1 Cup water.

You can easily make your own rinse at home

Apple Cider Vinegar has the very best effect

All of these are effective & simply a matter of personal preference-- although I will say, if you can handle the scent of the ACV, you will be rewarded with well balanced & incredibly shiny hair! It certainly seems to have the very best effect of hair. The strong vinegar scent dissipates completely by the time your hair is dry, but is so powerful when applying that many find it a deterrent, myself included.

One of the biggest requests we had from customers has been for a shelf-stable Acidic Rinse option & I am delighted to say I have formulated one I am proud to offer. Our Restorative Hair Tonic is now available & makes it even easier to leave traditional shampoo behind! Formulated with apple cider vinegar for best effects, but masking its strong odor with a delightful blend of essential oils, it provides additional soothing & strengthening benefits to the scalp & hair over a simple water/acid mix.

shop our acidic hair tonic

THE HOW: Okay– now that we have learned about WHY acid rinses are a great idea, let’s look at HOW to use them. Truly, using a rinse is a simple, easy step, indeed easier even than using a bottled conditioner. Your chosen rinse can be applied in the shower or once you are out.
I prefer to use mine just before getting out of the shower: Once I finish my shower & turn off the water, I apply my rinse, squeezing a bit of my rinse out in a couple different spots around my scalp. I then work it through my hair & rub it into my scalp a bit before wrapping my hair/head with a towel. Those with long hair may find a wide tooth comb makes it easier to distribute for them. I leave the towel wrapped on while I brush my teeth & use my skincare. I then take off the towel & brush my hair–
Voila! I am ready to roll!

I do not rinse my rinse out & I find this works best. Allow hair to dry naturally or blow dry afterwards as you normally would. People with particularly hard water find using distilled water when making their own rinse has fantastic effect as well

I hope this has clarified the subject of acidic rinses for you! [sorry for the terrible pun– I couldn’t resist!] For those of you looking for more information on Making the Switch to Natural Shampoo Bars from Traditional Shampoos, please check out our Learning Center post on that here.

Remember, SMALL CHANGES + DAILY = BIG DIFFERENCES

Stimulating SLS-Free Shampoo Bars

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Restorative Hair Tonic To Balance & Clarify

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Stimulating Scalp Serum With Wild-Foraged Horsetail & Nettle

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SLS-Free Shampoo Bar Sampler Set

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Volume & Shine SLS-Free Shampoo Bar

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Conditioning Hair Oil

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Balance & Body SLS-Free Shampoo Bars

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Nourishing SLS-Free Shampoo Bar

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Leave-In Hair Conditioners

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Herbal Spotlight: Butterfly Pea Flower, About & Uses

2/15/2022

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Butterfly Pea Flowers [Clitoria ternatea] provide gorgeous natural color, as well as many benefits for the mind and body. Add some natural Botanical Blue to your routine & brighten things up as we explore these amazing flowers & their benefits, & their uses.

More than just a pretty face, Butterfly Pea flowers are a powerful Herbal Ally! Native to Southeast Asia, these flowers have been used for centuries as a memory enhancer, brain booster, anti-stress & calmative agent; they are staples of Chinese & Ayurvedic medicine. Clitoria ternatea are considered to be adaptogenic. Adaptogens are substances that work to help the body resist stressors of all kinds, whether physical, chemical or biological, & to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes. They are packed full of antioxidants, flavonoids,& peptides, as well as anti-inflammatory compounds, particularly anthocyanin, which are believed to support cardiovascular health.

They also contain catechins, which are said to be instrumental in burning belly fat, aiding weight loss as well as helping to control blood sugar. Drinking butterfly-pea flower tea is purported to rev up your metabolism, making the body burn more calories.

Butterfly pea flowers are also traditionally used cosmetically to stimulate hair growth, & to support glowing skin & graceful aging. The compound anthocyanin is known to increase blood circulation & helps to maintain a healthy scalp. It also aids in strengthening the hair follicles from within, resulting in increased hair growth. In fact, a 2012 study found these flowers to be more effective than the commonly prescribed minoxidil at promoting hair growth. Additionally, the flowers have been used in Thailand for centuries to make a rinse for the hair that is said to keep the dark color of the hair longer! They are considered one of nature's most effective ingredients for promoting hair growth & darkening hair naturally. Infact, we offer an SLS-free shampoo bar & A Lash & Brow Serum using these gems!
Our Stimulating Shampoo Bars are crafted with Butterfly Pea Flower Infusion & Neem Oil to naturally strengthen the hair shafts & encourage new growth, while our Brow & Lash Serum marrys it with the power of pure Castor Oil to stimulate & condition these fragile, fine hairs while encouragibng new growth.

shop our stimulating
sls-free
shampoo bars here

shop Lash & Brow Serum

Butterfly pea flowers are most often used as a tea & have an earthy-green flavor similar to that of green tea. The dried flowers, when steeped, release a deep indigo-blue color. Due to this, they are also often used as a natural food coloring agent in Malasian, Thai, & Burmese cooking.
Most interestingly, this color is pH sensitive, producing a wide variety of shades ranging from fuchsia to bright blue-green as it is exposed to different ingredient’s pHs!

This makes the herb VERY popular for cocktails! As anyone who knows me would expect, I have had quite a lot of fun playing with their effects & use them frequently in the drinks I craft.

 I also craft an adaptogenic tea blend which contains them called Botanical Bliss. It is comprised of 15 different herbs & spices, including tulsi, elderflower, & nettle; many of these ingredients are wild-foraged.

Enjoy naturally deep blue tea -- Or add a slice of lemon to turn yours fuschia!

Want to play with them yourself? We also offer individual herbs, including butterfly pea flowers, for sale bulk here in store & online.

Organic Butterfly Pea Flowers, Hand Foraged

$3.95 - $12.95

Wild harvested & carefully dried to preserve the whole flower heads. Our butterfly pea flowers are collected by hand in Thailand by Supanij Farm. 100% organic & wildcrafted. Dried flowers can be used in tea, cordials, tinctures, & syrups, as well as in cooking & beauty products. Delightfully pH sensitive, on their own they provide a deep indigo blue color, add an acid [like lemon juice] & watch it turn a vibrant purple-fuchsia! Flavor is an earthy floral-green note.

Sold by volume in 1 oz [about 5g] & 2 oz [10g] bags or 4 oz bail-jars that contain 3 ounces by volume [15g] of dried herbs.

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The flowers can be steeped directly in all liquids, not just hot water, & the color is sure to thrill the child [or child-at-heart] in your life. Using them to create true blue milk is particularly fun for Star Wars fans. The pH color shift is really fun to play with as well – Simply add a slice of lemon to your tea & watch it go violently fuschia!

Steeping Butterfly Pea Flowers In Milk

Check Out My 'Winter Blues' rice Pie Recipe Here

More than just the sheer strangeness of the colors, remember you are getting the herbal benefits of the butterfly pea flowers. This Herbal Ally provides so many benefits for mind & body. It is definitely worth adding to your own tea selection or Herbal Apothecary.
I hope you enjoyed this look at these amazing flowers. Let me know how you like to use Butterfly Flowers & what color combo you create! Until next time--Stay safe & #StopAndEatTheFlowers

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Herbal Spotlight: Tulsi, one of our most important herbal allies

11/16/2020

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All hail the queen of Herbs!
Current scientific studies have proven what herbalists have known for centuries-- Tulsi is one of our most important herbal allies. Join me as we discuss just what it can do for you & how--

ABOUT: Tulsi [Ocimum tenuiflorum] is an aromatic member of the Lamiaceae or mint plant family, easily recognizable by its square ‘hairy’ stems & distinctive fragrance. Also known as Holy Basil & the Queen Of Herbs, tulsi is cultivated around the world for religious & medicinal purposes. It has been used for centuries in Chinese & Ayurvedic healing, as well as in religious ceremonies.

A bundle of tulsi dried for making tea

It grows easily & readily, & is an herb I feel everyone should give serious thought to adding to their gardens. I believe you will be thrilled with it-- & I know your local bees will be! Locally, both Goranson Farm & Morning Dew Farm sell seedlings in the Spring. Tulsi works as a powerful adaptogen. Adaptogens are substances that are considered to help the body resist stressors of all kinds, whether physical, chemical or biological, & to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes. Tulsi excels in this area --

Indeed, recent medical studies have shown Tulsi to actually lower cortisol levels [“The beneficial metabolic effects of tulsi are multiple and include lowering cortisol levels” Gholap S, Kar A.Pharmazie. 2004;59:876–8] in the body, so it is not just promoting feelings of wellbeing, but actually increasing our resilience to stress & our ability to handle it.

In addition to its adaptogenic properties, tulsi has also been found to have a modulating effect on the immune system, making it helpful in reducing symptoms of seasonal allergies & strengthening a healthy immune response, to improve memory, to focus attention, & to relieve depression & anxiety. Holy basil has even been shown to counter metabolic stress through normalization of blood glucose, blood pressure & lipid levels. The US National Institutes of Health has published an extensive report detailing many uses & studies.

Read That study here: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4296439/

My Tulsi Rose Lemonade is a favorite in our house

USAGE: There are many ways to effectively use tulsi in order to reap its benefits. One of the most popular ways to to use it in teas & tisanes; this can be done with fresh or dried leaves & flowers.I personally dry large amounts for this usage; it is a favorite with every member of my family. We've found a cup of tulsi tea with lemon balm before bed to be just the thing for a good night’s sleep.
I also like to make syrups for drinks with tulsi -- Give it a try in your lemonade for a refreshing & uplifting treat!

You can easily harvest & dry tulsi to make your own teas. Our plants were particularly prolific this year & I was able to bring in 4 huge harvests! I also dug up 3 plants after cutting them back & repotted them in containers indoors to prolong my access to fresh tulsi into the Winter. After harvesting, I sometimes garble it immediately & lay it to dry on drying-screens, but often I will simply hang bundles of long, cut stems to dry, then garble it into jars once it has completely dried.

Garbling fresh tulsi

A lovely cup of tulsi & rose tea

If you do not grow it yourself, you can find dried tulsi at most herb houses, like Mountain Rose Herbs. I love to mix up my own blends, depending on my specific needs & feelings each day. If you are looking for a little inspiration, I personally find tulsi works especially well with chamomile, rose, jasmine, rosehips, & lemon balm, as well as with green tea if you are looking for some caffeine too. If you prefer to buy it premixed or bagged, you will find numerous tulsi teas on the market, including our Botanical Bliss Tea & an amazing Tulsi + Rose one from Herbal Revolution.

SHOP THESE FABULOUS TULSI-CONTAINING PRODUCTS

Botanical Bliss Adaptogenic Herbal Tea With Tulsi & Butterfly Pea Flower

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White Peony Perfection Tea

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TULSI Tincture, Gluten-Free

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Restore + Relax Herbal Tea from Herbal Revolution

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In addition to being used as tea, tulsi is also steam-distilled to create essential oil & hydrosols. These can be applied to the skin or diffused in the home to help promote harmony. I enjoy bringing large ‘bouquets’ of cut stems & flowers inside to help fragrance our home too. This has the added benefit of ensuring I easily have fresh leaves at hand to muddle into drinks too.

The most powerful means of using tulsi is by concentrating its constituents through tincturing. In pharmacology, a tincture is a type of medicine extracted from a plant in an alcohol solution. In order to achieve many of tulsi’s medical effects, one must sustain a constant level in the body; daily doses of tincture are an easy, effective method for achieving this. When choosing a tincture, look for how & where they are crafted; choosing

learn more about our Small-batch tulsi tincture here

Our small-batch crafted Tulsi Tincture is gluten-free. Available in 1 oz and 2 oz bottles.

organic & unadulterated options from trusted sources is a good rule of thumb. Most will give guidelines for amount to take, with children’s dosing generally being half that of adults, but it is important to remember that every person is unique & will therefore interact with plant medicine in a unique way. You may experience a desired effect at a lower dosage or you may need a bit more than suggested. Therefore, it is best to discuss dosing with an Herbalist or your personal physician for best results. As always, if you are pregnant or nursing it is even more important to discuss usage with your doctor.

Well, that is about it for this week! I think you can see why I believe Tulsi to be such an important herb, & one that everyone should consider including in their lives!
Hopefully, I have piqued your curiosity about this amazing herb. As you sit down this Winter to plan your garden beds for next spring, give some though to adding her to your mix! I believe you will really enjoy it & all its benefits! Take care & STAY SAFE! #StopAndEat TheFlowers

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Introducing our Limited-Edition, Winter Citrus Baking Extracts

3/12/2020

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grab one of our Cara Cara Orange, Meyer Lemon, & 'i Tres Grandi' (The Big Three) extracts!
Each one provides the bright lift your baking needs.

Meyer Lemons, for the uninitiated, are a hybrid of citrons & mandarin oranges, providing a sweeter, intense citrus note. Delicious anywhere you would use classic lemon to flavor.

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Dugan's Bath Day With Bug-Ger Off Pet Soap

6/20/2019

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We were so thrilled when Best Boi DUGAN here agreed to test our Bug-Ger Off Dog Wash & Pet Soap, for he is a dog of discerning taste!

Mournful puppy-eyes aside, Dugan did his duty & jumped right in to the tub for bath-time.
Here he is giving the Small-Sized chunk a test run. We have cut these soaps into easy-to-hold chunks instead of bars to make them easier to hold onto & lather into your pets fur. MUCH easier to handle than a plastic bottle of shampoo & no cap to remove makes Bath-Time easier for both of you.

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new Baking Extracts Join Our Collection

5/25/2019

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Just putting labels & tags on our BRAND NEW baking extracts-- Bright Lemon & Pure Almond in the house! I am so pleased to have these available now online & in store! New changes to shipping laws are now allowing us to ship our delicious baking extracts to our customers!
Our baking collection now includes assorted vanillas, star anise, Malabar cardamom, Sri Lankan clove, cinnamon bark, & Indonesian nutmeg. Kick your baking up a notch--

- #duJardin #lemonextract #smallbatch #almond #handmade #madeinMaine #deluxebaking #handcrafted #bakingextracts #naturalisbetter

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Du Jardin Learning Center

ACIDIC HAIR RINSES: Why Your Hair Needs One

Stimulating SLS-Free Shampoo Bars

Restorative Hair Tonic To Balance & Clarify

Stimulating Scalp Serum With Wild-Foraged Horsetail & Nettle

SLS-Free Shampoo Bar Sampler Set

Volume & Shine SLS-Free Shampoo Bar

Conditioning Hair Oil

Balance & Body SLS-Free Shampoo Bars

Nourishing SLS-Free Shampoo Bar

Leave-In Hair Conditioners

Herbal Spotlight: Butterfly Pea Flower, About & Uses

Organic Butterfly Pea Flowers, Hand Foraged

Herbal Spotlight: Tulsi, one of our most important herbal allies

Botanical Bliss Adaptogenic Herbal Tea With Tulsi & Butterfly Pea Flower

White Peony Perfection Tea

TULSI Tincture, Gluten-Free

Restore + Relax Herbal Tea from Herbal Revolution

Introducing our Limited-Edition, Winter Citrus Baking Extracts

Dugan's Bath Day With Bug-Ger Off Pet Soap

new Baking Extracts Join Our Collection

Categories

Sign Up Here For Our Newsletter

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Sign Up For Our Newsletter: Recipes,
Special Events, Promo Codes

207-563-6256 [email protected] © Du Jardin 2019

Du Jardin Learning Center

ACIDIC HAIR RINSES: Why Your Hair Needs One

Stimulating SLS-Free Shampoo Bars

Restorative Hair Tonic To Balance & Clarify

Stimulating Scalp Serum With Wild-Foraged Horsetail & Nettle

SLS-Free Shampoo Bar Sampler Set

Volume & Shine SLS-Free Shampoo Bar

Conditioning Hair Oil

Balance & Body SLS-Free Shampoo Bars

Nourishing SLS-Free Shampoo Bar

Leave-In Hair Conditioners

Herbal Spotlight: Butterfly Pea Flower, About & Uses

Organic Butterfly Pea Flowers, Hand Foraged

Herbal Spotlight: Tulsi, one of our most important herbal allies

Botanical Bliss Adaptogenic Herbal Tea With Tulsi & Butterfly Pea Flower

White Peony Perfection Tea

TULSI Tincture, Gluten-Free

Restore + Relax Herbal Tea from Herbal Revolution

Introducing our Limited-Edition, Winter Citrus Baking Extracts

Dugan's Bath Day With Bug-Ger Off Pet Soap

new Baking Extracts Join Our Collection

Categories

Sign Up Here For Our Newsletter

Author

Archives

Sign Up For Our Newsletter: Recipes,Special Events, Promo Codes

207-563-6256 [email protected] © Du Jardin 2019

Sign Up For Our Newsletter: Recipes,
Special Events, Promo Codes