If You've Never Taken An Apple Cider Vinegar Bath, You Might Be Missing Out
You know apple cider vinegar as the drink tons of celebs are obsessed with for its, ahem, alleged wellness properties, but you may not have considered adding it to your bath. (I mean...the odor?!) But soaking in apple cider vinegar is totally a thing, and it turns out, ACV is actually not a terrible bath time companion.
Yep, there are actually benefits to drawing an apple cider vinegar bath-if you can stomach the smell.
1. It relieves dry skin.
Apple cider vinegar can help restore the proper pH of your skin, says Dr. Navya Mysore, M.D. at OneMedical. It's acidic, and your skin should be slightly acidic in order to hold in moisture.
If you have dry skin, soaking in ACV can help soothe it. That's what makes it so effective for people with skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Just make sure you don't take an apple cider vinegar bath with open wounds, sores, or a sunburn-because, yeah, ouch.
2. It can fight dandruff.
Scrubbing your scalp with apple cider vinegar is a smart move if you have dandruff. It helps balance your scalp's pH and, like the skin all over your body, helps it retain moisture. Even better, because apple cider vinegar has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, it attacks the fungal properties of dandruff, says Mysore.
3. It can fight acne and warts.
If you have face or body acne, an apple cider vinegar bath can be a great way to cleanse and calm your inflamed skin. ACV will dry out any excess oil, and help fight bacteria, says Mysore. That makes it a great home treatment for warts as well.
Check out these five surprising ways to use apple cider vinegar:
4. It's a natural exfoliant.
Dr. Dendy Engelman, M.D., a New York City-based dermatologic surgeon, previously told Women's Health that apple cider vinegar also contains alpha hydroxy acids that can help exfoliate the skin. Translation: You'll have smoother skin, and possibly fewer razor bumps along your bikini line or anywhere else you shave.
5. It might help nix bad body odor.
Engelman also said that soaking in apple cider vinegar can help neutralize foot odor thanks to its antiseptic and antifungal properties. An ACV bath will also take the stink out of your sweaty pits, FWIW.
How exactly do I soak my body in apple cider vinegar?
While some recommend adding two to three cups of apple cider vinegar to a hot bath, Mysore suggests starting with a half cup to one cup for your first time. That way, you can see how your skin reacts to soaking in it, and then add more the next time.
You can also add Epsom salt if you want the added benefit of soothing achy joints or sore muscles, she says. Soak for at least 30 minutes, and if want to rinse off afterward, just make sure not to use soap-that will strip all the pH-balancing ACV benefits off your skin.
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